DHL's logistics director recently visited the Coventry, UK, facility to gain deeper insights into the logistics and order fulfillment operations for beauty retailer Sephora, one year after the partnership between the two companies was announced.

Last year, Sephora appointed DHL Supply Chain as its lead logistics provider under a 5-year contract. DHL is responsible for Sephora's warehousing, e-commerce fulfillment, and transportation network in the UK.

Operational since 7/2024, DHL's 83,600 m2 Cross Point facility in Coventry is a multi-user site with a dedicated floor for Sephora. This single facility handles all of the retailer's UK logistics.

DHL's Cross Point Coventry facility. Photo: DHL

DHL's Cross Point Coventry facility. Photo: DHL

The building has achieved a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, the oldest and most widely used green building rating system in Europe) "Excellent" rating for its green design. It uses an air source heat pump system instead of gas, reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 135 tons annually. In addition, 3,000 solar panels combined with a battery storage system, developed by DHL's in-house digital engineering team, provide over 40% of the electricity consumed. The center also boasts 30 electric vehicle charging points, and all material handling equipment is electric, including electric tuggers.

Central to DHL's logistics operation for Sephora are autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), specifically the Chuck AMR developed by Ocado Intelligent Automation. The robots follow pickers, assisting with single and batch order processing. A pick-to-light system displays product codes, location colors, illustrative images, and precise placement instructions. If an incorrect item is selected, the robot signals with a red light. The facility also integrates other automation technologies such as floor-cleaning robots, mobile wrapping robots, and a volumetric measurement system for rapid parcel sorting.

The center processes around 7,000 e-commerce orders daily, 62% of which are packed in small boxes – a fully automated process handling over 600 orders per hour. Two automated packing stations are currently in operation, with the capacity to double during peak seasons. Larger orders are packed manually, at a rate of 30 to 60 orders per hour. Customers can also choose value-added services such as premium gift wrapping, particularly for Jo Malone products. The warehouse operates 24/7. Even during peak periods like Black Friday, Sephora maintains next-day delivery service.

Chuck AMRs branded with DHL and Sephora. Photo: DHL

Chuck AMRs branded with DHL and Sephora. Photo: DHL

DHL also showcased Boston Dynamics' Stretch robot – a versatile robot for unloading and palletizing. In 5/2025, DHL signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Boston Dynamics, with plans to deploy over 1,000 Stretch robots globally. Currently, 10 robots are operational in the UK, Germany, and the US, including two at the Daventry (Northamptonshire) facility.

Each robot can unload 600 to 800 packages per hour, double the speed of manual labor. They are not fixed and can be moved between warehouses to accommodate fluctuating volumes. The robots operate independently on battery power, requiring no cables, and have a runtime of up to 16 hours.

Saul Resnick, CEO of DHL Supply Chain UK&I, emphasized that the investment in technology like robots isn't simply because "it looks modern and trendy" but because it offers long-term efficiency, serves DHL's growth strategy, and provides "tangible benefits for employees".

"Where it makes sense, we will deploy at scale," he said.

Addressing concerns about robots replacing humans, Resnick affirmed that people remain central to DHL's Strategy 2030, which focuses on sustainable growth. "We are still expanding and will need more people than we have today to fulfill that ambition," he said, concluding: "It's not an either/or. It’s people and robots complementing each other".

Beyond retail, DHL Supply Chain also recently announced a £550 million investment plan to expand infrastructure and accelerate automation in the UK and Ireland, meeting growing demand in the e-commerce and life sciences/healthcare sectors.

Boston Dynamics' Stretch robot at DHL's Coventry, UK warehouse. Video: LM Newsdesk

Gia Han (Source: Logistic Manager)