With more than 15,000 autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) deployed globally, Locus Robotics has become one of the leading players in warehouse automation.
The company’s cloud-native LocusONE platform is designed to orchestrate entire fleets and workflows, enabling customers to adapt quickly to fluctuating demand and increasingly complex fulfilment networks.
In this exclusive Q&A, Denis Niezgoda, chief commercial officer, international at Locus Robotics, discusses the lessons learned from scaling automation across diverse markets, the benefits of Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS), and how the company is preparing for the next generation of intelligent, orchestrated warehouse operations.
Interview with Denis Niezgoda, chief commercial officer, international at Locus Robotics
Robotics and Automation News: Locus has deployed more than 15,000 AMRs globally. What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned from scaling automation across such diverse markets and warehouse environments?
Denis Niezgoda: One of the most significant lessons we’ve learnt is that intelligently coordinating robots is more crucial to achieving genuine automation scale than simply increasing the number of robots deployed.
With over 15,000 AMRs deployed across a wide range of customer environments globally, we have direct experience with how integral software is to operate at scale. Software is the intelligence layer that makes everything function together. That’s what LocusONE delivers.
We have also learned that versatility is absolutely critical, especially across diverse global markets. What works in a UK-based pharmaceutical warehouse may be vastly different to what is required in a high-velocity e-commerce facility in Southeast Asia.
Our platform supports continuous operation with advanced capabilities for localisation, obstacle avoidance, charging optimisation, and interaction with other material handling equipment, all managed intelligently within the system.
Locus was born in the digital age, which means we’ve built our infrastructure to be cloud-native, data-rich, and inherently adaptable. That foundation lets us support customers quickly, no matter the market or operational complexity.
One size does not fit all. Every site has different workflows, infrastructure limitations, and labour realities. Our solution must adapt to the environment, not the other way around.
We have built deep expertise in running AMRs at scale, from developing a highly capable navigation stack that works in spaces never built for automation, to deploying hundreds of robots in dense, high-throughput environments.
Over time, we have learned how to orchestrate large fleets across multiple workflows and use cases, including picking, putaway, replenishment, and returns, without disrupting ongoing operations.
R&AN: The LocusONE platform enables customers to scale fleets. What makes this level of flexibility and integration possible – and how does it compare to more traditional automation approaches?
DN: The LocusONE platform is built as a true orchestration engine. It does not just control robots, it manages dynamic warehouse workflows and enables large, distributed fleets to operate as a single system. Our architecture separates software intelligence from the physical infrastructure.
This allows customers to scale operations by adding robots or launching new workflows without needing to reconfigure the warehouse or rewrite logic.
A key enabler is the standardisation across our fleet and platform. Whether a customer has ten robots or several hundred, they are running on the same core software, which supports consistent performance and fast deployment of updates.
Our real-time task allocation and intelligent routing systems automatically adjust and rebalance work as new robots join. There is no operational pause or additional configuration required to increase throughput.
We have engineered for elasticity from the start. Customers can respond to demand shifts, labour constraints, or network changes by scaling their fleets up or down in a matter of days.
While we often cite a 30 percent scalability window, we routinely support much larger increases. Some customers triple their fleet size during peak season to meet aggressive fulfilment targets, then scale back down post-peak without losing control or performance.
This level of flexibility stands in contrast to traditional automation, which is typically tied to fixed infrastructure and long implementation timelines. We offer the ability to flex capacity across one or many sites without altering racking, layout, or upstream systems.
At its core, LocusONE enables customers to scale fast, stay agile, and operate with full control – no matter how demand changes.
R&AN: You’ve helped expand Locus Robotics across EMEA and APAC. Which markets have shown the fastest adoption, and what local factors are driving demand in regions like Europe and Asia?
DN: We have seen rapid adoption across the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Japan, and Australia. These markets share a strong urgency to modernise fulfilment while navigating structural challenges.
Germany continues to lead in terms of automation maturity, with a strong focus on throughput, uptime, and performance consistency across multiple sites. The ability to scale and redeploy robots within a network has been a key differentiator.
In the UK and the Netherlands, adoption is often driven by the need for high-throughput, high-accuracy fulfilment in e-commerce and consumer goods environments.
Customers value the ability to scale quickly during peak periods without long project timelines or major infrastructure changes. Poland has seen significant traction, particularly in retail and third-party logistics (3PL) sectors.
In Asia-Pacific, Japan and Australia are leading the way. Japan demands high-density, space-efficient operations with precise navigation. Australia values speed, agility, and regional scalability. Our ability to meet both sets of needs has driven growth across multiple verticals.
Layout variability is another major factor across regions. Warehouses may operate on a single floor, across multiple mezzanines, in wide-aisle bulk environments, or in narrow-aisle high-density storage. Locus robots can adapt to all these configurations without requiring layout redesigns.
Across all of these markets, the common thread is demand for automation that is fast to deploy, easy to scale, and flexible enough to handle local labour dynamics, facility constraints, and changing order profiles.
R&AN: Many companies are now exploring Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) to reduce capital expenditure. How has this model changed customer adoption patterns and ROI timelines in warehouse automation?
DN: The RaaS model has been a complete game-changer. It has significantly lowered the barrier to entry for warehouse automation and transformed automation from a long-term investment into a flexible, subscription-based operational tool.
Customers no longer need to commit to large capital investments upfront. Instead, they can begin with a smaller deployment and scale based on actual operational needs.
This shift enables faster decision-making and broader adoption. Operations teams can move quickly without waiting for long investment approval processes or complex infrastructure changes.
The model aligns with how modern warehouses manage uncertainty. Instead of owning static assets that may sit idle during off-peak periods, customers can adjust their fleet size in line with demand, labour conditions, or volume spikes.
In this way, return on investment for businesses is faster. Many customers see productivity gains within days or weeks of deployment, and some sites reach payback in as little as three months.
This model also simplifies multi-site expansion. Once a customer proves success at one location, they can extend automation to additional sites using the same commercial model and deployment approach. This creates consistency, speeds up scaling, and reduces operational risk.
R&AN: As supply chains grow more complex and customer expectations rise, how is Locus preparing for the next wave of warehouse automation – beyond picking and packing?
DN: The industry is moving beyond point solutions. Picking and packing were just the starting point. The next wave is about orchestration, connecting and optimising multiple workflows across the warehouse to improve overall efficiency and responsiveness.
At Locus, we are already extending automation into areas like putaway, replenishment, returns processing, inter-zone transport, and outbound handoffs. Our customers are looking for a single platform that can manage multiple workflows without complexity.
LocusONE is designed to handle all these use cases within one software layer. This enables us to coordinate tasks across different robot types, teams, and warehouse zones while maintaining a clear view of operational priorities.
We are also expanding our use of AI to make warehouse operations more intelligent. This includes predictive workload balancing, dynamic path optimisation, and data-driven recommendations that support better decision-making in real time.
Customers are increasingly focused on visibility and adaptability. They want automation that can adjust to shifting order profiles and volume surges without requiring system reconfiguration or process redesign. Integration with the broader warehouse ecosystem is another key focus.
Locus is already integrated with more than 75 ecosystem partners, including on-demand packaging systems, conveyors, dock doors, fire alarm systems, AIDC devices, and other fixed automation technologies.
This allows our solution to interact in real time with upstream and downstream systems while supporting a seamless warehouse operation.
In parallel, we are introducing Locus Array as the foundational product for the emerging Robots-to-Goods category.
It represents a shift away from fixed infrastructure models toward a dynamic, AI-driven environment where robots navigate directly to inventory, perform zero-touch picking, and consolidate orders in-aisle without human intervention in a bid to improve efficiency and allow workers to focus on higher-value tasks.
Array enables 24/7 autonomous fulfilment, real-time optimisation, and true closed-loop automation in high-volume environments.
Our long-term goal is to help customers evolve from isolated task automation to full flow orchestration. That means continuously optimising the entire fulfilment process across people, robots, and systems.
R&AN: You previously led robotics innovation at DHL. How does your experience there shape the way you approach commercial strategy and innovation deployment at Locus today?
DN: My time at DHL gave me a deep, firsthand understanding of the complexity and pressure that logistics operators face every day. From balancing cost and speed to managing unpredictable volumes and labour constraints, I saw what it takes to run high-performing fulfilment operations at scale.
One of the key takeaways from that experience is that automation only creates value and scales when it works in the real world. It cannot just look good on a PowerPoint slide. It has to deliver in live operations, across different sites, teams, and use cases.
That mindset shapes how I think about innovation and commercial strategy at Locus. We focus on solutions that solve real problems, scale quickly, and add measurable value from day one. We prioritise time to benefit, not just long-term ROI models.
I also understand the importance of trust and partnership. At DHL, we valued vendors who stayed engaged after deployment, continuously improved the solution, and were willing to adapt with us. That is the type of relationship we strive to build with every Locus customer.
My experience also reinforced that no two operations are the same. Whether you are running an e-commerce hub, a B2B distribution centre, or a regional 3PL site, the challenges are different. We design our solutions to adapt to those differences, not force every site into a one-size-fits-all model.
Equally important, I learned that people remain at the heart of any successful operation. Automation should support them, not replace them.
At Locus, we build technology that enhances the role of warehouse workers, reducing physical strain, improving efficiency, and allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks. It is also about the people behind the technology.
The teams at Locus and those within our customers’ organisations are the ones who make innovation succeed. This is a people business at its core. It takes good people on both sides to deploy technology successfully, keep it running, and create long-term impact.
Lastly, having been on the customer side, I know how critical it is to align technical innovation with commercial viability. At Locus, we work closely with customers to ensure our offerings meet both operational and financial goals, whether through flexible deployment models like RaaS or modular expansion paths.
More about the interviewee: As chief commercial officer, international at Locus Robotics, Denis Niezgoda brings extensive expertise in fulfillment automation, global market expansion, and customer-centric innovation. He focuses on advancing scalable and adaptable solutions that enhance operational efficiency and drive growth in international markets. By fostering strategic partnerships and enabling high-performing teams, he helps the organization empower businesses to achieve transformative outcomes in a dynamic industry.
