Robots & Radial: 25M Picks Signal E-Commerce Fulfillment's Future

WILMINGTON, Mass. – January 12, 2026 – In a sprawling warehouse in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, a quiet but significant revolution is underway. Locus Robotics and Radial, Inc. have announced that their partnership has surpassed 25 million units picked, a milestone achieved not by human hands alone, but through a carefully orchestrated dance between human workers and a fleet of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). This figure is more than a corporate achievement; it’s a powerful symbol of how artificial intelligence and robotics are fundamentally reshaping the backbone of the global economy in an era of relentless e-commerce demand.

The partnership between Locus, a leader in warehouse automation, and Radial, North America’s largest third-party logistics (3PL) provider, highlights a critical shift in the logistics industry. As online retail sales continue to surge—with projections to surpass $8 trillion globally by 2027—the pressure on fulfillment centers to process orders faster, more accurately, and with greater flexibility has become immense. The Shepherdsville facility’s success serves as a case study in how to meet this challenge head-on.

The Robotic Backbone of Modern Logistics

At the heart of the operation is Locus Robotics' fleet of AMRs, guided by the company's sophisticated AI platform, LocusONE™. Unlike traditional warehouse automation that often requires massive, fixed infrastructure, these robots are designed to work collaboratively with human employees in existing environments. The robots navigate the warehouse floor, traveling to product locations and meeting human pickers, who can then place items into totes on the robot. This eliminates thousands of steps and non-value-added travel time for workers, allowing them to remain in specific zones and focus on the high-value task of picking products.

The results are dramatic. Across its Locus-powered facilities, Radial has reported quadrupling output within the same physical space during condensed timeframes like the holiday peak season. The Shepherdsville site operates with a baseline of 87 LocusBots, but the fleet was expanded to 104 robots to handle the surge in holiday orders, showcasing the system's inherent scalability. This ability to dynamically adjust to demand is crucial in the volatile world of e-commerce.

“Surpassing 25 million picks at a single Radial site is a powerful proof point of how intelligent automation can deliver reliability, scale, and performance during retail’s most demanding season,” said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “Together with Radial, we’re demonstrating what true fulfillment-on-demand looks like: highly scalable, operationally efficient, and built to empower people.”

The LocusONE™ platform acts as the brain, continuously analyzing billions of data points to optimize robot routes, manage the fleet, and direct workflows in real time. This AI-driven optimization ensures that the right robot is in the right place at the right time, orchestrating a seamless flow of goods that keeps the entire operation running at peak efficiency.

The RaaS Revolution: Reshaping Automation Investment

Equally as important as the technology itself is the business model that underpins it. Locus’s Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model allows companies like Radial to deploy advanced automation without the prohibitive upfront capital expenditure typically associated with robotics. Instead of purchasing a fleet of robots, companies subscribe to the service, turning a major capital expense into a predictable operational expense.

This model is revolutionizing how businesses approach automation. The global RaaS market, valued at $1.8 billion in 2023, is projected to soar to over $4 billion by 2028. The reason for this explosive growth is clear: RaaS lowers the barrier to entry and dramatically reduces risk. It provides the flexibility to scale the robotic workforce up or down to match seasonal peaks and valleys in demand—a critical capability for 3PLs serving a diverse client base.

For Radial, this means it can add or remove robots from its fleet in real time to match live order flow. This agility ensures they can meet service-level agreements for their clients without being locked into a fixed-capacity system or investing in hardware that might sit idle during slower periods. It aligns with an industry-wide shift toward viewing automation as a utility that can be consumed on demand.

“Consumers are no longer buying products, they’re buying confidence in delivery,” noted Tom Schmitt, CEO of Radial. “Our teams, powered by Locus Robotics’ intelligent systems, deliver on that promise every day. This milestone demonstrates how our shared approach to fulfillment—fast, flexible, and data-driven—is keeping our operations ahead of the curve.”

A New Harmony: Humans and Robots on the Warehouse Floor

The narrative of robots replacing human jobs is being challenged by the reality on the warehouse floor. In the collaborative automation model employed by Locus and Radial, robots augment human capabilities rather than making them obsolete. Research increasingly shows that this partnership leads to not only higher productivity but also a safer and more satisfying work environment.

By taking over the physically strenuous and repetitive task of walking miles of warehouse aisles each day, the robots reduce physical strain and the risk of injury for human workers. Studies have shown that a majority of warehouse employees working with automation report higher job satisfaction, less physical stress, and a safer workplace. Nearly two-thirds of workers in automated environments report higher job satisfaction compared to those in manual operations.

Furthermore, the intuitive, multi-language interface of the LocusBots significantly reduces training time, allowing new employees to become productive in hours rather than weeks. This is a massive advantage in an industry with high turnover rates. The introduction of automation also creates opportunities for workers to upskill, transitioning from manual labor to more technical roles involving the management, monitoring, and maintenance of robotic systems.

The 25 million pick milestone is therefore not just a story about robots. It is a story about a new kind of workforce—a hybrid of human and machine intelligence working in concert. As Rick Faulk of Locus added, “Physical AI is making it possible for companies like Radial to scale dynamically, operate with precision, and deliver excellence for retailers, without compromise.” This blend of intelligent automation and human ingenuity is no longer a future concept; it is the operational reality defining success in the demanding world of modern commerce.