Locus Robotics and Radial Surpass 25 Million Picks, Redefining Scalable Fulfillment in the Age of E-Commerce Growth
As global eCommerce volumes continue to rise and consumer expectations for speed, accuracy, and reliability intensify, fulfillment operations are under unprecedented pressure to scale efficiently—without sacrificing service quality or cost control. Against this backdrop, Locus Robotics, the leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for warehouse and fulfillment operations, has announced a major milestone in its long-standing partnership with Radial, Inc., a leading provider of eCommerce fulfillment solutions.
Together, the two companies have surpassed 25 million units picked at Radial’s Shepherdsville, Kentucky warehouse, a landmark achievement that underscores how intelligent automation and flexible deployment models are reshaping the modern fulfillment landscape. The milestone is more than a numerical benchmark—it represents a proven blueprint for how retailers and logistics providers can achieve high-volume throughput, operational resilience, and peak readiness in an increasingly volatile market.
Fulfillment in a Consumer-Driven Economy
In today’s eCommerce-driven economy, consumers no longer measure brands solely by product quality or price. Increasingly, purchasing decisions hinge on delivery speed, order accuracy, and confidence that promised timelines will be met—especially during peak shopping periods.
“Consumers are no longer buying products, they’re buying confidence in delivery,” said 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.”
Radial’s fulfillment network supports some of the world’s most recognizable retail brands, many of which face extreme demand variability driven by seasonal peaks, promotions, and expanding SKU assortments. In this environment, traditional static automation systems often struggle to keep pace, creating bottlenecks and limiting operational agility.
The Locus Robotics partnership directly addresses these challenges by enabling Radial to dynamically scale fulfillment capacity while maintaining consistent service levels.
Demonstrated Scalability at Warehouse Scale
At Radial’s Shepherdsville facility, Locus Robotics-powered automation has delivered measurable, transformative results. By deploying autonomous mobile robots that work collaboratively with human associates, Radial has significantly increased throughput without expanding warehouse footprint or compromising safety.
Across Radial’s Locus-enabled facilities, automation has made it possible to quadruple output within the same physical space—even during compressed, high-demand peak periods. This scalability is particularly critical as order volumes rise and SKU complexity continues to increase, placing added strain on traditional picking workflows.
At Shepherdsville, 87 LocusBots support daily operations, with the fleet expanding to 104 robots during peak season. This ability to flex robot count in real time ensures Radial can respond immediately to demand surges without the delays, costs, or long-term commitments associated with fixed automation or labor-heavy models.
The result is greater agility across Radial’s fulfillment network, stronger peak readiness, and a more predictable operating model—even during the retail industry’s most demanding periods.
Intelligent Automation Powered by Data
Central to the success of the Locus–Radial partnership is the LocusONE™ platform, a cloud-based orchestration layer that continuously captures and analyzes billions of operational data points. This intelligence enables real-time optimization of:
- Picking routes
- Fleet utilization
- Throughput performance
- Labor efficiency
- Facility-wide workflow balance
Operating at a global scale of 200 to 300 units picked per second, Locus Robotics AMRs are designed to work safely and seamlessly alongside human associates. By eliminating non-value-added walking and manual processes, the system significantly improves productivity while reducing physical strain on workers.
This human–robot collaboration model enhances not only efficiency, but also associate satisfaction and retention—an increasingly important consideration in tight labor markets.
Rather than replacing workers, Locus AMRs empower them to focus on higher-value tasks, creating a more sustainable and resilient fulfillment workforce.
Proven Performance Under Peak Pressure
Peak season represents the ultimate stress test for any fulfillment operation. Order volumes spike, delivery windows shrink, and even minor inefficiencies can cascade into missed SLAs and dissatisfied customers.
“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 Shepherdsville milestone validates that intelligent automation is no longer experimental—it is a production-proven solution capable of sustaining high-volume performance over time. It also demonstrates how automation can be deployed incrementally and strategically, aligning capacity with real-world demand rather than theoretical maximums.
Robotics-as-a-Service: A New Automation Paradigm
As eCommerce continues to evolve, fulfillment providers are increasingly rethinking how they invest in automation. Traditional capital-intensive models often require large upfront expenditures, long implementation timelines, and limited flexibility once deployed.
Locus Robotics’ Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model offers a compelling alternative.
Under the RaaS approach, Radial can add or remove robots in real time based on live order flow, seasonal trends, or client requirements. This utility-based model transforms automation from a fixed asset into a flexible operational resource—aligning cost with usage and enabling faster time to value.
For Radial, this means:
- Lower upfront capital investment
- Reduced financial risk
- Faster deployment and scaling
- Improved ROI across fulfillment operations
For retailers, it translates into more responsive fulfillment, improved service consistency, and greater confidence during peak demand cycles.
Physical AI and the Future of Fulfillment
The partnership between Locus Robotics and Radial also highlights a broader industry shift toward Physical AI—the convergence of robotics, machine learning, and real-time data intelligence within physical environments.
“This is fulfillment’s new era,” Faulk added. “Physical AI is making it possible for companies like Radial to scale dynamically, operate with precision, and deliver excellence for retailers, without compromise.”
By continuously learning from operational data and adapting to changing conditions, Locus Robotics’ systems deliver not just automation, but intelligent decision-making at scale. This capability is increasingly critical as fulfillment networks grow more complex and customer expectations continue to rise.
A Blueprint for Scalable, Resilient Fulfillment
The 25-million-pick milestone at Radial’s Shepherdsville warehouse is more than a celebratory moment—it is a tangible demonstration of what modern fulfillment can achieve when intelligent automation, flexible business models, and operational expertise come together.
As eCommerce volumes climb and market volatility becomes the norm rather than the exception, fulfillment providers that embrace scalable, data-driven automation will be best positioned to compete.
Locus Robotics and Radial are setting that standard—proving that fulfillment operations can be fast, flexible, resilient, and people-centric, all at once.