Key points:
- Digit robots are expected to arrive in early 2027 at GXO facilities in Statesville, North Carolina, and Lebanon, Tennessee.
- The machines will support e-commerce fulfilment by taking on repetitive materials-handling tasks.
- The deployment will begin with Digit 4, with the companies planning to transition to Digit 5 once the newer model is available.
- At GXO’s Georgia facility, Digit robots have already moved more than 100,000 containers.
GXO Logistics and Agility Robotics announced on 26 October 2026 that they were expanding their work on humanoid robots for logistics operations. The next deployments will take place at two e-commerce fulfilment centres: one in Statesville, North Carolina, and the other in Lebanon, Tennessee.
Operations at both sites are scheduled to begin in early 2027 with Digit 4. GXO and Agility plan to transition to Digit 5 once the next-generation robot is available. The companies have not disclosed how many robots will be assigned to the two facilities.
From container handling to a wider rollout
The GXO-Agility Robotics partnership began with a pilot at GXO’s Flowery Branch, Georgia, warehouse in late 2023. As noted in our July 2024 report, “Automation and robotics in contract logistics”, the site supports the Spanx clothing brand.
During the pilot, Digit was trained to perform tasks including transferring containers from autonomous mobile robots onto conveyors. In June 2024, GXO and Agility signed a long-term robot-as-a-service agreement, known as RaaS. GXO also uses Agility Arc, a cloud platform designed to manage the robot fleet and connect it with warehouse operations.
According to the companies, Digit robots have moved more than 100,000 containers since they began operating at Flowery Branch. At the new locations, they will likewise take on repetitive materials-handling activities.
Patrick Kelleher, GXO’s chief executive, said the partnership with Agility Robotics focused on applying emerging technology to real warehouse operations.
Our work with Agility Robotics is grounded in a shared commitment to turning emerging technology into real operational advantage. Together, we helped pioneer humanoid robotics in warehouse environments, reflecting our belief that this technology can deliver measurable value for customers while creating a better workplace for our employees, Kelleher said.
Peggy Johnson, CEO of Agility Robotics, highlighted the lessons learned from the deployment at Flowery Branch.
Years of experience performing real-world tasks within GXO’s operations have shaped how we build, deploy and support the Digit humanoid robot. As we expand our partnership, we are focused on executing each new deployment with discipline and consistency, Johnson said.
Digit 5 sets the stage for the next phase
Agility Robotics unveiled Digit 5 on 15 September 2026. The company says the new model is designed to work in close proximity to people and support a broader range of industrial processes.
Agility expects the first customers to gain access to Digit 5 in the first half of 2027, while the company plans to make the model more widely available by the end of 2027. GXO’s upcoming deployments will begin with Digit 4.
GXO is not Agility’s only customer or partner. The robotics company also lists e-commerce platform Mercado Libre, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada and Schaeffler among its customers and partners. Agility says it is in discussions with more than 30 prospective customers or is conducting Digit application evaluations for them across sectors including logistics and e-commerce.
Agility also reports that Digit robots have completed more than 65,000 hours of work in commercial operations and customer programmes under real-world conditions. The figure covers multiple deployments and is not limited to GXO’s warehouse.
Agility is also expanding its production capacity. Its RoboFab facility in Salem, Oregon, covers approximately 6,500 square metres and was designed for an annual capacity of up to 10,000 robots. That is the facility’s planned capacity, not its current production output.
