DHL Supply Chain Italy has inaugurated a new automation system at its Health Logistics Campus in Livraga (Lodi).
In a dedicated area of more than 7,000 sq m, 138 robots deliver “high-performance automation” powered by Exotec’s Skypod Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS), now serving two key customers in the life sciences and healthcare sector: Viatris and DOC Pharma.
DHL Supply Chain Italy has invested more than €14 million to equip the Livraga Campus with this cutting-edge high-automation system, thereby strengthening the country’s vital Life Sciences & Healthcare sector.
The goal is to develop increasingly efficient, integrated, and technologically advanced logistics infrastructures in line with the Group’s global standards.
Among the innovations introduced in recent years in Italy is the use of collaborative robotics, enhancing productivity, reducing errors, and improving operational flexibility – particularly critical in a sector where precision, safety, and traceability are paramount.
Antonio Lombardo, president and CEO of DHL Supply Chain Italy, says: “The Livraga Campus is part of the strategic southern Milan district, which also includes pharmaceutical logistics.
“We’ve turned the DHL Health Logistics Campus in Livraga into a key hub within our network, providing our customers and patients with innovative solutions through the most advanced technologies.
“Today, Italy plays a central role in European healthcare logistics, and we are proud to be the first—together with our clients Viatris and DOC Pharma – to implement a large-scale good-to-person technology solution.
“Having already integrated Locus collaborative robots into our operations in recent years, we are now expanding our portfolio with innovations like RFID technology for real-time tracking of pharmaceutical products. This ensures top-quality service for our clients.”
Riccardo Zagaria, CEO of DOC Pharma, says: “We are proud to have contributed to this milestone in DHL’s innovation journey.
“In a world where logistics is no longer just an operational service but a true strategic asset in the value chain, we at DOC Pharma – an Italian leader in the commercialization of generic and branded pharmaceuticals – have fully embraced the challenge of automation.
“It’s crucial for us to collaborate with logistics partners who share our values of reliability, innovation, and expertise.
“With DHL, we have dedicated time, resources, and know-how to a project aimed at making distribution processes more efficient, accurate, and sustainable.
“This solution not only enhances service quality but also strengthens the competitiveness of the entire ecosystem.
“We believe that partnerships like this are essential to meet market transformations and create long-lasting shared value for patients, pharmacists, and all healthcare stakeholders.”
