Decathlon's robotic revolution slashes warehouse work and boosts efficiency
Decathlon, the world's largest sporting goods retailer, has seen major improvements in its warehouses after introducing Exotec's robotic systems. The company now processes more orders, reduces accidents, and cuts down on wasted space across seven European sites. Workers also spend far less time walking each day thanks to the new technology.
Before Exotec's Skypod robots were installed, Decathlon's UK warehouse relied on 50 pickers to fulfil orders. Now, only 12 remain in that role, with the rest reassigned to other tasks. The robots handle the movement, storage, and retrieval of hundreds of thousands of items daily, reducing the need for manual labour.
At the same site, pickers' daily walking distances fell from over 9.5 kilometres to under 1.5 kilometres. Workplace safety also improved, with accident rates during order picking dropping from 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 10,000. The system's efficiency extends beyond the UK. In Portugal, Decathlon doubled its order capacity, jumping from 57,000 to 114,000 processed orders. Meanwhile, a French warehouse nearly doubled the number of stores it supplies, rising from 37 to 73. Exotec's platform operates in three dimensions, shrinking required warehouse space to as little as 6,000 square metres. A single system can include 150 to 200 Skypods, along with automated stackers, box openers, and RFID scanners. This setup allows companies to repurpose extra space for additional shelves or other operations.
Decathlon's use of Exotec's robots has led to faster order processing, fewer accidents, and better use of warehouse space. The technology has also shifted workers away from repetitive tasks while increasing overall productivity. So far, seven European warehouses have adopted the system, with no confirmed plans for further expansion.
