Walmart to scale automated facilities
Walmart has been implementing automated warehouses in recent years to improve their supply chain and distribution processes. These warehouses use various technologies, including robotics and artificial intelligence, to automate tasks such as receiving, sorting, and shipping products.
One example of Walmart's automated warehouse is the Alphabot system, which is being used in some Walmart stores to fulfill online grocery orders. The system uses small robots to pick and pack grocery items, which are then delivered to a human worker for final quality control and packaging.
Walmart has also partnered with other companies to develop more advanced automated warehouse solutions. For example, in 2020, Walmart partnered with a large US equipment vendor to build an automated micro-fulfillment system for grocery fulfillment. This warehouse uses a combination of robotics and machine learning to manage inventory and fulfill orders, allowing Walmart to quickly and efficiently process orders for pickup or delivery.
“This morning Walmart reported our fourth quarter and full-year earnings results. We have a lot of momentum going into this year and I believe our Supply Chain plays a critical role in our continued success. We’re staying true to our commitment of everyday low cost, enabling everyday low prices as we continue to invest in technologies and innovation that are optimizing both our supply chain and stores.
Many of these tech enhancements are reaching a stage where we can rapidly deploy them across our networks, and we have a clear line of sight into the ROI. Mr. Sam said it best: “If we work together, we’ll lower the cost of living for everyone...we’ll give the world an opportunity to see what it’s like to save and have a better life.”
Walmart’s automated grocery distribution center in Shafter, California, allows tech to do the heavy lifting. Powered by Witron, this innovative DC can process more than twice the volume of a conventional DC. The Shafter DC also offers engaging, tech-focused roles, so Walmart can deliver value for customers and for associates.
Walmart’s Fulfillment Center in Joliet, Illinois, is pioneering a new way of fulfilling eCommerce orders. Associates working at Walmart can now do their work more easily and efficiently, which also results in filling orders faster and better. The results? Happier associates and more satisfied customers. The hope is that this new model of work can be applied to other FCs throughout the U.S., so we can continue to serve customers faster and better.
At Walmart’s regional distribution centers (RDCs), our work with Symbotic is shaping both how we receive merchandise today and how we will receive freight in the future. The game-changing, first-of-its-kind tech gets products onto shelves for our customers even faster, while saving time for Walmart employees.
