Walmart investing $108 million in automation in Indiana

Walmart Investing $108M in Seymour Distribution Center

Walmart announced a $108 million investment in high-tech automation is coming to its regional distribution center (RDC) in Seymour, Indiana. The investment is part of Walmart’s broader initiative to renovate all of its 42 regional distribution centers as the retailer continues to modernize its vast supply chain network to provide customers with better reliability, service, and speed. Once complete, the distribution center will be able to ship nearly double the number of cases compared to a traditional RDC while evolving strenuous, manual jobs into those that offer new skills in robotics and technology.

The company will retain its current workforce of over 900 associates.

“Walmart’s Seymour distribution center has been a pillar in our community for over 30 years. Adding robotics, automation and AI-powered software systems to this facility will revolutionize an already impressive operation, fundamentally changing the way we distribute products to stores,” said Mike Baecke, General Manager, Regional Distribution Center #6017, Walmart U.S. “This isn’t just an investment in our facility, but also in our associates, our community and our future.

“We are thrilled that Walmart is making this investment in Seymour,” said Mayor Matt Nicholson. “This is a significant investment and shows the company’s long-term commitment to our region.”

Regional distribution centers (RDCs) are a strategic part of Walmart’s supply chain network and exist to keep its more than 4,700 stores stocked with ambient merchandise such as food items, home goods and tech gadgets. The technology used in regional distribution centers automates what was formerly a physically demanding, manual process. It uses a combination of people, robotics and massive storage systems to increase the speed at which the retailers sends merchandise to stores, ensuring product gets onto shelves even faster.

“The improvements we’re making in our Seymour, Indiana distribution center will be fest by store associates and customers in the surrounding region,” said James Valenti, Regional General Manager, North Operations, Walmart U.S. “For our store associates, these investments will make it significantly easier and faster to stock shelves, which results in our customers having the items they want, when they want them.”

The retailer employs over 43,000 associates in Indiana, and supports local business across the state, spending $1.1 billion with Hoosier suppliers in fiscal year 2023 and supporting 33,300 Hoosier supplier jobs.