Walmart has opened a 900,000-square-foot facility in Stockton, Calif. that it says represents the latest step in the total transformation of its supply chain.
Bringing together advanced automation, technology and machine learning with about 1,000 new associates will allow Walmart to streamline the movement of merchandise, as the new tech will enhance storage capacity and up the number of orders that can be deployed compared to a traditional fulfillment center.
An automated high-density storage and retrieval system will fetch and deliver products directly to associates, drawing down the 12-step process usually choreographed for fulfillment to just five steps. According to Walmart, the system was designed to cut down on the repetitive manual tasks usually performed by workers, allowing them to focus on higher-value projects.
Located in the Central Valley, around 80 miles east of San Francisco, the company said the facility adds significant capacity to serve California customers, bolstering the activities of Walmart’s more than 300 California stores, clubs and supply chain facilities.
“This is an exciting day for Stockton and a significant investment in our community,” said Timm Quinn, CEO of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce, on Thursday upon the center’s opening. “Walmart’s new fulfillment center will create more than 1,000 jobs, bring new career opportunities to our residents and strengthen Stockton’s position as a hub for innovation and economic growth in the Central Valley.”
But the sprawling location will boost the big-box retailer’s capabilities to provide speedier shipping and delivery to customers across the West Coast—not just the Golden State, it said in a statement.
“We’re bringing together associates with advanced technology and automation to create a safer, more efficient operation that can fulfill more orders and get products to customers faster. This facility is an important investment in the Central Valley and a critical part of how we’re building the next generation of Walmart’s fulfillment network across the West Coast,” said Karisa Sprague, senior vice president of fulfillment operations at Walmart U.S.
When combined with the rest of the retailer’s fulfillment network, the next-gen Stockton space and other newer facilities like it will enable Walmart to reach 95 percent of the U.S. consumer populus within 1-2 day shipping. Marketplace items will also be fulfilled through the center.
Dean Yoder, the general manager of Walmart Fulfillment Center 4091, said the location is looking to staff up quickly to add to the 102,900 associates it currently employs in California.
“We’re building a team of more than 1,000 associates here in Stockton, with opportunities to develop new skills, work with advanced technology and build long-term careers at Walmart. I’m incredibly proud of this team and excited about what we’re building together in the Stockton community,” he said.
Stockton is just one of a handful of next-gen fulfillment centers to open or begin construction this year. Walmart announced its plans to open its first Southeastern U.S. facility, worth $1.3 billion, in Carnesville, Ga. in September. This followed four other high-tech spaces in Joliet, Ill.; McCordsville, Ind.; Lancaster, Texas; and Greencastle, Pa.