New 490,000+ square foot facility will leverage automated technology, add efficiency to Walmart’s supply chain
Today, Walmart hosted the grand opening of its newest high-tech consolidation center in Minooka, Illinois. The new 492,000 square-foot facility, located at 201 S. McLinden Road will bring nearly 700 additional jobs to the area. Once implemented, the facility’s automated technology can enable three times more volume to flow throughout the center and help Walmart deliver the right product to the right store, so customers can find the products they need. This building will be the third of its kind in Walmart’s supply chain. The first, located in Colton, Calif., opened in 2019.
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“We’ve made continued investments in our people, facilities and technology to ensure we have the right product, in the right place, at the right time,” said Mike Gray, Senior Vice President of Ambient Operations at Walmart. “As part of these investments, the Minooka facility will provide even more opportunities for small to medium sized suppliers in the region who do not ship nationwide, the ability to provide product to all 4,700 Walmart stores.”
Consolidation centers have a specialized role in moving products quickly on their journey to store shelves, and ultimately, the customer. Each has the ability to receive general merchandise items from suppliers in smaller freight loads, known in the industry as less than a truckload (LTL) and consolidate them into larger freight loads, known as full truckloads (TL). Then the product is shipped to one of Walmart’s 42 regional distribution centers where it is sorted for distribution to stores. The technology in the facility provides benefits for both customers and suppliers. It significantly enhances supply chain efficiency, enabling Walmart to generate savings that can be directly passed onto customers through lower prices. For suppliers, it streamlines the process of purchase order fulfillment, reduces lead times and unlocks faster delivery to customers.
