Walmart Installs Additional Automation Solution from Swisslog

Newport News, Virginia – Swisslog has announced that Walmart will install an automation solution from Swisslog at its new facility in Robinson, Texas, to enable seamless material flow and increase operational uptime. Walmart plans to begin construction of the facility before the end of the year, with commissioning scheduled for 2026.

(Buchs/Newsport) This is Walmart’s third dairy processing facility to utilize an automated storage and retrieval solution (ASRS) from Swisslog. This ASRS will also work with the software system SynQ and Vectura stacker cranes. The first dairy processing facility realized in collaboration with Swisslog was opened in 2018 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This facility served as a template for Walmart’s second facility in Valdosta, Georgia, which is scheduled to be commissioned in 2025, and will now also serve as a template for the newly announced facility in Texas.

With the ASRS solution, Walmart continues its commitment to building a more resilient and transparent supply chain for producing high-quality products. At the same time, Walmart strengthens its capacity to meet consumer demand for milk. The goods produced at the facility are intended to supply more than 750 Walmart and Sam’s Club locations across the southern United States, including Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and parts of Arkansas and Mississippi.

Combination of Five Pallet Stacker Cranes

The ASRS solution designed by Swisslog’s automation experts combines five Vectura pallet stacker cranes with palletizing and depalletizing robots from KUKA, a ProMove pallet conveyor system, and a small load conveyor system. The automation solution is operated using Swisslog’s SynQ software. SynQ stands for synchronized intelligence and provides functions for warehouse management, material flow, and automation control on a single, modular platform.

“We are honored that Walmart continues to rely on our automation solutions and the people behind these solutions,” said Sean Wallingford, CEO of Swisslog Americas. “Our two teams work closely and extremely cooperatively to create value for Walmart and ensure that our automation solutions and software help Walmart and its farmers sell fresh dairy products with transparent origins.”

The SynQ management software not only optimizes equipment utilization, thereby increasing operational efficiency and accuracy, but also coordinates the operation of various subsystems. It equips warehouse automation and IT systems with the synchronized intelligence of people, processes, and machines to enhance the efficiency and productivity of operations and enable rapid adaptation to changing market demands. SynQ offers sophisticated inventory management and material flow functions that allow real-time inventory tracking and management to ensure freshness, quality, and transparency in the food supply chain.

Proactive Monitoring of IT Systems

Part of the project also includes Swisslog’s IT Managed Services. Experts from Swisslog proactively manage the IT systems and associated software to ensure that the facilities always operate at peak performance. This round-the-clock support allows Walmart to redeploy internal staff from routine IT system administration to other tasks while also providing proactive data-driven maintenance that reduces unplanned downtime.

Photo: © Swisslog