Swisslog’s ASRS features Vectura cranes for high-bay warehouse automation. | Source: Swisslog
Walmart Inc. announced yesterday that it will install automated storage from Swisslog Holding AG within its facility in Robinson, Texas. The retailer aims to improve material flow and increase uptime with the deployment. Walmart is planning to break ground later this year on the milk-processing, which will open in 2026.
This is the third Walmart milk-processing facility to deploy Swisslog’s automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) featuring SynQ software and Vectura cranes. It worked with Swisslog to open its first milk-processing facility in 2018 in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Walmart’s automated Indiana facility served as the blueprint for its second facility in Valdosta, Ga., which the company expects to open in 2025. The products from the Texas facility will serve more than 750 Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs throughout the South, including Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and parts of Arkansas and Mississippi.
“We are honored that Walmart continues to put their trust in our automation solutions and our people behind those solutions,” stated Sean Wallingford, president and CEO of Swisslog Americas. “This has been a very collaborative relationship as our two teams work together to create value for Walmart and ensure our automation solutions and software enable the company and its farmers to bring fresh, transparently sourced dairy to market.”
Walmart turns to automation for supply chain resilience
According to Walmart, Swisslog’s ASRS demonstrates its commitment to building a more resilient and transparent supply chain, allowing it to deliver high-quality products. It also said the system will booost its ability to meet consumer demand for milk.
The new ASRS combines five Vectura pallet-stacker cranes with KUKA palletizing and de-palletizing robots, a ProMove pallet-conveyor system, and a conveyor system for small loads.
The system operates on synchronized intelligence from Swisslog’s SynQ software, which provides warehouse management, material flow, and automation control system functionality in one, modular platform. Swisslog recently released a paper on how automation can help address challenges in retail, e-commerce, and omnichannel fulfillment.
SynQ helps manage entire operation, says Swisslog
Swisslog said SynQ can optimize the flow of equipment to increase the efficiency and accuracy of the entire operation. The software can also orchestrate the operation of multiple subsystems, claimed the Buchs, Switzerland-based company.
SynQ provides warehouse automation and IT systems with synchronized intelligence of people, processes, and machines, Swisslog asserted. It can thus boost warehouse efficiency and productivity and help adapt to changing market requirements.
The system also provides inventory-management and material-flow capabilities, said Swisslog. It added that these capabilities enable real-time inventory tracking and management of items to ensure freshness, quality, and transparency of the food supply chain.
The project also includes Swisslog’s IT Managed Services, which provides experts to proactively manage the IT and software to keep the equipment running at peak performance. The higher-level 24/7 support allows Walmart to free up internal resources from routine IT system administration.
Swisslog is part of KUKA Group, a supplier of robotics and other systems with more than 15,000 employees worldwide. The company is a provider of intralogistics automation and software. This week, it also celebrated 10 years of partnership with U.K. grocer Asda.