Walmart has revealed plans to open its fifth "next-generation" fulfillment center in Stockton, California, slated for 2026. The 900,000 square-foot facility will enable the retailer to fulfill online orders more quickly and efficiently throughout the west coast, according to Walmart.
The facility will feature an automated, high-density storage and retrieval system that streamlines a 12-step manual process down to five steps. The new technology features more comfort for associates, double the storage capacity, and twice the number of customer orders that can be fulfilled in a day, expanding next- or two-day shipping capabilities, noted Walmart.
“The announcement of our high-tech fulfillment center in Stockton commemorates yet another significant stride in our omni-channel retail efforts,” said Karisa Sprague, SVP of fulfillment network operations for Walmart U.S., in a statement. “In response to increasing customer demand for online shopping, we are implementing technology to enhance delivery speed and accuracy for our customers, all while creating new and exciting technology-empowered career paths for our associates.”
Combined with the rest of Walmart’s fulfillment network, next generation fulfillment centers, like the Stockton facility, will enable the retailer to reach 95 percent of the U.S. population with next- or two-day shipping.
Walmart Fulfillment Services, the company’s end-to-end third-party fulfillment service, will also leverage the space to fulfill third-party Marketplace items.
The Stockton fulfillment center will employ more than 1,000 Walmart associates. The retailer will soon begin hiring for a variety of positions.
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