Robotics Upgrade at New Braunfels Walmart Distribution Facility

A Walmart distribution center entrenched in the Texas Hill Country since 1988 is set to undergo a major remodel, with an estimated cost of $21 million. According to public filings, the company will be “installing new material handling equipment,” which indicates that robots will be added. This automation push is part of Walmart’s broader plan to drive profits higher and it anticipates that about two-thirds of its stores will eventually be serviced by some kind of automation, with 55% fulfillment center volume moving through automated facilities and unit cost averages improving by 20%. The addition of robotics could render obsolete some 1.6 million roles within three years.