A Fork in the Road: Walmart Bets on Associates, Automation April 11, 2024

By Maurice Gray, General Manager, Distribution Center 6020 via Walmart Corporate

At Walmart Distribution Center 6020 in Brooksville, Florida, we’re used to pioneering new technology. In fact, 6020 was Walmart’s first high-tech DC. Once again, innovation is afoot in our facility, where associates have been working alongside a new autonomous forklift system that’s bolstering their skills and bettering their jobs while building our business.

After a 16-month proof of concept, I’m proud to announce Walmart is taking another step into the future, rolling 19 autonomous forklifts across four high-tech DCs, with the potential for more as we evaluate the benefits to our associates and operations.

I believe these benefits will be wide ranging. And I should know – I’ve seen them firsthand. As our facility has worked with Fox Robotics, the developer of autonomous forklifts, we’ve learned a lot. But I can sum it up easily: Automation isn’t just good for business – it’s good for our associates too.