By Nathalie Voit

In a press release posted on June 3, Walmart said it would introduce four new “next-generation” fulfillment centers (FCs) to complement its existing network of eCommerce services.

Walmart said these first-of-their-kind buildings will significantly reduce the time it takes to process an order using a “powerful combination of people, robotics, and machine learning.” Orders will be intelligently fulfilled via Knapp, an automation solutions provider headquartered in Austria that can shorten what would typically be a manual twelve-step process into just five steps. The retail giant said this new advanced fulfillment solution could double storage capacity and the number of customer orders Walmart can fulfill in one day.

According to Walmart, these four FCs alone could supply three-quarters of the U.S. population with expedited shipping on millions of items. Combined with their traditional FCs, Walmart said it could supply 95% of Americans with next- or two-day shipping. The big-box retailer also said 80% of the U.S. population could qualify for same-day delivery once the facilities are built.

This summer, the first of these “high-tech” FCs will open in Joliet, IL. The others will be built over the next three years.

Walmart operates 4,700 stores and 210 distribution centers nationwide. The company currently handles online orders using its 31 eCommerce fulfillment sites. More than 3,500 Walmart locations also process digital orders.