CALGARY - Walmart Canada is planning to bring robots to two Ontario distribution centres.
Over the next five years, the retail giant says facilities it runs in Mississauga and Cornwall, Ont., will get outfitted with the technology already in use at its Calgary distribution centre.
The Calgary centre has robots that transport pallets of merchandise and another device that mimics a giant arm that can unpack those pallets and put products on conveyor belts.
A third group of robots act as labellers, scanning and applying shipping tags to products.
Walmart Canada's vice-president of supply chain Matt Kelly says the company likes the robots because they have sped up the Calgary facility's ability to move boxes as well as boosted safety and ergonomicsby reducing repetitive strain and injuries.
Kelly maintains Walmart's use of robots hasn't nixed its need for workers because staff are still required for oversight, safety and to complete more complex tasks that require problem solving and critical thinking.