Sam’s Club Tees Up Major Distribution Expansion in 2024
Walmart-owned Sam’s Club has big plans to expand its distribution network in the coming year. Sam’s Club announced plans to open two new distribution centers in early 2024, which will be located in the St. Louis and Minneapolis markets, and are part of the club retailer’s multi-year growth plan that aims to transform its supply chain and evolve its network and end-to-end capabilities.
The 370,000 square-foot Edwardsville, Ill., facility will open in January and will serve as a distribution and fulfillment center. The 365,000 square-foot Shakopee, Minn., facility is slated to open in March and will be a multipurpose distribution center.
The two facilities combined will employ nearly 200 associates. Walmart Inc. is a top employer in Illinois with more than 57,000 associates, and the company also employs more than 24,000 associates throughout Minnesota.
“We’re excited to extend our supply chain network and capabilities for our clubs and members in the region,” said Joseph Godsey, SVP of supply chain at Sam’s Club. “We’re designing our supply chain network to strengthen our omni-channel experience and increase efficiencies and delivery speed to wherever our members decide to shop with us and receive their products.”
These new distribution centers will join two others that Sam’s Club previously announced would open in early 2024. Those include a 300,000-square-foot, multipurpose distribution center located at SW 29th and Council in Oklahoma City, and another in Lithia Springs, Ga., which is about 20 miles outside of Atlanta.
Sam’s Club, a division of Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart Inc., operates nearly 600 clubs in the United States and Puerto Rico. Walmart operates more than 10,500 stores and numerous e-commerce websites in 20 countries. Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, while Sam’s Club is No. 8. PG also named Walmart one of its Retailers of the Century.
