ATLANTA, GA - Meijer is no stranger to bold moves and innovation, as the retailer has experimented with new concepts, new markets, and new technologies to better enhance its customers’ shopping experience and boost its bottom line. Now the retailer is turning to the tech world to bring its distribution operations and capabilities to new heights, recently inking a deal with Dematic for a micro-fulfillment solution.

“We're driven to make shopping at Meijer easy and convenient, so micro-fulfillment is another way our company is leaning into the future of retail,” said Sid Handa, Director of Strategic Supply Chain Initiatives for Meijer. “This micro-fulfillment technology will allow us to maximize space in our stores, help us expand our online shopping options, and ultimately keep pace with consumer demand for personalized shopping solutions that puts their shopping preferences first.”

Dematic’s new micro-fulfillment technology is designed to help retailers respond to increased consumer demand for rapid online order fulfillment, while taking up a smaller amount of space than traditional fulfillment centers. A combination of automated technology and proprietary Dematic iQ software, the tech company’s new offering allows retailers to maximize space, advancing its omni-channel distribution strategy to achieve one-hour order fulfillment.

The new micro-fulfillment solution can be built and installed in as little as 12 weeks and is designed to fit into footprints as small as 10,000 square feet, making it perfect for fitting into the back of stores or in a nearby dark store or urban fulfillment center.

There are other factors that differentiate the new solution, including:

• Cold zone environment capabilities with ambient, chilled, and frozen temperature zones
• A global footprint that enables implementation at scale, making it possible for customers to install multiple micro-fulfillment solutions at once, at locations worldwide
• Unmatched 24x7x365 customer service with local operations in over 25 countries, supporting scale at speed

“Dematic has been leading intralogistics innovation and invention for 200 years. We’ve helped automate some of the world’s biggest distribution centers, and now we have a creative solution that truly optimizes the smaller footprints found in the backs of retail stores—our expertise in automation and our scale gives us a real advantage,” said Hasan Dandashly, CEO, Dematic. “The global effort to bring a Dematic micro-fulfillment solution to life in less than six months is proof of that. Micro-fulfillment is a demonstration of our mission to power the future of commerce, and we aim to set a new standard for order fulfillment, together with our customers.”

Meijer is leading the pack in technology with the implementation of this new micro-fulfillment solution. The retailer has already initiated a deal with Dematic, and the new installation is already under way.

Will this new tech direction put Meijer ahead of the curve? Which other retailers will jump on Dematic’s new offering? AndNowUKnow will report.

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