Three-site automation program surpasses 13.2M robotic-assisted lines picked, doubles putaway productivity, and achieves ROI in under one year.
Locus Robotics, the leader in Flexibility-First Warehouse Automation, and customer Kimball Midwest have won the Best Use of Robotics category at the 2026 Supply Chain Excellence Awards USA. The award was presented September 15 at Union Station in Dallas.
Kimball Midwest implemented Locus Robotics to expand warehouse capacity while protecting its commitment to ship 99.9% of orders received by 4 p.m. the same day. After launching in Columbus in January 2024, the company expanded the program from one site to three in just 14 months without major changes to its existing shelving or pallet-rack infrastructure, supporting sustained double-digit growth and its path toward $1 billion in annual revenue.
“Kimball Midwest had a clear objective: increase capacity without compromising the service its customers depend on,” said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “The results show what warehouse automation can deliver when technology, operations, and business strategy work together.”
Today, a fleet of 100+ Locus autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) support picking and putaway across Kimball Midwest distribution centers in Ohio, Texas, and Nevada. Together, the three facilities have completed more than 13.2 million robotic-assisted lines picked and approximately 1 million lines put away.
Specifically, the operation has achieved:
- Picking productivity increased: Approximately 45%, from roughly 110 to more than 160 lines per hour
- Putaway productivity improved: More than 100%, rising from approximately 30 to 91–96 lines per hour
- ROI achieved: In under one year
- Onboarding time reduced: From approximately two weeks to minutes or hours
- Labor efficiency improved: Reliance on temporary labor decreased and overtime was effectively eliminated
“What made this program unique was the way it changed the flow of work across the warehouse,” said Steve Good, Director of Operations at Kimball Midwest. “Using one robotics platform for both picking and putaway allows managers to reallocate associates as priorities change throughout the day. Capacity can shift from replenishment in the morning to order fulfillment as shipping cutoffs approach, eliminating the need for separate labor pools. Our teams can move between picking, putaway, and replenishment based on current demand, and that responsiveness has helped us maintain our customer promise while creating a better experience for associates.”
The 2026 honor marks Locus Robotics’ second consecutive win in the Best Use of Robotics category. Locus Robotics received the 2025 award alongside customer Dental City, whose warehouse automation program increased picking productivity by 300%.
The Supply Chain Excellence Awards USA celebrate measurable achievement in logistics, warehousing, technology, and supply chain management. Entries are evaluated by an independent panel of industry leaders based on business benefits, competitive advantage, depth of application, collaboration, and evidence of results.
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