Medline, the largest user in the world of the AutoStore automated storage and retrieval system, was also the first company to embrace it as a supply chain solution in the U.S. more than 12 years ago.

Things have worked out so well that some of its facilities, as planned, are now going back for seconds.

About 100 leaders from Medline, AutoStore integration partner Swisslog and the local community, as well as another 200 Medline employees, gathered Thursday at Medline’s distribution center in Rialto, Calif., for an unveiling and celebration of the facility’s second AutoStore installation, which, with 133 robots, is about 60% larger than Rialto’s initial installation in 2016. That gives Rialto a total of more than 200 AutoStore robots operating within two complex grids, retrieving and transporting bins of stored products to Rialto’s human order pickers, then putting those bins back while retrieving others. The system supports the real powerhouses – Medline’s people – by simplifying order fulfillment, helping to improve pick times by two to four times and support Medline’s ability to provide next-day delivery to 95% of its U.S. customers.

A second AutoStore installation will help the roughly 800-person team at Rialto – among the busiest of Medline’s 45 DCs in the U.S. – to process even more order volume at the speed that customers depend upon, with higher quality and safety rates, said Daniel Schwartz, vice president of engineering.

Two other Medline DCs in Lacey, Wash., and Tracy, Calif., also have second AutoStore systems, Schwartz added, giving Medline a total of 20 active installations across 17 sites, with more than 1,900 robots.

Guests on hand Thursday toured the Rialto facility to see both AutoStore installations and other technologies Medline uses to fortify its supply chain resiliency, including a “smart” conveyer system and a dynamic routing system for the MedTrans trucks that get orders out to customers daily.

“I’m excited for you to see these technologies firsthand in action and [gain] more appreciation of the precision and dedication it takes to make healthcare run better in California – getting even a simple product like a box of gloves to your doctor or nurse when and where they need it,” said Jim Eveland, vice president of regional operations. “I also want to thank the local team here in Rialto who have exceeded all expectations. While technology and innovation play a role in making this happen, it’s truly our team members and their commitment that drives our success.”

Colman Roche, vice president of AutoStore Solutions for Swisslog, noted that Medline’s initial use of AutoStore in Libertyville, Ill., in 2013 was “a bold decision” and that in the dozen years since, Medline has “consistently met and exceeded their customers’ expectations for accuracy and delivery while also providing good working environments through things like ergonomic work stations and easy-to-use software.”

One of those customers in attendance Thursday was Binh Pham, executive director of supply chain operations for Hoag, a regional healthcare delivery network that operates three hospitals and several other care centers in Orange County.

“Three years ago, I put faith in Medline after being with our previous partners for over 30 years,” Pham said. “We needed a partner that had scale, the innovation and the infrastructure and technology like the wonderful AutoStore, but was also strategically aligned with our goals and [had] the right people. After three years, Medline has exceeded what we needed and expected in the partnership. … I humbly and sincerely appreciate your dedication, passion and commitment to making healthcare better.”

Joe Baca Jr., vice chair of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, representing the Fifth District, and Tim Sullivan, assistant city manager for Rialto, see the new installation and Medline’s continued investment in the local DC as further endorsement of Rialto as a place to operate a business.

“This is about more than just the products on the shelf – it’s about economic opportunity,” Baca said. “Medline’s investment brings quality jobs to Rialto, supports local families and fuels long-term economic development throughout this region.”

Added Sullivan: “Eight hundred of you [employees] here is a huge impact on the lives of so many more people.”

Amy Huizinga, senior director of operations for the Rialto site, said Medline understands the importance of being part of the community fabric.

“To our friends and neighbors, we are committed to keeping the promises we made when we first opened this facility almost a decade ago,” Huizinga said. “Medline will continue to be a good neighbor, we will continue to support local programs and projects in the community, and we are committed to being an economic development partner for years to come for the entire region.”

Learn more about how Medline uses AutoStore, with a video of the system in action.