Home Depot acquired SIMPL Automation, a Waltham-based warehouse automation firm, to accelerate same-day and next-day order fulfillment

Home Depot acquired SIMPL Automation, a Waltham, Massachusetts-based warehouse automation company that uses AI and advanced engineering to speed item picking, reduce cycle times, and maximize storage density, following a successful pilot at its Locust Grove, Georgia distribution center where the technology drove faster pick speeds, faster cycle times, and fewer product touches. SIMPL's patented storage and retrieval solution allows Home Depot to house a broader assortment of high-demand products closer to customers, which the company says will enable faster delivery and expanded product availability in support of its same-day and next-day fulfillment strategy. Home Depot is also deploying a range of complementary technologies across its supply chain including AI-powered inventory management, advanced analytics, mobile technology, and live delivery tracking, with the SIMPL acquisition described as accelerating the flow of products through its distribution network with what the company called “unprecedented speed and precision.”