OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Wireless carrier expands store network
Sprint continues to expand its presence — this time in the Midwest. The wireless carrier plans to add 30 new retail stores and more than 200 jobs throughout Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska by the end of 2017. The new jobs will include a combination of retail, operations and technical experts.
Online giant in big supply chain hiring push
Amazon is making good on its promise to hire 130,000 workers by 2018. The online giant announced Wednesday that it plans to fill more than 50,000 roles across its fulfillment network in the United States. Amazon is hiring “tens of thousands” full-time associates who will pick, pack and ship customer orders from its fulfillment centers. It will also fill supporting and managerial roles within its facilities, including human resources managers, IT specialists, and operations leaders, among other positions, the retailer said.

Walmart marketplace expands breadth of merchandise

Walmart is streamlining how its third-party suppliers connect with its marketplace. Acenda announced Wednesday that it has integrated with Walmart.com's global marketplace, connecting Acenda store owners and third-party sellers with Walmart's significant customer base. Acenda now helps retailers and brands optimize their product listings across major marketplaces including Walmart, Amazon, Google and eBay as well as leading retailers.
Discounter ups the ante on hydrogen fuel cells for lift trucks

Walmart is stepping up efforts to drive energy efficiency across its distribution network. The discount giant is adopting fuel cells and hydrogen stations from provider Power Plug — a move that will bolster its energy efficiency at up to 30 more locations. Walmart already has Plug Power fuel cells installed at 22 distribution centers, according to USA Today.
Study: Most consumers believe their payment data is at risk

Consumers across the globe agree that volume of criminals trying to steal their credit and debit card data is increasing — and retailers aren’t equipped to fight back. This was according to “Consumer Payment Card Data Security Perceptions, from Transaction Network Services (TNS). The study interviewed 1,037 U.S. adults, 1,002 Australian adults, and 1,010 U.K. adults between May 4-May 8.
Amazon’s fulfillment arm will pay full price to bolster global inventory

Amazon is making its marketplace sellers an offer that is hard to refuse. The online giant’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) division is rolling out a new program that will buy products from third-party merchants at full price, then sell them to consumers across the globe. The program is a move to build Amazon’s global inventory, according to CNBC.
Office supplies giant adds robotics to fulfillment network

Staples is making a bold move to modernize its supply chain. The office supplies giant is adding a robotic material handling solution across its network of fulfillment centers. Designed by Great Star Industrial USA, LLC, the automated robotic storage and retrieval system incorporates two types of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) into a unified system that brings both high and low cubic velocity items to a single pick and pack station.
Pizza giant launches aggressive hiring spree

Pizza Hut is making big moves to improve the accuracy and reliability of its delivery experience. The subsidiary of Yum! Brands plans to hire nearly 3,000 new drivers a month through the end of the year. The hiring effort, which will include full and part-time positions, will add approximately 14,000 new drivers across its delivery fleet, according to the company.
Walmart opens massive online center

Walmart is bringing 1,500 jobs to Florida as it continues to expand its e-commerce fulfillment network.
Target welcomes new class to accelerator program

The newest batch of start-ups are making their way to Minneapolis for the second annual Target + Techstars retail accelerator program. After receiving applications from more than 3,000 technology start-ups — 70% of which had a co-founder who is either female or comes from an ethnically diverse background — Target whittled the list down to 10 finalists for this year’s tech accelerator. Companies range from online advertising to rebates to clothing alterations, and hail from Minneapolis to as far as Belgium.