Walmart Canada Opens New DC

SN STAFF

BALZAC, Alberta — Walmart Canada on Wednesday opened a new fresh food distribution center here, saying the new facility was a "living lab of sustainability" that would be 60% more energy efficient than traditional warehouses.

The $115 million, 400,000-square-foot center serves as a hub for fresh and frozen food destined for 104 Wal-Mart stores in Western Canada.

Company officials said energy conservation and renewable energy technologies built into the facility would save $4.8 million in costs over five years. Features include hydrogen fuel cells in the fleet of material handling vehicles, on-site wind turbines and solar panels to generate energy and conservation features including LED lighting, refrigeration systems using ammonia coolants and high-efficiency dock doors and doors between temperature zones.

Walmart Canada is based in Mississaugua, Ontario, and operates 321 outlets nationwide.