Walgreens is automating its supply chain by expanding the number of robots to fill prescriptions for its stores, according to CNBC.
The specialty retailer aims to have its 11 micro-fulfillment centers serving over 5,000 stores by the end of 2025.
Rick Gates, Walgreens’ chief pharmacy officer, said: “Right now, they’re the backbone to really help us offset some of the workload in our stores, to obviously allow more time for our pharmacists and technicians to spend time with patients.
“It gives us a lot more flexibility to bring down costs, to increase the care, and to increase speed to therapy—all those things.”
According to the company, the fulfillment centers completed 40% of the prescriptions for the pharmacies, which is an estimated 16 million prescriptions per month.
The announcement comes on the heels of a strong financial performance.
In April, Walgreens posted better-than-expected financial results ahead of its transition to go private.
The company saw its sales increase by 4% to $38.6 billion while it narrowed its net loss by 51.7% to $2.9 billion.
Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth said: “We remain in the early stages of our turnaround plan and continue to expect that meaningful value creation will take time, enhanced focus, and balancing future cash needs with necessary investments to navigate a changing pharmacy and retail landscape.”
The company plans to continue executing the turnaround strategy moving forward to produce further results.
Additionally, the pharmacy retailer is set to be acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners for around $10 billion.
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