Target is expanding its delivery efforts in the greater Atlanta area with the debut of its newest supply chain facility: the Target Last Mile Delivery (TLMD) extension.
The new facility was built near Target’s store in Smyrna, Ga., located northwest of Atlanta, and is smaller than a traditional sortation center. The facility is currently processing up to 1,500 packages per day with plans to ramp up to even more in the months ahead. The TLMD extension expands Target’s next-day delivery within reach of 500,000 additional guests in the Atlanta area.
Target said the TLMD extension is a “stepping stone” for the delivery process. Local, pre-sorted packages move from the sortation center to the TLMD extension, where Target associates stage them for pickup and next-day delivery by drivers on the Shipt platform to additional neighborhoods.
"Team members and leaders have been very excited to be a part of something new," says DaVion Ezell, operations director for Target's Atlanta sortation center and TLMD extension. "We're actively problem-solving to ensure that we are set up for success as we get closer to the holiday season to be able to achieve and exceed that demand.”
In February, the Minneapolis-based retailer announced a $100 million investment to expand next-day delivery capabilities to guests across major U.S. markets. Currently, Target operates nine sortation centers open across the country in Minnesota, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
"TLMD extensions represent the latest milestone in our journey to deliver a best-in-class experience for our guests — however they choose to shop with us," says John Mulligan, executive vice president and chief operations officer at Target. "These facilities are a continuation of our innovative efforts to serve millions of guests and reach millions more, while maximizing speed, efficiency and care across our real estate portfolio."