Inside the massive new Walmart fulfillment center in McCordsville

Walmart Inc. has opened its massive fulfillment center in Hancock County after more than two years of construction.

The 2.2 million-square-foot, three-story facility encompassing 204 acres at 5259 W. 500 N. in McCordsville quietly began fulfilling orders in late March. Walmart on Thursday will host a ceremonial grand opening for the center, which will eventually employ up to 1,000 people by the end of 2025.

The building is one of four large-scale fulfillment centers Walmart is developing in the United States. One in Joliet, Illinois, has already opened, while others in Lancaster, Texas, and Greencastle, Pennsylvania, are under construction. Combined, the fulfillment centers are expected to be able to serve 95% of the U.S. population through next- or two-day shipping.

According to Walmart, the facility reduces the fulfillment process from a 12-step manual operation to only five instances where associates physically handle packages. IBJ had an opportunity to tour the facility on Wednesday.

IBJ first reported on Walmart’s plans in 2020, when the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company filed plans with Hancock County for the center. The structure features 144 docks, parking for nearly 2,000 cars and spaces for more than 900 trailers.

The company previously had a 1.2 million-square-foot facility in Plainfield, which was destroyed by a fire in 2022. Nearly 1,000 of the more than 2,000 people who worked at the Plainfield facility accepted other jobs with the company.

Walmart also has distribution centers in Greencastle and Gas City. The company has a presence in Greenfield, as well, with a regional return center that opened about a decade ago.