OREANDA-NEWS. Walmart (NYSE: WMT) today announced two new centers dedicated to filling online orders, including one in Texas and one in Pennsylvania that will be its largest ever. These two new online fulfillment centers are just part of a next-generation fulfillment network that will deliver U.S. customer orders faster and at a lower cost. In addition to these new and existing facilities dedicated to online orders, Walmart is uniquely positioned to ship online orders from stores and many of its more than 130 distribution centers, all leveraging its world-class transportation network. The new online facilities extend Walmart’s anytime, anywhere experience that lets customers shop seamlessly across online, mobile and stores.

“With our dedicated online facilities and 4,100 stores within five miles of two-thirds of the U.S. population, we gain a significant advantage by being positioned in the most important location – close to our customers,” said Joel Anderson, president and CEO of Walmart.com.   “This unique combination allows us to get more products to our customers faster and at a lower cost.”

The new center based in Fort Worth, Texas, is 800,000 sq. ft. and will have 275 full-time positions.  It began shipping orders last week.  The Bethlehem, Pa. operation will be more than one million sq. ft. and will ultimately employ more than 350 full-time associates. It is scheduled to open in the first quarter of next year. Combined, the new operations will house hundreds of thousands of items ranging from electronics, to toys, apparel, fitness equipment, sporting goods and more.

"I want to thank and congratulate Walmart on its decision to expand operations in Texas," Governor Rick Perry said. "The decision to locate this new center and help create nearly 300 new jobs in the Metroplex is good business for Walmart, good business for Texas, and it serves as further proof our state's economy is booming and will continue to grow."

"Walmart's announcement today represents more than 350 good, well-paying jobs for people of the Lehigh Valley and we congratulate them on their choice of Pennsylvania for this critical expansion," said Governor Tom Corbett.  "As Walmart moves forward with expansion of its e-commerce business we will be a partner in ensuring Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley remain a continued part of that growth."