A joint venture looking to revolutionize distribution services through artificial intelligence and robotics announced Wednesday that its first automated facility will be located in Georgia.
GreenBox Systems LLC said it will invest $144 million in a distribution center in Butts County, about 50 miles south of downtown Atlanta. And even though its focus will be automation, the project will employ 300 workers, according to a news release.
The company is a joint venture between venture capital giant SoftBank and warehouse management systems firm Symbotic, which announced the GreenBox project last year.
Georgia has emerged as a significant testing ground for warehouse robotics and AI technology. Gov. Brian Kemp said the project expands Georgia’s roster of “innovative job creators” by establishing a roughly 1-million-square-foot facility in Jackson.
The automated distribution center will be located at the Cubes at RiverPark, an industrial project along I-75 built by CRG and Heitman. The developers have several other similarly branded industrial parks across the country, including nearby Locust Grove in Henry County.
“GreenBox is thrilled to bring AI-powered warehouse services to Georgia and help increase the efficiency, accuracy and safety of the supply chain in a capital-efficient manner,” Vikas J. Parekh, managing partner at SoftBank and GreenBox’s board director, said in the release.
Most big-box stores and superstores already incorporate AI-powered robotic warehouse management systems into their distribution network, with companies such as Walmart, Target and Albertson’s already partnering with Symbotic. GreenBox, however, intends to target smaller clientele, which its leaders say is a $500 billion market.
The Jackson facility will employ workers ranging from automation operators and maintenance technicians to forklift operators and material handlers. Operations are expected to begin in late 2025, and job listings will be posted to www.symbotic.com/careers/open-positions as they become available.
A Georgia Department of Economic Development spokeswoman said incentive negotiations remain active for the project. GreenBox will qualify for job creation tax credits and worker training through Georgia Quick Start, a state program that offers free customized skill-set training for companies in Georgia.
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