Automation is a capital investment. Maintenance determines whether that investment delivers long-term value.

In our latest Zion Experience episode, we talk with Lee Hobbs about what it actually takes to sustain automated distribution centers over time.

In this conversation, we cover:

➡️ Why preventive and proactive maintenance protects your original capital investment

➡️ How small issues turn into major disruptions when ignored

➡️ What a practical maintenance roadmap looks like in modern automated DCs

➡️ How technician skill sets are evolving alongside automation

Strong maintenance programs reduce downtime, extend equipment life, stabilize operations, and protect capital over the long-term.

2026 Distribution Center Automation: What's Evolving and What's Trending

In our latest Zion Experience episode, Jim Shaw, Jordan Frank, and Drew Eubank talk through what shifted in 2025 and what they’re watching heading into 2026.

Spoiler Alert!

1. Systems are getting more advanced while also becoming easier to use, thanks to better interfaces and a stronger focus on the operator experience.

2. At the same time, the vendor landscape feels less chaotic than it did during the COVID wave. The market has matured, and teams are getting clearer about what’s sustainable versus what just demos well.

Explore with us how DC automation is transforming healthcare operations at St. Vincent De Paul and helping save lives through smarter, more efficient processes.

The Medication Access Program (MAP) at St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy relies on donated medication to serve patients who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it. But donations were arriving faster than they could be inspected, sorted, and made available. Even with volunteers stepping in, the process couldn’t keep up. The SVDP team had a vision to expand the program and serve more patients, which meant automating the process to increase speed and capacity.

In this conversation, we talk through:

-Why manual processes couldn’t scale, even with volunteers

-How automation shifted processing time from months to a single day

-What changes when inventory accuracy becomes immediate