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a North American foodservice distributor running a refrigerated and dry goods distribution center

How a Food Distribution Center Logged 110+ Autonomous Scrubbing Hours Across 2.4M Sq Ft

A foodservice distribution center replaced two to four daily scrubbing hours with an autonomous scrubber and reported 110+ runtime hours and 2.4M+ sq ft cleaned autonomously.

110+ hr
runtime
2.4M+
sq ft
2-4 hr
was manual
30-45
min routine

Based on a documented real-world deployment. Figures are from public reporting; the organization is not named.

A food distribution center aisle where autonomous scrubbing can run before the first shift.
Photo: Caleb Oquendo

Manual scrubbing pulled technicians off critical maintenance

This food distribution center moves refrigerated and dry products through aisles where audit-ready floors matter every day. A manual scrubber demanded two to four hours of operator time on a typical day, and deep cleans took even longer.

Maintenance technicians needed those hours for preventive work on refrigeration and material handling equipment, not driving scrubbers.

  • Two to four daily hours on manual scrubbing
  • Deep cleans extended beyond routine windows
  • Technicians pulled from equipment maintenance
  • Debris on floors increased tire wear risk

Autonomous scrubbing before the first shift

Leadership deployed an industrial autonomous scrubber with reporting that leadership could review for audits. Operators mapped routine routes that finish in about thirty to forty-five minutes before staff arrive, with longer deep clean cycles when needed.

Technicians monitor fills and exceptions while the scrubber runs scheduled cycles overnight and early morning.

  • Map routine and deep clean routes separately
  • Run pre-shift cycles before pickers arrive
  • Use machine reports for internal audit trails
  • Keep technicians on equipment maintenance tasks
Pre-shift scrubbing routes mapped across a food distribution floor.
Photo: Craftsman Concrete Floors

More than two million square feet cleaned autonomously

Maintenance technicians after scrubbing hours returned to equipment work.
Photo: AR Abnoy

Published reporting cites more than one hundred ten hours of autonomous runtime since implementation.

The same reporting attributes more than two point four million square feet cleaned autonomously, with technicians reallocating time to preventive maintenance and repairs.

What food distribution operators can copy

A foodservice distribution hub that automated daily floor scrubbing.
Photo: ELEVATE

This account documents a published food distribution deployment, not a Service Robot Co. customer story. It still shows how warehouse cleaning robot rental should pair mapped pre-shift routes with maintenance-friendly reporting.

Service Robot Co. selects scrubber platforms, runs site assessments, and supports industrial floor scrubber rental with a nationwide network of regional service engineers on one contract.

Frequently asked questions

Published reporting cites more than one hundred ten hours of autonomous runtime since deployment.

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