Wal-Mart has stores in 15 countries outside of the United States (including those operated as joint ventures) and runs 228 distribution centers to support overseas operations. In the keynote address at CSCMP's Annual Global Conference in September 2009, Gary Maxwell, senior vice president of international supply chain, informed that the "best in market" approach requires "thinking like a customer" and "understanding where the market is on the maturity curve." Maxwell provided the following example, "Our first warehouse in India was small and had no automation…We had racks and forklifts because that was what the customer could afford." In Japan, on the other hand, Wal-Mart's warehouses employ such technology as sortation systems, radio-frequency picking, automated cranes, and mini-load systems. These technologies aid in keeping the products at a certain quality as expected by customers in Japan. The initial approach to "best in market" doesn't remain static since these markets are dynamic in nature. Wal-Mart's supply chain evolves with changing market characteristics. In 2008, Wal-Mart's international division earned just under US $100 billion, about one-quarter of the retailer's overall sales.
Source: "For Wal-Mart, being "best in market" is key to global success." CSCMP Supply Chain Quarterly, Quarter 4, 2009.