Advance Auto Parts Extends AI Fulfillment Partnership

Advance Auto Parts, a leading US automotive parts provider, is intensifying its collaboration with an AI specialist to optimise its same-day fulfilment processes.

OneRail, a provider of unified commerce solutions tailored for enterprise-level retailers, wholesalers and distributors, works alongside the prominent automotive aftermarket supplier.

Ron Gilbert, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain at Advance Auto Parts explains: “In our industry, speed and availability are what earn customer loyalty and our customers’ expectations have never been higher,

“OneRail is helping us improve delivery execution while giving us greater flexibility in how we serve customers. As we continue expanding same-day fulfillment capabilities, this partnership will help us leverage our growing store and market hub network more effectively to deliver a better customer experience.”

Through this ongoing relationship, Advance Auto Parts is set to leverage OneRail’s technical solutions to enhance store-based fulfilment, market hubs, inventory visibility and supply chain modernisation. This integration will additionally streamline delivery operations by coordinating internal fleets with external delivery partners more effectively.

Bill Catania, Founder and CEO of OneRail says: “OneRail's role is to help enterprise retailers turn inventory availability into fulfilment capability,” 

“Advance Auto Parts has made significant investments in its supply chain and store network and we're proud to help connect those investments with a flexible fulfilment model that can scale with customer demand.”

The partnership's origins

Over the past four years, the collaboration between the two firms has seen OneRail support delivery operations for more than 4,000 Advance Auto Parts locations. This partnership manages millions of shipments every year by integrating internal fleet assets with external third-party delivery services.

With a presence encompassing more than 4,300 locations as of April 2026, Advance Auto Parts operates throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Advance Auto Parts isn’t alone in sourcing AI to streamline its logistics. 

3M recently debuted a digital interface designed to provide customers and vendors with access to the company’s technological expertise.

The science-based company advocates for the creation of vehicles that are more efficient, intelligent and lightweight. To demonstrate how the global corporation assists the automotive sector, it offers ‘The Next Gear,’ an interactive hub showcasing 3M science, materials and specialized technologies to its clientele.

Wendy Bauer, President of 3M Transportation and Electronics Business Group says: “The automotive industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation, one that touches every part of the mobility ecosystem, from manufacturers and suppliers to infrastructure.

“3M brings deep expertise across automotive, electronics, manufacturing and advanced materials to help customers solve complex challenges, accelerate development and bring next-generation mobility solutions to market faster. ‘The Next Gear’ provides a comprehensive look at 3M solutions across the mobility ecosystem and demonstrates how we help customers move faster toward what’s ahead.”

3M demonstrated its dedication to creating solutions for the automotive, oil and gas sectors in 2020 by investing US$135m in its Clinton, Tennessee, manufacturing plant. This significant financial commitment underscored the company's strategic focus on industrial development.

In early 2022, 3M built upon this foundation by announcing a subsequent US$470m investment to expand the Clinton facility, facilitating a significant increase in manufacturing capacity.