Direct answer. A milk run is a regular, timed replenishment route that serves several consumption points, most often line-side stations in a factory, from a stockroom or a staging area, at fixed intervals, dropping off full containers and picking up empty ones.
The principle in brief
The name comes from a simple image: like a milkman who used to visit customers every morning on a fixed route and schedule, the milk run circulates at regular intervals (every 10, 20 or 30 minutes depending on the site) rather than delivering to each station on an ad hoc basis or in large anticipated volumes. It is a direct application of just-in-time and kanban principles to internal logistics: each station receives only what it needs, at the rate it consumes it, with no local overstock.
The associated vehicle is traditionally a "tow train," a tractor pulling several coupled trailers, driven by an operator. On this same loop-and-cadence principle, this route can today be handed over to an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), which takes over the itinerary, the stops and the passage rhythm without a dedicated driver: this is what is called an automated milk run.
This glossary entry stays deliberately short. For a full explanation, why automate a milk run, how an AMR such as an autonomous pallet truck fills this role, and what documented industrial cases exist in France, see our dedicated pillar article.
FAQ
Is a milk run the same thing as a tow train?
The milk run is the principle: a timed route that serves several points along a fixed itinerary. The tow train is the vehicle that traditionally carries it out in a factory, driven, but this same principle can also be executed by an autonomous mobile robot.
Can a milk run be automated without changing the building?
Yes, in most cases: an AMR-type autonomous mobile robot generally navigates without floor infrastructure (no rail or magnetic tape), which makes it possible to take over an existing milk run's itinerary without construction work. The detail is developed in our dedicated pillar article.
Related terms
Just-in-time · Kanban · Lean · Takt time · Intralogistics · AMR · Fleet manager.
To go further: full guide to the automated milk run.
Automating your replenishment route
The robot can take over an existing milk run, route, stops, cadence, without a dedicated driver and without infrastructure work. To assess feasibility on your site, discover the robot or contact us.
Let's check your aisles before everyone else does
Rollout across France is coming soon. In the meantime, four questions are enough: your regional contact sends back a written verdict on your site, no price and no date attached.