Macy’s opens leading-edge automated fulfillment center
Macy’s Inc. has opened its largest and most technologically advanced supply chain facility to date.
Initially announced in 2022 and located in China Grove, N.C., the fulfillment and store replenishment center is part of the retailer’s broader strategy known as "Bold New Chapter," which aims to simplify and modernize Macy’s end-to-end operations to benefit its customers.
Positioned in the Southeast, the facility expands Macy's reach and is intended to enable faster, more efficient service for millions of customers. By supporting all product categories, the facility can ship more orders from a single location, resulting in faster deliveries with fewer boxes.
The China Grove facility will initially support customer fulfillment and store replenishment for the Macy’s banner, with plans to expand to additional banners during the next two years. Equipped with automation and an advanced warehouse management system, the 2.5 million-sq.-ft. facility has the largest storage capacity and is designed to deliver the highest productivity and throughput potential in the company’s network.
"The opening of our China Grove facility is a significant step in modernizing our supply chain and elevating the customer experience across every channel – with faster deliveries, well-stocked stores and seamless service," said Tom Edwards, COO and CFO of Macy’s, Inc. "With this investment, we’re building a faster, more efficient and agile network designed to meet our customers’ needs today and in the future."
China Grove is the company’s third site to introduce high performance automation and the first to operate with an advanced warehouse management system. At the first two sites, Macy’s says automation more than doubled productivity, and it is now establishing a model to scale this technology across its fulfillment network in the years ahead.
"Over the past two years, we’ve tested and learned from automation at other sites, refining how it can make our operations more efficient and our colleagues work safer and smarter," said Sean Barbour, senior VP of supply chain operations, Macy’s. "Now, we’re building on those lessons with our most advanced deployment yet including the debut of a new warehouse management system that will provide greater accuracy, flexibility, and speed."
Macy’s also previously said it would direct $5 billion of its spend, scaling through 2025, to help create "a more equitable and sustainable future" through technology and best practices.
[READ MORE: Macy’s embraces automation, digitalization to reduce waste]
Headquartered in New York City, Macy’s, Inc. operates the Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury banners.
