Supply Chain & Merchandising

Target and other retailers have fought unsuccessfully for years to level the e-commerce playing field in the United States by requiring Amazon.com and other online-only merchants to collect sales tax. Doing so would eliminate the Internet-pure-play retailers’ most significant competitive advantage, and for a glimpse of just how significant look no further than Canada.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens named Reuben Slone senior VP supply chain management, effective May 16. He comes to Walgreens from OfficeMax, where he served as executive VP supply chain and general manager of services

Slone takes over supply chain management responsibility from Randy Lewis, who is transitioning to a new role with the chain. Lewis will continue to help advise on the company’s programs for people with disabilities and will play a critical role in several of Walgreens key strategic initiatives.

Buffalo Grove, Ill. -- Siemens Building Technologies Division announced that Michaels Stores recently rolled out a series of Siemens advanced extensions to the Site Controls’ energy management system (EMS). The extensions will provide Michaels a cash-on-cash payback of 20 months, and an ROI exceeding 90%. In addition, the investment will drive further reductions in Michaels’ carbon footprint, the environmental equivalent of 5,600 cars from the road each year.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens has named Reuben Slone as SVP supply chain management, where he will have leadership responsibility for distribution, transportation, systems integration and engineering, Lean and Six Sigma supply chain initiatives and community outreach.

Slone will join Walgreens May 16 and will report to Walgreens president of community management Mark Wagner.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings Corp. said Tuesday that it completed the $270 million sale of 11 full-line Sears store locations to General Growth Properties.

Sears said the stores will continue to operate as Sears locations into 2013 or 2014, with final closing dates to be announced later this year. The stores are in Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Washington.

Sears announced in December it would close between 100 and 120 stores to raise cash after a disappointing holiday season.
 

New York -- Tesco Plc will invest 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) to help turnaround its domestic operations. The chain will slow its international expansion as its concentrates on its home base.

Tesco, the United Kingdom’s largest retailer, will give a makeover to about 430 of its U.K. supermarkets, add more workers and expand its online offerings.

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. — Michaels Stores has become more energy-efficient, thanks to its rollout of a new series of systems from Siemens. The additional savings created by the new advanced-capability deployments are expected to bring total energy-related savings to more than 30%.

Toronto -- Sears Canada chief Calvin McDonald told attendees of the retailer’s annual meeting in Toronto on Tuesday that the focus will be on its strongest categories to more quickly effect a turnaround.

Hard goods such as appliances and tools will be a major focus in the company’s three-year turnaround plan, said McDonald. Sears Canada is majority-owned by Sears Holdings Corp.