Distribution

Ikea continues to expand its use of renewable energy.   The retailer plans to install the largest rooftop solar array in the state on Illinois on its distribution center in Joliet.   

Beleaguered American Apparel has filed its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in just a little over a year. But this time around its future as a retailer looks even more uncertain.  

To compete with Amazon’s pickup points and lockers, Newegg now offers order pickup service across more than 2,500 locations.   While most online shoppers ship items to their homes, a growing number of people prefer the security and convenience of retrieving their packages at a store or retail location. Through a partnership with FedEx, Newegg shoppers can now order and pick-up packages at more than 2,500 FedEx locations throughout the United States, including 1,800 FedEx Office retail stores.   

Dollar General is working out details to construct a $91 million distribution center in Orange County, New York.   The chain is eyeing the creation of a 750,000-square-foot distribution hub on a 100-acre site in the town of Florida, N.Y., the Albany Business Review reported.      The building would supply merchandise to 1,000 stores in the Northeast, and could bring more than 500 jobs to the Albany, N.Y., region over the next five years, according to the report.   

The bankruptcy of South Korean shipping giant Hanjin Shipping is forcing retail chains to spend lots of extra cash to get their goods through ports to warehouses in time for the holiday shopping season, the Los Angeles Times reported.   

Target Corp. continues to beef up its supply chain management capabilities.    The discounter announced it has appointed Shekar Natarajan to the newly-created role of senior VP, network planning and operational design, effective Nov. 20.   Natarajan, a 15-year supply chain veteran, was most recently VP of last mile operations, emerging sciences and operational excellence at Walmart. He also held leadership roles at Walt Disney Company, Anheuser Busch and PepsiCo.   

Consumer electronics and appliance retailer Hhgregg came up short in its second quarter.    It also exited the Wisconsin market.     The company reported a loss of $18.4 million for the quarter ended Sept. 30, with a loss of 66 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for non-recurring costs and asset impairment costs, came to 51 cents per share. The results fell short of Wall Street expectations.  

Auditing your shipping invoices saves money. But just as importantly it yields valuable business intelligence through a rich depository of captured data that helps you make informed decisions as you improve operations.  

Just in time to streamline the upcoming holiday e-commerce sales rush, Hudson’s Bay Co. is touting a new robotic fulfillment system.   Called the first of its kind in Canada, the new state-of-the-art robotic fulfillment system is housed in the department store chain’s 752,000 sq.-ft. Scarborough distribution center, which manages the chain’s e-commerce operations.    

The watch and fashion accessories brand Fossil Group is planning to reorganize its business.   The company, which operates 610 stores across the globe (including 284 U.S. locations) will close some stores, although it did not say how many, the Dallas News reported, as part of a multi-year business overhaul that also includes a focus on fewer products.