Logistics

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings announced that Raj Penkar will be joining Sears Holdings on Sept. 15 as senior VP and president, supply chain. He will be accountable for all aspects of the company's supply chain, including logistics, warehousing, inventory management and distribution. 

Penkar joins Sears Holdings following a successful 24-year career at UPS, where he most recently served as president of UPS' customer solutions division.
 

New York City -- Lowe’s Cos. plans to build a 1.4-million-sq.-ft. distribution center in Rome, Ga.

The facility, due to open in 2013, will service Lowe’s stores in western Georgia, northern Florida and Alabama

 

Miami -- Ryder System announced that it and Staples have agreed to add 10 heavy-duty compressed natural gas (CNG) tractors to Ryder’s dedicated fleet servicing Staples. The tractors -- the first of their kind used in Staples’ third party dedicated operations -- will replace ten diesel tractors currently used by Ryder for Staples, and have been made available through Ryder’s natural gas vehicle project agreement with the San Bernardino Associated Governments in Southern California.

Memphis -- The Kroger Co. said Friday that its Kroger Delta Division, based in Memphis, has acquired eight Memphis-area Schnucks grocery stores that the company will convert and re-open under the Kroger banner over the next few weeks.

Currently, Kroger operates 37 stores in the Memphis metropolitan area, and the acquisition ups the area store count to 43, with two of the acquired Schnucks locations replacing two smaller existing Kroger locations.

Target last week announced the donation $250,000 in cash and product to assist with Hurricane Irene relief efforts, pushing the total amount the company has committed to domestic disaster relief to more than $1 million. The donations will be distributed among relief agencies including The Salvation Army and the American Red Cross. In addition, Target is giving gift cards and 10,000 relief kits to other local, regional and national nonprofit organizations for such essentials as water and food.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot announced that it is now expanding its retail store presence in the Caribbean territory as part of its franchise agreement with Benmore International.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Lowe's pledged $1 million to disaster relief and rebuilding efforts in communities affected by Hurricane Irene.

“This has been a record-setting year for disasters across the country, and Lowe’s will continue to provide funding, supplies and volunteers whenever possible," said Robert A. Niblock, Lowe’s chairman, president and CEO.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fresh & Easy is slated to open its first six stores in the Sacramento region in 2012.

The stores will include three in Sacramento, one in Lincoln, one in Elk Grove and one in Folsom. The chain, which has opened 13 stores in northern California this year, opened a store in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco last week.