Warehouse

Seattle -- Amazon said it will open a 1-milllion-sq-.ft. distribution center in Kent, Wash., which will be its fourth in Washington state. IDS Real Estate Group and Clarion Partners are building the site as part of a joint venture. Amazon’s other Washington fulfillment centers are located in Sumner and Bellevue, and a DuPont site is near completion.

Publix Super Markets’ VP of distribution Richard Schuler is retiring May 2, after 40 years of service. Succeeding Schuler is Publix veteran Casey Suarez, who will assume the role May 3.

Dallas -- Michael West has joined Neiman Marcus Group Inc as senior VP, distribution, logistics and fulfillment. West joins Neiman Marcus from Ann Inc., where he was senior VP, global logistics and distribution. He spent more than 12 years with Target Corp., where he held various positions, including VP, global logistics.

York, Pa. - The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. has signed a lease with Duke Realty Corp for a 743,000-sq.-ft., automated, direct-to-consumer fulfillment center in West Jefferson, Ohio, to support its growing e-commerce operations. The company anticipates the facility to be fully operational and ship its first orders in spring of 2015.

The nation’s leading home improvement retailer is no stranger to e-commerce, but its efforts to offer a more robust omnichannel experience took a major step forward recently with the opening of the company’s first direct fulfillment center.

New York -- The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case brought by former Amazon warehouse workers that could determine whether companies have to compensate employees for time spent undergoing end-of the-shift security searches.

Walmart honored more than a dozen trucking and transportation partners this week as “Carriers of the Year,” and the list includes many of the supply chain world’s biggest companies along with some lesser known firms.

In addition to its massive private trucking fleet, the enormity of Walmart’s business means it works with more than 400 third party carriers. Out of those the company recognized 13 companies and further singled out Charlie Crawford from UPS as carrier representative  of the year.

Nashville, Tenn. -- Kirkland's announced  that Todd Weier, senior VP of logistics, plans to leave the company.

"I believe that it is the right time for my departure and that my mission in the company has been largely accomplished," said Todd Weier. "I am proud of our team's many achievements over the years and the logistics infrastructure we've established."