Kroger Partners With KNAPP to Enhance Capacity of Great Lake Distribution Center; Tony Lucchino and Josef Mentzer Comment
DELAWARE, OH - Technology and grocery have long gone hand-in-hand. As retailers ramp up their supply chain networks, they need partners to help them sustain both expansion and innovation. Kroger recently announced its agreement to deploy KNAPP’s software solutions as it seeks to enhance the capabilities and capacity of its existing Great Lakes Distribution Center in Delaware, Ohio.
"Kroger's investment in KNAPP's latest technology allows the Great Lakes Distribution Center to improve efficiency in replenishing our stores, enabling us to quickly deliver fresh food to our customers,” remarked Tony Lucchino, Vice President of Supply Chain and Network Strategy, Kroger. “The expansion of the facility is part of the ongoing transformation of our supply chain network, and this project will more than double our capacity while delivering innovation and scalability that can grow with demand.”
According to a press release, the facility is currently being renovated to add modern state-of-the-art technology and is expected to be complete this summer. The distribution center currently services 115 stores in central and northwest Ohio, as well as southeast Michigan and the Ohio River Valley region. During the renovation, the facility will expand by 130,000 square feet.
“This collaborative project will allow us to better serve customers in the region,” Lucchino added. “The site uses a unique combination of KNAPP OSR (order, storage, and retrieval) shuttles that deliver grocery cases in an exact sequence to the RUNPICK robotic palletizers—delivering next-generation efficiency and performance increases for Kroger's supply chain network."
KNAPP CEO Josef Mentzer also issued a statement regarding the agreement.
"The technology investment in the Great Lakes Distribution Center has been designed to add a new level of flexibility to the Kroger supply chain network and deliver a resilient approach to investments in automation,” he explained.
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