Cutter & Buck opened an automated distribution center in Grand Prairie, Texas last week, adding a new node to its North American fulfillment network. The site joins a growing network of automated hubs that support the brand’s North American operations and represents the latest step in modernizing its distribution capabilities.
Facility specifications
The Grand Prairie location uses a goods-to-person system from technology vendor AutoStore, marking the brand’s second warehouse with this technology. AutoStore’s grid layout stores each item in a bin, allowing robots to retrieve items without human walking.
Planned throughput is 1,256 bins per hour; a simulation of the system recorded an average of 1,284 bins per hour.
The layout incorporates 50,502 storage bins, 32 AutoStore R5 Pro robots and 13 ports, with the option to add more robots and ports as demand evolves. The robots travel along overhead tracks, positioning bins at the ports for pickers to collect.
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Material-handling specialist Kardex integrated the system through its warehouse software, coordinating robot actions and bin movements.
Kardex also installed a conveyor that links AutoStore output to downstream steps such as embroidery, routing, print-and-apply and final shipping, aiming to streamline both plain and decorated apparel orders. The conveyor moves finished goods to the shipping dock where they are staged for outbound transport.
Company background and outlook
The facility is built to handle up to 10 million units of apparel, footwear and accessories, and to support rapid embroidery services; Texas currently ranks as the company’s top sales market. The design enables rapid handling of both plain and decorated items, reducing lead times for customers.
Earlier, Cutter & Buck launched its first AutoStore system in Renton, Washington, in 2023, featuring more than 34,000 bins and 54 robots. That Washington location demonstrated how dense bin storage could support high order volumes.
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Experience gained in Renton allowed the company to expand the system later with an additional 9,962 bins, extra ports and supporting infrastructure. The additional bins and ports expanded the grid, providing more flexibility for future growth.
“Our experience in Renton gave us a clear understanding of what automation can make possible for our operation and our customers,” CEO Joel Freet said. “With Kardex, we’ve been able to take what we’ve learned and apply it to a new facility designed around where our business is going next.” He emphasized that the partnership with Kardex was key to translating lessons learned into practical improvements.
Executive director of distribution, Scott Sumpter added, “We had years of experience operating AutoStore in Renton, WA, and a much better understanding of how the system supports our people, our processes, and our customers. That experience allowed us to work with Kardex to build a Texas facility that can grow with the business.” He noted that the Texas facility was built with scalability in mind, allowing it to adapt as business needs evolve.
