Home Depot opens its largest direct fulfillment center

The home improvement retailer opened a 1.6 million-square-foot direct fulfillment center in Troy Township, Ohio to support continued growth in online sales.    Home Depot opened a 1.6 million-square-foot direct fulfillment center last week in Troy Township, Ohio to support the continued growth of its online sales, which account for 5 percent of the company’s total revenues.
   The new facility is Home Depot’s third and largest direct fulfillment center. The home improvement retailer opened two direct fulfillment centers last year, including a 1.1 million-square-foot center in Locust Grove, Ga. and a 900,000-square-foot facility in Perris, Calif.
   These three facilities are referred to as “direct” fulfillment centers because they fulfill and ship orders directly to customers who make online purchases, Home Depot said in a statement.
   Together, these three direct fulfillment centers allow the retailer to deliver 90 percent of online orders of regionally stocked parcel items at a maximum of two business days with economical ground delivery service.
   In addition, the company will open its Marietta Technology Center, a 200,000-square-foot office complex in Marietta, Ga., in October.
   Home Depot will also open its third online customer service center in November. The new center will be located in Tempe, Ariz. The company already has online customer service centers in Ogden, Utah and Kennesaw, Ga.
   “These investments are advancing our interconnected retail strategy, which allows our customers to engage with Home Depot however they choose,” Home Depot Chairman, CEO and President Craig Menear said. “We’re also pleased to contribute to the economic growth of these communities.”