PUMA Indianapolis East Coast Distribution Center
⭐Key Features
- •Largest AutoStore installation in North America at the time, with a grid built for 305,000 bins
- •AutoStore 'Black Line' robots featuring rapid battery swaps (8-10 seconds) enabling near 24/7 operation
- •End-to-end integrated solution from receiving to outbound shipping
- •Extensive downstream automation: carton erectors, automated box cutters, tray formers/labelers, customized packaging, extendable conveyors, auto-bagging equipment
- •System designed with future expansion capacity in mind
- •Managed by third-party logistics (3PL) partner NFI/Cal Cartage for day-to-day operations
📊Results & Benefits
- ✓Increased distribution capacity by over 10 times compared to previous systems
- ✓Reduced delivery times to consumers from 8 days to 2 days
- ✓Stores over 5.5 million units of inventory and 45,000+ SKUs
- ✓Achieves at least 20% faster performance than the previous AutoStore 'Red Line' system
- ✓Ships over 1 million units per month, expected to exceed 2 million units monthly
- ✓Enables near 24/7 uptime with rapid robot battery swap technology
🎯Challenges & Solutions
PUMA's rapidly growing business caused them to quickly outgrow their primary distribution center in Torrance, California, and they needed greater access to the East Coast market.
Collaborated with Bastian Solutions to establish a secondary, highly automated distribution hub in Indianapolis, centered around a massive AutoStore Black Line system designed for scale and speed.
Needing to dramatically increase fulfillment capacity and speed to meet surging e-commerce demand while improving operational efficiency.
Implemented a comprehensive goods-to-person automation system (AutoStore Black Line) integrated with extensive packing and shipping automation, increasing capacity 10-fold and slashing delivery times.
📝Project Overview
Project Overview
PUMA, the global sportswear brand, faced a critical inflection point in its North American logistics. Its successful but outgrown distribution center in Torrance, California, could no longer support the company's rapid business expansion, particularly for serving the East Coast market efficiently. PUMA needed to establish a secondary distribution hub that could provide greater geographic access, dramatically increase capacity, and improve delivery speed for its retail and e-commerce customers.
This project marked a deepening of a decade-long partnership between PUMA and Bastian Solutions, following successful collaborations in Brazil and Mexico and an earlier AutoStore "Red Line" installation in Torrance. The goal was to "double down" on automation by creating a flagship, future-proof distribution center in Indianapolis. Third-party logistics provider NFI/Cal Cartage was integral to the project, tasked with managing the day-to-day operations of the new automated facility.
Technical Solution
AutoStore Black Line Goods-to-Person System
The core of the facility is a cutting-edge AutoStore "Black Line" system, which at the time of installation was the largest in North America. The storage grid is built to hold 305,000 bins, containing over 5.5 million units across 45,000+ SKUs. The Black Line robots feature an innovative rapid battery swap system, allowing batteries to be changed in 8-10 seconds, which facilitates near-continuous 24/7 operation with minimal downtime.
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Key Features
The scale of the AutoStore installation is its defining feature, designed as North America's largest to serve as a high-capacity hub. The Black Line technology provides a significant performance boost, operating at least 20% faster than the previous-generation Red Line system used in Torrance.
The facility's design emphasizes continuous operation and scalability. The rapid battery swap for robots is a key innovation that maximizes uptime. Furthermore, the entire system was deliberately designed with physical and technological capacity for future expansion to accommodate PUMA's anticipated growth.
Results & Benefits
The automation delivered transformative results. Distribution capacity increased by more than ten times compared to previous capabilities, providing the scalability needed for rapid growth. Consumer delivery times were drastically improved, dropping from an unacceptable 8 days down to a competitive 2 days.
The facility efficiently manages a vast inventory of over 5.5 million units from more than 45,000 SKUs. It currently ships over 1 million units per month, with expectations to exceed 2 million units monthly. The system's efficiency and reliability, underscored by the rapid battery swap, enable it to support this high volume with consistent performance.
Challenges & Solutions
PUMA's primary challenge was physical and geographic constraint—outgrowing its California facility and lacking efficient access to the East Coast market. The solution was a strategic investment in a new, centrally located hub in Indianapolis, equipped with the continent's largest and most advanced AutoStore system to serve as a high-throughput engine for the region.
The secondary challenge was meeting explosive demand with vastly improved speed and efficiency. This was addressed by implementing a complete, integrated automation ecosystem. The high-speed goods-to-person storage/retrieval system (AutoStore Black Line) was coupled with automated packing and shipping processes, creating a fast, high-capacity pipeline that could multiply output and slash delivery times simultaneously.
System Integrator
Bastian Solutions served as the lead system integrator for this landmark project, continuing a partnership with PUMA that spans over a decade. They were responsible for the overall system design, integration of the AutoStore Black Line with all downstream automation (packing, labeling, conveying), and the implementation of the control software. The client praised Bastian's highly professional project management team, their dedication, and described the relationship as familial, viewing them as an essential extension of their own organization. The Senior Vice President of NFI/Cal Cartage stated, "They have our best interest in mind and they deliver upon what they say they're going to do."
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📚Related Knowledge Articles (6)
Goods-to-Person Systems
Goods-to-Person (G2P) systems revolutionize warehouse operations by bringing inventory directly to stationary picking stations, eliminating worker travel time and maximizing productivity. These automated systems combine storage, retrieval, and presentation technologies to create highly efficient picking environments.
Box Conveyor Systems
Box conveyor systems transport cartons and cases through distribution centers using belt, roller, or chain conveyors optimized for the consistent dimensions and weights of boxed products.
Overhead Conveyors
Overhead conveyors suspend products from tracks mounted above the work area, freeing floor space while transporting items through manufacturing, finishing, storage, and distribution processes.
Robotic Piece Picking
Advanced robotic systems that use AI and computer vision to automatically select and pick individual items from diverse inventory, revolutionizing warehouse fulfillment operations with human-like dexterity and intelligence.
Cross-Belt Sorter
Cross-Belt Sorters are high-speed automated sorting systems that use individual carrier vehicles with miniature conveyor belts to gently divert packages to their designated destinations. These systems excel at handling diverse package types with exceptional accuracy and throughput, making them ideal for e-commerce, parcel, and distribution operations.
Pouch/Pocket Sorter
Pouch Sorters use suspended fabric pouches or pockets traveling on an overhead track to sort individual items with exceptional gentleness and flexibility. Ideal for fashion, apparel, and omnichannel retail operations, these systems excel at handling soft goods, hanging garments, and irregularly shaped items while providing dynamic buffering and sequencing capabilities.
