The Home Depot opened three new distribution centers in Sparrows Point, Md., to service stores and customers in the Baltimore region. The 1.5 million-square-foot campus includes a facility that delivers appliances to stores and directly to customers, a flatbed delivery center that delivers oversized products such as lumber, concrete, and insulation to DIYers and pro jobs sites, and an online order fulfillment facility. The home-improvement retailer said the Baltimore market is a key hub for the company’s delivery and supply chain strategy.
One of the newly opened facilities is an 812,000-square-foot building that extends the aisles of the stores by offering fulfillment for online orders, providing a broader range of products directly to customers. The facility features a zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell charging station that offers a sustainable and more efficient way to power material handling equipment, according to Home Depot.
“We’re focused on creating an easier and more convenient shopping experience for our customers’ home improvement needs, whether they shop in stores or online,” Stephanie Smith, senior vice president of supply chain for The Home Depot, said in a news release. “By investing in our supply chain, we’ll continue to meet the changing expectations of our pro and DIY customers – getting us closer to our goal of offering same day and next day delivery to 90% of the U.S. population.”
Last year, Home Depot opened a 698,000-square-foot facility that services pro and DIY customers with oversized and bulk flatbed delivery directly to their job sites as well as a delivery location that expands the retailer’s appliance delivery in the Baltimore area.
In 2017, the retailer announced a $1.2 billion investment in its supply chain and the company is in the process of building out its network with approximately 150 new facilities across the United States. Currently, Home Depot operates five distribution centers in Maryland, servicing 42 stores.
Recently, Home Depot opened a distribution center and flatbed delivery center in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro market, announced plans to open two new distribution centers in Perth Amboy, N.J., in 2021, and opened three distribution centers in South Florida.
