Tractor Supply Opens Its Largest Multistate Distribution Center
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Tractor Supply Co. will open the company’s largest distribution center in Arkansas to supply products for local e-commerce orders and 250 stores in the Southeast, Midwest and Texas.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has welcomed the $175 million venture, and said she was glad to help celebrate the 500 full-time jobs that will result from the economic development project along with the investment in central Arkansas.
“Today’s ribbon-cutting shows that when we cut taxes, reduce regulations and foster a business-friendly environment, great companies like Tractor Supply will choose Arkansas time and again,” she declared recently.
Headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., Tractor Supply’s newest distribution center is located in Maumelle, Ark., northwest of Little Rock. The 1.1 million-square-foot facility is the company’s 10th and largest distribution center.
Tractor Supply Co. CEO Hal Lawton enjoys his surroundings in the new Arkansas distribution center. (City of Maumelle Government via Facebook)
“Each one of our more than 2,200 stores has to have what our customers need, when they need it. As more people embrace this lifestyle and we continue to open new stores across the U.S., our new distribution center in Maumelle will help ensure that we are there for our customers when they need us,” noted Tractor Supply CEO Hal Lawton.
“We select the locations of our distribution facilities in an effort to minimize logistics costs and optimize the distance from distribution facilities to our stores,” the company stated. “We utilize multiple common carriers for store and direct-to-customer deliveries. We manage our transportation costs through carrier negotiations, monitoring of transportation routes and scheduling of deliveries.”
By the Numbers
2,414: Retail stores (including 198 Petsense stores that sell pet products)
49: States in which Tractor Supply Co. operates
17,000-25,000: Products each store sells
300,000: Online offerings for e-commerce customers
Source: Truck Supply Co. 2003 annual report
Before opening the Arkansas distribution site, Tractor Supply’s total distribution capacity amounted to 6.6 million square feet, including a 900,000-square-foot distribution center that opened last year in Navarre, Ohio. Other Tractor Supply distribution operations are in Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Nebraska, New York and Texas.
“Our distribution centers play a critical role in our commitment to being a dependable supplier for our customers as they live ‘Life Out Here,’ ” Lawton said, mentioning the company’s slogan.
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Another notable feature about the Arkansas distribution center is the company’s first use of autonomous mobile robots at scale for small-item fulfillment. The site is a new testing facility for Tractor Supply to try out using robotics to lower costs and increase productivity. Products started coming into the store in April. Shipping services to other stores and customers began in June.
Maumelle Mayor Caleb Norris exclaimed his appreciation for the company expanding its footprint in the town.
“Boasting Tractor Supply’s largest distribution center in the nation is a major milestone for our city, and the company’s ‘Out Here’ philosophy closely complements our live, work and play community spirit,” Norris said. “It is an honor to bring an economic opportunity of this caliber to Maumelle’s residents and the great state of Arkansas, and I look forward to a future of growth supported by our shared values.”
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