Lululemon opens one million square foot distribution centre

Canadian activewear brand Lululemon has opened a state-of-the-art, one million-square-foot distribution centre in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, to strengthen its North American e-commerce fulfilment capabilities.

The distribution centre, in partnership with Element Logic, features one of the largest AutoStore-enabled facilities in North America, and has been designed to support the retailer’s growing e-commerce business across Eastern Canada and Eastern US.

Ted Dagnese, chief supply chain officer at Lululemon, said in a statement: “Since breaking ground in 2023, our new Brampton DC marks a significant milestone in the continued evolution of lululemon’s global supply chain. 

“This facility expands our fulfilment capabilities in Canada and the US, enabling us to better serve our guests and operate with greater speed and agility. The opening represents collaboration across our operations, engineering, technology, facilities, and supply chain teams, and reflects our commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and creating new opportunities for our people as we build the future of our distribution network.”

Lululemon continues to evolve global supply chain

The Brampton location features an AutoStore order fulfilment system, which comprises 292,000 storage bins and 525 R5 pro robots used for storage and fulfilment. The integrated automation system is designed “to improve speed, flexibility, and scalability while supporting a seamless guest experience,” and includes eight kilometres of conveyance.

To visualise how big the development is, Lululemon describe the size as being able to fit “approximately 57 NHL hockey rinks” within the building’s footprint, while the mezzanine alone is comparable “to the size of two European football pitches”.

Krish Nathan, chief executive of Element Logic Americas, added: “The Brampton facility, the largest AutoStore deployment in Canada and second largest in North America, reflects what is possible when long-term trust and technical execution come together at scale.

“We are proud to support Lululemon with integrated automation that is designed around the needs of a complex, growing omnichannel network.”