Lowe's Expands Supply Chain Network, Announces Opening of Second Direct Fulfillment Center

Rhea-AI Summary

Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) announced a significant expansion of its supply chain, planning to open 50 cross dock delivery terminals, seven bulk distribution centers, and four e-commerce fulfillment centers over the next 18 months. Notably, a West Coast fulfillment center in Mira Loma, California, set to open in October 2020, will enhance direct shipping capabilities, achieving nearly 100% two-day delivery coverage nationally. This initiative builds on a $1.7 billion investment aimed at enhancing distribution efficiency and facilitating job creation for nearly 5,000 positions.

Positive

• Opening of 50 new cross dock delivery terminals and other facilities enhances distribution capacity.
• West Coast fulfillment center will improve delivery times, reaching nearly 100% of customers nationwide.
• Expansion aligns with a $1.7 billion investment to bolster supply chain operations.

Negative

• None.

MOORESVILLE, N.C., Aug. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) today announced an update on its supply chain transformation to improve home delivery and support growing demand from DIY and Pro customers. Over the next 18 months, the company plans to open 50 cross dock delivery terminals, seven bulk distribution centers and four e-commerce fulfillment centers. This includes 20 cross dock terminals and one West Coast e-commerce fulfillment center in the second half of fiscal 2020. Together, the goal is to provide more same-day and next-day service offerings and enable faster e-commerce shipping across the country.

The company will open the West Coast e-commerce fulfillment center in Mira Loma, California in October 2020, which will offer faster shipping options direct to consumer. This direct fulfillment center will improve two-day delivery options to reach nearly 100 percent of customers nationwide. This is the company's second direct fulfillment center – its first was opened in 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee.

These efforts build on the steps taken over the past 18 months to expand the company's supply chain capacity, including the opening of more than 13 different facilities across the U.S. in markets such as Chicago, Orlando, Riverside, California, and Columbus, Ohio. These facilities of varying sizes allow the supply chain to nimbly respond to meet the various needs of customers from small parcel packages to larger items, like appliances, grills and outdoor power equipment where Lowe's is the market leader.

"Providing customers more ways to shop has never been more important, and today's update on the progress made in our supply chain transformation highlights our ongoing and unyielding commitment to enhancing the customer experience in this new era," said Don Frieson, Lowe's executive vice president of supply chain. "Opening these new facilities will allow our stores to operate more efficiently through improved flow management and inventory visibility and improve the customer experience with more predictable deliveries, better in-stock rates and faster fulfillment options."

In 2018, the company announced a $1.7 billion investment to expand its distribution network through 2023. The company and its third-party partners will create nearly 5,000 jobs to support this initial expansion.

DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Statements including words such as "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "plan", "desire", "project", "estimate", "intend", "will", "should", "could", "would", "may", "strategy", "potential", "opportunity", "outlook", "guidance", and similar expressions are forward-looking statements.  Forward-looking statements involve, among other things, expectations, projections, and assumptions about future financial and operating results, objectives, business outlook, priorities, sales growth, shareholder value, capital expenditures, cash flows, the housing market, the home improvement industry, demand for products and services, share repurchases, Lowe's strategic initiatives, including those relating to acquisitions and dispositions and the impact of such transactions on our strategic and operational plans and financial results.  Such statements involve risks and uncertainties and we can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct.  Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements.

A wide variety of potential risks, uncertainties, and other factors could materially affect our ability to achieve the results either expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, changes in general economic conditions, such as the rate of unemployment, interest rate and currency fluctuations, fuel and other energy costs, slower growth in personal income, changes in consumer spending, changes in the rate of housing turnover, the availability of consumer credit and of mortgage financing, changes in commodity prices, changes or threatened changes in tariffs, outbreak of public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, availability and cost of goods from suppliers, changes in our management and key personnel, and other factors that can negatively affect our customers. 

Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties, risks and potential events including, but not limited to, those described in "Item 1A - Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and as may be updated from time to time in Item 1A in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or other subsequent filings with the SEC. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update these statements other than as required by law. 

About Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving approximately 18 million customers a week in the United States and Canada. With fiscal year 2019 sales of $72.1 billion, Lowe's and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores and employ approximately 300,000 associates. Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's supports the communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing and helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

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SOURCE Lowe's Companies, Inc.

FAQ

What is Lowe's plan for its supply chain expansion in 2020?

Lowe's plans to open 50 cross dock delivery terminals, seven bulk distribution centers, and four e-commerce fulfillment centers over the next 18 months.

Where will Lowe's new fulfillment center be located?

The new fulfillment center will be located in Mira Loma, California, opening in October 2020.

How will the new facilities impact delivery times for Lowe's customers?

The new facilities will enhance same-day and next-day service offerings, improving two-day delivery options for nearly 100% of customers.

How many jobs will Lowe's create as part of the supply chain expansion?

Lowe's and its partners will create nearly 5,000 jobs to support the supply chain expansion.

What is the significance of Lowe's $1.7 billion investment?

The $1.7 billion investment aims to expand Lowe's distribution network through 2023, enhancing supply chain efficiency.