A.P. Moller-Maersk has begun managing the North American distribution network for consumer brand manufacturer Puma.

Puma and Maersk said their “partnership has expanded well beyond ocean shipping.” Maersk is now operating more than 2 million square feet of Puma’s distribution network, including automated warehouses in Arizona, California and Indiana.

Helmut Leibbrandt, senior vice president of supply chain management and logistics for the Americas at Puma, said in a statement that the retailer requires an “agile, efficient” supply chain.

“As we’ve expanded our relationship with Maersk, we’ve seen the value of combining our highly automated distribution network with their operational expertise, technology, and integrated logistics capabilities,” Leibbrandt said. “This next phase of our partnership strengthens our ability to move products more efficiently across channels, improve responsiveness to changing demand, and create greater value from the investments we’ve made in our U.S. distribution infrastructure.”

Maersk currently operates more than 70 fulfillment facilities in North America. They total about 22.5 million square feet. Globally, it operates more than 500 warehouses spanning more than 100 million square feet.

Puma is No. 65 in the Europe Database. The market research tool tracks the region’s largest online retailers, ranking them by annual ecommerce sales and more.

What Maersk is doing with Puma’s distribution network

Maersk said it already provides warehousing and distribution logistics services to help Puma deliver to consumers worldwide. Those include:

• Air freight
• Customs services
• Fulfillment
• Inland transportation

The companies said the “next phase of their partnership” strengthens Puma’s U.S. distribution network. Maersk said it will help to maximize the performance of Puma’s automated facilities, improve efficiency and reduce costs. At the same time, it said, it will support orders for the apparel brand’s retail stores, online shoppers and wholesale customers.

Dave Hune, North America head of Maersk contract logistics, said in a statement that the company is working with Puma to create a more flexible and scalable fulfillment network. Together, he said, they seek to “keep products moving quickly to stores and consumers.”

“Many companies are looking for ways to get more value from the logistics infrastructure they’ve already invested in,” Hune said. “This partnership is a great example of how Maersk can combine our operational expertise, technology, and logistics network with a customer’s existing assets to improve efficiency, maximize the value of automation, and reduce costs.”

Maersk said it supports Puma with integrated logistics solutions. The former listed asset control and data visibility as “core benefits.”

How Puma and Maersk are using automated warehouse technology

Puma’s automated warehouses in Arizona, California and Indiana use a technology called AutoStore. Maersk described it as an automated storage and retrieval system combining automation and software “to enable more intelligent and efficient fulfillment.”

The process requires storing inventory in a compact grid for robots to automatically retrieve. The robots bring goods directly to employees at workstations for picking and packing. That reduces unnecessary travel and manual handling, according to Maersk. In turn, that improves speed, efficiency and workplace productivity “while making better use of available warehouse space.”

AutoStore’s design is flexible and scalable, Maersk said. That helps operations adapt to changing demand while maintaining fulfillment performance across ecommerce, retail and wholesale channels.

“The partnership advances Maersk’s strategy of delivering integrated logistics solutions that connect physical assets, transportation networks as well as the latest technology and digital assets to create greater operational control, reliability and value for customers,” Maersk said. “As supply chains become increasingly complex, fulfillment plays a growing role in helping businesses position inventory closer to demand, respond more quickly to market changes and serve consumers across channels.”

The California facility will also become Maersk’s first in North America to support multiple clients’ operations. Starting in 2027, Maersk said, it will have capacity in that facility, located in Torrance, “for other brands that need fast, automated order fulfillment near strategic air and ocean gateways as well as one of the largest consumer markets in the country.”

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