Modern Materials Handling - April 2010

distributionCrate and Barrel’s Tracy, Calif.,distribution center achieved Golddesignation from LEED and mergedthe retailer’s sustainability anddistribution initiatives.By Bob Trebilcock, Executive EditorAt 1.2 million sq. ft. the new DC is thelargest to earn Gold certification in NorthAmerica, says John Ling, VP of supplychain management and logistics. (Right)two buildings later this year.That operation will use state-of-the-artautomated fulfillment technology fromKiva Systems (781-221-4640, www.kivasystems.com).But until that happens, thisis not so much a materials handling story:about 20% of the product received in Tracyis crossdocked upon receipt. The rest ispalletized, stored in racks and moved by lifttrucks. That is pretty conventional. Rather,the new facility illustrates how Crate andBarrel’s business and sustainability objectiveswere fused in the design of a greendistribution center.First, the DC was designed and constructedin a sustainable manner that minimizesCrate and Barrel’s impact on theenvironment. On that score, Ling believesthey have set the standard for sustainabledistribution. “Over the last five years, wehave taken on a mission to be a more sustainablecompany and a better corporatecitizen,” says Ling. “It is not only somethingwe believe in, but what our customersexpect from us.”While appealing to its customers andsupporting its broader sustainability goals,Crate and Barrel’s use of a green designdelivered a number of environmental benefits,including:• more than 95% of the waste from theconstruction process was diverted awayfrom landfills and recycled;• a reduced development footprint thatexceeded the local zoning board’s openspace requirement by 25%;• more than a 34% reduction in ongoing