In April we toured the (fairly) new Coleman distribution center in Gardner, KS. We had 7 members and 2 non-members participate on the tour.

The 1 million sq ft facility opened in October 2009 and is the first tenant in the new Midwest Commerce Center near the New Century Airport. The facility runs 24/7 for picking and shipping operations, with a standard 8/5 shift for receiving. On the receiving dock they primarily build the merchandise to stacking frames which are then stretch wrapped, scanned into inventory and set aside for putaway. Tickets are run at the end of each day and merchandise is picked and delivered to the shipping lanes, where loads are built per customer preference. Some customers use a center-point model where the merchandise is delivered in bulk to a few DC’s and then they distribute further within their network, while others prefer direct to store distribution. They also offer a few value added services of some of the product, such as specialized packaging or repricing. They also do all the walmart.com order fulfillment for their products.

Thanks again to the Coleman team for providing the tour!

Please let us know if you have a particular facility you would like to tour. Email us: kansascityiie-at-gmail-dot-com.