Maersk takes over PUMA's North American distribution, managing three automated warehouses to boost efficiency and scalability.
Maersk has begun operating PUMA's North American distribution network, assuming management of three highly automated warehouses that together span approximately 2.3 million square feet across California, Arizona, and Indiana.
The three facilities are located in Torrance, California (672,000 square feet), Phoenix, Arizona (1.02 million square feet), and Whitestown, Indiana (636,000 square feet). All three run AutoStore automated storage and retrieval (ASAR) systems, in which robots move inventory through a compact grid and deliver it directly to employees for picking and packing. The sites support PUMA's retail, wholesale, and e-commerce order flows.
The arrangement extends a long-standing relationship between the two companies. Maersk already handles ocean and air freight, inland transportation, customs services, warehousing, and fulfillment for the sportswear brand. The new logistics management contract adds direct operation of PUMA's automated distribution centers to that portfolio.
Dave Hune, North America Head of Maersk Contract Logistics, said the agreement is designed to build a more flexible and scalable fulfillment network. Helmut Leibbrand, Senior Vice President Supply Chain Management and Logistics Americas at PUMA, stated that the deal improves the company's ability to respond to shifts in demand while drawing greater value from its existing U.S. distribution infrastructure.
Robotic ASAR systems reduce the distance workers travel to retrieve goods, which can raise picking speed and order accuracy. For a brand balancing retail, wholesale, and online channels, that combination supports faster order turnaround and tighter inventory control across a high-volume network.
From 2027, Maersk plans to open capacity at the Torrance facility to additional brands that need automated fulfillment near major air and ocean gateways. The move would make Torrance Maersk North America's first ASAR deployment in a multi-client configuration, with an annual throughput capacity of roughly 20 million units. Positioned near key West Coast entry points, the site is intended to give shippers a shared, automated option for moving goods quickly from port to customer.
The agreement reflects a broader shift among global logistics providers toward automation-led contract logistics, combining warehouse technology and integrated freight services under a single operator. For cargo owners, the appeal lies in consolidating multiple functions – freight, customs, warehousing, and fulfillment – with one partner able to provide end-to-end coordination and visibility.
For PUMA, the transition places its North American fulfillment operations under a provider that already manages much of its cross-border freight. For Maersk, it advances a strategy of pairing its transport network with automated warehousing to serve retail and consumer goods clients across the region.
