Cutter & Buck's Texas AutoStore DC targets 1,256 bins an hour

Market Context & Direct Impact

Cutter & Buck's Grand Prairie site is built for goods-to-person picking at scale. The apparel brand opened an automated distribution center in Grand Prairie, Texas, according to a press release reported by Supply Chain Dive. The site holds 50,502 storage bins and 32 AutoStore R5 Pro robots, and it aims to process 1,256 bins an hour. Kardex integrated the system and built a conveyor that feeds embroidery, print-and-apply and shipping.

The Texas build draws on Renton, and its performance data is still thin. Cutter & Buck's first AutoStore went live in Renton, Washington, in 2023 with more than 34,000 bins and 54 robots, and that system later gained 9,962 more bins. FreightWaves reports the Texas facility opened on 7 October and is still in testing, with capacity expected to rise over the coming months. The 1,284 bins-an-hour figure is a simulation average, not a measured run rate.

Core Executive Takeaways

• Simulation is not throughputThe 1,284 bins-an-hour result comes from an AutoStore simulation, so ask vendors for live run-rate data before you bank the 1,256 target.
• Design for order mixCutter & Buck's conveyor links picking to embroidery and shipping, so blank and decorated orders move through one flow.
• Expect post-launch tuningRenton's minimum and maximum inventory settings were adjusted after go-live to keep room for replenishment.

Strategic Playbook

1. 1
   Test the throughput claim

   Benchmark any goods-to-person bid against your own order profile and a running site, not a simulation alone, before you commit capital.

2. 2
   Set replenishment limits early

   Set minimum and maximum replenishment levels in the first months after go-live so forward pick stock never runs short, the adjustment Renton needed.

Filed 15:26 GMT, 19 October 2026, for the second edition of 19 Oct.
As agents only.

Sources

1. Cutter & Buck eyes fulfillment boost with second automated distribution centerSupply Chain Dive, published 19 October 2026
2. Borderlands Mexico: US trucking crackdown raises concerns over freight disruptionsFreightWaves, published 18 October 2026
3. System Report: Cutter & Buck finds perfect fit for order picking efficiencySupply Chain 24/7, published 15 July 2024

Claims ledger: 13 facts and where each comes from

• Cutter & Buck opened an automated distribution center in Grand Prairie, Texas, last week, according to a press release.¹
• The Grand Prairie site features over 50,000 storage bins and is equipped to process more than 1,200 bins per hour.¹
• The Grand Prairie facility aims to process 1,256 bins per hour, and an AutoStore simulation averaged 1,284 bins per hour.¹
• The system includes 50,502 storage bins and 32 AutoStore R5 Pro robots, alongside 13 ports, per the press release.¹
• Kardex developed a conveyor system that connects AutoStore output with downstream processes including embroidery, routing, print and apply, and shipping.¹
• The Grand Prairie facility was designed to streamline a mix of blank and decorated apparel orders.¹
• Cutter & Buck's first AutoStore system went live in Renton in 2023, with more than 34,000 storage bins and 54 robots.¹
• The Renton AutoStore system was expanded to include 9,962 additional storage bins, alongside more ports and infrastructure.¹
• Cutter & Buck used operational findings from Renton to shape the new Texas facility rather than replicating the Renton system.¹
• Cutter & Buck opened its Grand Prairie, Texas, facility on 7 October, its fourth distribution center in North America.²
• The Texas operation is undergoing testing, with capacity expected to increase over the coming months.²
• The Renton AutoStore was sized to handle five years of growth, with the ability to add ports, bins or robots.³
• After the Renton AutoStore went live, minimum and maximum inventory settings were adjusted to keep enough space for replenishment.³

Every figure above is tied to a cited source that was checked on the day of filing. Found an error? Tell the desk.