adidas selects SSI SCHAEFER for automated case storage

adidas selects SSI Schaefer for SSI Miniload case storage at Spartanburg distribution center

adidas, a global leader in the sporting goods industry, has selected SSI Schaefer, a leading global solution provider for all areas of intralogistics, to automate case storage at its distribution center in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, adidas employs around 65,000 people across the globe and generated sales of €24.8 billion in 2025. The solution will include 22 SSI Miniload cranes, steel racking with more than 300,000 case storage locations, conveyors and WAMAS warehouse control software (WCS). The automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) is designed to reduce manual case handling and speed up the company’s Pack & Hold process.

adidas’s Pack & Hold operation serves as a shipping buffer for footwear already picked for orders. It holds complete orders awaiting shipment and partial orders being consolidated before shipping.  To streamline this process and reduce manual case handling, the SSI Miniload system will store and retrieve ready-to-ship boxes directly, without the need for totes or trays. This will enable a more efficient flow of goods between picking and shipping.

adidas selected SSI Schaefer based on its automation expertise, engineering excellence, a proven collaborative approach during the concept and design phase, and local proximity. SSI Schaefer was selected based on its strong performance across these criteria, including the added benefit of nearby support from its Charlotte office, located close to adidas' Spartanburg distribution center.

The system is expected to go live in early 2028.