Case at a Glance

Codale’s new central distribution center (CDC) unites three regional brands under one roof in the Las Vegas market. With Kardex FulfillX and AutoStore™ automation, the facility delivers faster fulfillment, higher accuracy, and a scalable model for Codale and its parent company, Sonepar.

Due to acquisitions, Sonepar was operating three separate Las Vegas locations. To consolidate operations, Codale built a single high-performance CDC that supports both regional replenishment and same-day Will Call orders. Despite limited space near the Las Vegas strip, Kardex engineered a space-efficient automation solution orchestrated by FulfillX. The result is a unified system that increases throughput, reduces material waste, and establishes a repeatable blueprint for future Sonepar facilities nationwide.

From fragmented operations to unified fulfillment

Customer and Task

Sonepar's business was expanding rapidly while operating multiple manual warehouses in the Las Vegas area. The company needed to unify three locations into one automated model that could handle rising order volumes, optimize space, and deliver faster, more accurate fulfillment.

High walk-in demand from electrical contractors required the new facility to be close to the Strip, where limited space made automation essential.

The resulting CDC consolidates three legacy sites into a high-performance hub serving both local contractors and regional branches.

The Solution

"This project is a great example of how AutoStore technology enables intelligent fulfillment at scale. Together with our partner Kardex, we’re helping Sonepar build a fast, space-efficient operation that is ready to grow with their business."

Mike Dickson

President of the Americas, AutoStore

Through a 2-phased approach, Kardex delivered multiple industry firsts:

• Before automation, each regional company operated independently with different ERP systems and manual workflows. As order volumes rose, the limitation became clear:

Fragmented visibility: inventory data varied by site, creating duplication and back orders.

Manual fulfillment bottlenecks: paper picking lists and forklife retrieval restricted speed and traceability.

Dual-service demands: bulk pallet shipping and individual Will Call orders required different
flows within one operation.

Space constraints: Limited space near the Strip required a solution that could store more
inventory in less area.

Employee training: Need for faster onboarding and ergonomic systems.

Codale required a new approach that would unify its operations and demonstrate a model for national scalability across other Sonepar operating companies.

Codale’s Las Vegas Central Distribution Center serves as the foundation for a unified automation platform designed to scale with the company’s network. 

Kardex delivered a solution combining Goods-to-Person automation, intelligent orchestration, and integrated cartonization via Paccurate to manage both high-volume distribution and same-day order fulfillment.

At the core is the AutoStore™ system, orchestrated by Kardex FulfillX, warehouse execution software that manages inbound, storage, and outbound flows in real time. The result is a single, optimized ecosystem that ensures every order moves with precision and efficiency.

The compact AutoStore grid stores nearly 10,000 small-pick electrical items like receptacles, fittings, safety gear, and tools, enabling high daily walk-in demand within a limited Las Vegas footprint. FulfillX continually balances workloads, prioritizes orders, and maintains throughput even as demand fluctuates. 

From day one, the automation framework has delivered measurable performance gains: faster pick times, higher pick rates, and more accurate inventory control. By minimizing manual touches, Codale has reduced errors and improved labor efficiency. The ability to combine dense storage with high-speed picking allows Sonepar to serve more customers quickly from a convenient, centrally located site – a strategic advantage in the Las Vegas market.

Integrated orchestration for real-time efficiency

At the core of the Las Vegas CDC is Kardex FulfillX, the warehouse execution software that orchestrates every movement within the facility. Acting as the digital control tower, FulfillX synchronizes inbound storage, picking, replenishment, and outbound flows across multiple workstations.

The software continuously analyzes order priorities, robot activity, and port utilization to balance workloads and eliminate idle time. This ensures that both regional replenishment and local Will Call orders are processed simultaneously without bottlenecks. The result is a steady, predictable operation where the system automatically adapts to fluctuations in demand – maintaining throughput and accuracy even during peak hours.

For Codale, this level of orchestration replaced the previous coordination once required to keep multiple teams and systems aligned. Now, every order moves seamlessly through the warehouse, and the entire operation runs with real-time visibility and control.

Smarter packing through intelligent cartonization

Within FulfillX, an advanced cartonization module calculates the most efficient box size and packing layout before picking begins. By analyzing SKU dimensions, weights, and order combinations, the software pre-determines exactly how each carton should be built.

This intelligence eliminates the guesswork that often leads to oversized cartons, wasted corrugate, and costly dimensional-weight shipping charges. Every shipment leaving the CDC is right-sized to minimize packing waste and maximize truck utilization.

This approach delivers measurable environmental and financial benefits, Codale has already seen a reduction in packaging material consumption, lower freight expenses, and a tangible step toward its sustainability targets – all without adding complexity for operations.

Operator guidance that drives accuracy and engagement

At each workstation, the Kardex Intuitive Picking Assistant (IPA) provides 3D visual instructions to guide operators through every step of the picking and packing process. The interactive interface projects item locations, quantities, and packing layouts, enabling operators to work quickly and confidently from day one.

By removing uncertainty and repetitive scanning steps, IPA accelerates training and reduces fatigue. Employees can achieve consistent accuracy without deep product familiarity, a critical advantage in a tight labor market. The ergonomic station design also reduces unnecessary motion, allowing operators to maintain speed and precision across long shifts.

As a result, Codale’s workforce has transitioned smoothly to automation, experiencing higher productivity and greater job satisfaction in a more technology-enabled workspace.

Compact design with scalable potential

The AutoStore system provides the high-density foundation that makes the Las Vegas CDC both space-efficient and scalable. Within just 5,500 sq ft of grid space, the system stores roughly 9,700 SKUs – compressing what once required a much larger conventional warehouse footprint.

This compact design reduces building costs, energy use, and internal travel time, while ensuring quick access to every SKU in the grid. The system’s modular architecture allows additional robots and ports to be added in the future, supporting projected growth for the next decade without interrupting operations.

The smaller physical footprint also aligns with Codale’s environmental goals, consuming less energy per order fulfilled and reducing the overall impact of its logistics network.

A system that learns and scales with the business

Together, Kardex FulfillX, the AutoStore System, and intelligent operator tools create a continuously optimizing environment. Every transaction provides data that FulfillX uses to refine performance –balancing workloads, improving carton decisions, and fine-tuning throughput in real time.

This integration has redefined how Codale manages inventory, service levels, and costs. Through automation, the company has achieved measurable gains in accuracy and speed while establishing a standardized model that can be replicated across its parent company’s wider network.

Scope of Delivery

A blueprint for future growth

The Las Vegas CDC provides a model for future automated distribution centers across Sonepar’s network. Kardex and Sonepar continue to collaborate on future sites across North America, leveraging the same FulfillX-driven architecture to accelerate rollout and standardize performance. The system’s modular design supports steady growth in both sales volume and SKU diversity, providing a scalable foundation for innovation across. The success of Las Vegas proves that the right blend of automation, software, and data-driven orchestration can create a network that adapts as fast as the market it serves.

Faster Fulfillment:

12% throughput on standard orders and +20% faster Will Call processing

Optimized Space:

9,700 SKUs stored within just 5,500 sq ft - 80% less floor space required

Sustainability Gains:

Right-sized packaging reduces corrugated waste and freight emissions

Higher Accuracy:

Kardex FulfillX orchestration and visual guidance reduce picking and packing errors

Efficient Workforce:

Atomation helps offset labor shortages while improving ergonomics

Future Scalability:

Modular AutoStore + FulfillX architecture support 10 years of growth