Fulfillment Center Receives Natural Daylight with Tubular Skylights

When Macy’s began planning the expansion of its Fulfillment Center in Goodyear, Ariz., the company decided to utilize an abundant resource: sunlight. The company turned to its long-time partner, Solatube International, to provide a solution that would reduce its lighting energy costs and provide a better work environment for its employees.

Macy’s Vice President of Distribution Planning, Capital and Properties Kermit Ferrer said: “We have been using Solatube Daylighting Systems for over a decade and continue to be impressed with the quality and performance, especially with the new SkyVault Series. The amount of light delivered by these new units is truly incredible, allowing us to shut off our electric lights during the day, reducing our peak demand load. More importantly, the natural light creates a better work environment for our most important asset—our people.”

One hundred and five Solatube SkyVault Series M74 DS units were incorporated into Macy’s Goodyear Fulfillment Center expansion. The M74 DS is the largest tubular daylighting device on the market, with its 29-inch diameter, specifically designed for high bay, large-volume spaces. With the new SkyVault installation, Macy’s primary goal was to create a well-daylit environment to improve quality control, optimize energy savings and create a better overall work environment for its employees.

The Macy’s expansion, part of the original long-term site plans, added 360,000 square feet of space to the existing 600,000-square-foot facility and created 100 new jobs. The expansion reflects the rapid growth in Macy’s direct-to-customer shipments rooted in their omnichannel sales approach to accommodate customers shopping online and in stores. The Goodyear facility serves customers throughout the Western United States.

Macy’s has been using Solatube International’s products to daylight distribution and fulfillment centers since 2002, including the two most recent Fulfillment Centers in Martinsburg, W. Va., and Portland, Ore. The original Macy’s Fulfillment Center in Goodyear had 240 Solatube SolaMaster Series units installed when it was built in 2007.