The sports retailer Stadium is investing in a new, highly automated logistics center in Norrköping. The facility will be equipped with Exotec’s Skypod system and will serve as Stadium’s first wholly-owned distribution hub, a move described as a strategic step to secure future growth. Nordic real estate investor Slättö, through its logistics and industrial platform Evolv, has begun construction of the 40,800-square-meter facility. .
The facility will serve as Stadium’s new distribution center for the company’s Swedish and Finnish store networks and is being built adjacent to Stadium’s existing warehouse. Stadium will invest approximately 300 million Swedish kronor in the high-tech warehouse automation system Skypod, supplied by Exotec. The facility will be equipped with over 240 autonomous robots and more than 170,000 storage locations; this investment means that, after decades of outsourcing logistics, Stadium is bringing distribution in-house to its own logistics hub. Construction will begin this year, and the facility is scheduled to begin operations in the first quarter of 2028.
“It feels amazing to be able to do this. As a logistics professional, it’s a dream to start with a blank slate and design a warehouse entirely based on our needs,” says Daniel Johansson, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Stadium, and continues:
– We needed a solution that would give us full control over our store logistics while also being flexible enough to grow with us. With Exotec’s Skypod system, we can streamline deliveries to our stores and scale up capacity as our business grows.
Skypod stands out for its flexibility and the ability to scale up the system quickly and smoothly, which was one of Stadium’s most important requirements for the new automation solution. Skypod’s modular architecture makes it possible to increase capacity as a business grows, without having to modify the structure and without the need for downtime.
A flagship project
Exotec is a global warehouse automation company founded in Paris in 2015 by Romain Moulin and Renaud Heitz. The company develops, manufactures, and integrates automated, modular goods-to-man systems for logistics and e-commerce. The company’s best-known system is Skypod, which uses autonomous robots capable of moving in three dimensions to quickly handle and transport goods to manual picking stations. The system is characterized by extremely high modularity, which enables installation in just a few weeks, as well as smooth expansion with minimal disruption to existing warehouse operations. Stadium is Exotec’s first Swedish customer and a flagship project that underscores the company’s ambitions in the Nordic market.
“Stadium is a fantastic first Swedish customer project for us. It demonstrates that our solution is an excellent fit for Nordic companies that want to combine high flexibility with energy-efficient and scalable automation.” We look forward to a long-term partnership and to supporting Stadium in its continued growth,” says Andreas Stöckl, head of Exotec’s Nordic operations.
The warehouse property is located in Herstadberg Logistics Park in Norrköping, one of Sweden’s most important logistics markets, strategically situated next to the E4 highway and close to the Port of Norrköping. The building’s design allows for flexible use by a wide range of logistics operations, with potential for future expansion in the area.
“This project combines all the qualities that Slättö values in logistics: a long-term lease with a leading company, an attractive location, advanced technology, and significant tenant-specific investments. It is a strong addition to Slättö’s portfolio, and we are very pleased to be carrying out the project in partnership with Stadium and YLAB,” says Lars Axelsson, Partner and Head of Logistics and Light Industrial at Slättö.
