Foot Locker: Future-Proof Logistics Powered by the Manhattan Active® Platform

In September 2025, Foot Locker officially opened its new European Service Centre (ESC) in Haps, the Netherlands. This state-of-the-art facility is set to become a key hub in the company’s logistics network for the European market. As the first Foot Locker distribution centre worldwide to implement Manhattan Active® Warehouse Management, the new site marks an important milestone in the retailer’s global supply chain evolution.

The new ESC supports both store replenishment and e-commerce fulfilment across Europe. Designed for scalability and efficiency, the facility leverages advanced automation technology to streamline order processing. “From here, we can build a future-proof logistics operation—one that enables us, from an omnichannel perspective, to deliver the best possible service and quality to our customers,” says Tim Heijsman, VP Supply Chain at Foot Locker.

The previous warehouse, built over three decades ago, had undergone several expansions but was never designed to serve more than 500 retail stores and online customers across Europe. The new ESC increases storage capacity by 40%, incorporates cutting-edge mechanisation, and enables Foot Locker to achieve shorter delivery times, higher reliability, and greater flexibility. “We can now scale up more easily whenever needed and better support our European growth,” Heijsman adds.

Manhattan at the core

At the heart of this next-generation operation lies the Manhattan Active Platform, which unifies Foot Locker’s online, retail, and supply chain activities into a single digital ecosystem. The platform provides real-time inventory visibility, omnichannel fulfilment, point-of-sale integration, and enhanced customer service and engagement capabilities. “For decades, we’ve relied on Manhattan to power our logistics operations worldwide,” says Bas Gielen, Senior Director Supply Chain Strategy & Optimizations at Foot Locker. “This distribution centre is the first to transition to Manhattan Active Warehouse Management,” he adds proudly.

A cloud-native solution that fits like a glove

Transitioning from the legacy AS400 environment to cloud-native Manhattan Active gave Foot Locker exactly what it needed. Built on a microservices architecture, the solution automatically scales to meet demand peaks and offers greater flexibility and resilience.

“Manhattan Active WM provides us with a flexible, scalable, and configurable solution for our processes,” explains Gielen. “It’s much more intuitive and user-friendly—navigating the system feels like using a mobile app. As a result, user adoption among employees has been very high. Plus, with built-in visualisation tools and real-time dashboards, we can quickly identify and address issues when they arise.”

“Of course, every transformation requires some adjustment, and in a project of this scale, unforeseen challenges are inevitable. But thanks to the professionalism of both the Manhattan team and our automation partner, we were able to resolve any issues quickly and get up to speed fast,” Gielen continues. “From day one, they were transparent about what was possible—and what wasn’t. I can only say: hats off to the Manhattan organisation.”

Results and outlook

The new distribution centre has been fully operational since May 2025, and the first results are already promising. “We’re already seeing higher productivity, even though we haven’t yet unlocked the system’s full potential,” says Gielen. “We continue to learn every day how to further optimise the platform. It’s highly configurable, and we can easily make adjustments ourselves. But even at this stage, the benefits are clear.”

More importantly, the ESC is built not just for today’s demands but for the future. Thanks to the partnership with Manhattan Associates, Foot Locker is well-positioned to achieve its long-term logistics ambitions.

Heijsman concludes: “With greater storage capacity, cutting-edge technology, and the transition to Manhattan Active, we now have the flexibility to scale faster, respond more dynamically to market changes, and deliver even better service to both in-store and online customers. This investment strengthens our omnichannel strategy and represents a major step toward true operational excellence.”