Home Depot announced on April 15, 2026 that it has acquired SIMPL Automation, a Waltham, Massachusetts-based company specializing in automation and technology systems for distribution facilities. The deal brings in-house a system the retailer has already tested: a successful pilot at its Locust Grove, Georgia distribution center drove faster pick speed, faster cycle times and less product touches. Home Depot says the acquisition furthers its strategy of same-day/next-day fulfillment while improving safety and increasing speed so distribution center associates can work smarter, not harder.
Home Depot Acquires SIMPL Automation to Boost Supply Chain Speed
The purchase gives the world's largest home improvement retailer direct ownership of a young automation firm rather than a long-term vendor contract. SIMPL was founded in 2023 by Nicholas Gordon, according to reporting by the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, and uses advanced engineering and AI technology to help distribution facilities operate faster and more efficiently. The company announced the launch of its ADAPTIV automated storage and retrieval system in early 2025.
That timeline matters for interpreting the deal. SIMPL is a startup whose flagship product had been on the market roughly a year before the acquisition, and Home Depot had already run it through a live pilot in an operating distribution center. The retailer is buying technology it has seen perform inside its own network, not an unproven concept. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
