Online UK fashion retailer ASOS plans $100M Fulton expansion

ASOS, a British fashion retailer aimed at young adults, plans to invest at least $100 million to upgrade its south Fulton County distribution center.

London-based ASOS, which only sells online, will add new automation equipment, robotics and storage capacity at its Union City warehouse and hire an undisclosed number of engineering and software-development workers. It employs about 1,000 workers in Georgia now and did not say how many more it will hire.

“Automation will help us to streamline our operation and create additional jobs,” Chief Executive Nick Beighton said in a news release.

Retailers have aggressively built distribution centers throughout metro Atlanta amid the rise of online commerce. Georgia attracts logistics facilities due to its highways, railroads, seaport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Metro Atlanta had about 751 million square feet of industrial real estate as of March 31, a 3.2% increase from a year earlier, according to brokerage firm NAI Brannen Goddard.

The ASOS facility in Union City is located near Walmart and Amazon distribution centers. It’s one of ASOS’ three sites worldwide, including England and Germany, according to the Guardian.

ASOS said construction on its Union City expansion will begin this month.

ASOS sells clothing and accessories made by Nike, Steve Madden, Topshop and hundreds more. ASOS also makes its own brand of apparel.