How Kardex Remstar Is Working To Build American Automation

For Swiss manufacturer Kardex Remstar, investing in U.S. production has long been strategic. Well before tariffs and trade uncertainty pushed others to act, the warehouse automation company built a 280,000-square-foot facility in South Carolina to meet rising domestic demand and boost reliability.

Today, that investment is even more critical as companies look to tighten control over their supply chains. In an interview, Mark Dunaway, president of Kardex Remstar Americas, shares why he remains bullish on U.S. manufacturing, the trends shaping the future of the industry and how his own leadership philosophy has helped steer the company.

How is Kardex investing in American-made automation to meet growing domestic and global demand?

American-made automation has always been a core focus for Kardex Remstar, but today it’s more important than ever. With increasing global uncertainty and evolving trade policies, including tariffs, companies are looking for greater control and reliability within their supply chains.

Years ago, Kardex saw this shift coming and made strategic, early investments in its U.S. manufacturing capabilities. Today, our 280,000-square-foot facility in West Columbia, South Carolina, enables us to meet growing domestic and global demand quickly and reliably.

By building our automation solutions close to where they’re needed, we help customers reduce risks tied to tariffs, shipping delays and geopolitical disruptions, all while ensuring shorter lead times and localized support. In many cases, these solutions also help companies “tariff-proof” their warehouses by allowing them to store and manage more inventory domestically, rather than relying on overseas production or third-party storage that may be subject to sudden cost increases.

This proactive investment positions Kardex as a trusted, resilient partner, helping customers future-proof their operations and stay competitive in a rapidly changing global market.

Share your career journey and leadership philosophy in this fast-evolving industry.

I began my career at a material handling distributor, where I developed a deep understanding of customer challenges and solutions. After several years in sales, I joined Kardex Remstar and advanced through a variety of leadership roles, including regional business director and sales director, before becoming president of Kardex Remstar Americas.

At my core, I strive to be a people-first leader. I thrive on building strong relationships and solving problems through collaboration and innovation. My leadership style is rooted in trust, and I aim to surround myself with skilled, dedicated team members who deliver exceptional outcomes for our customers.

One of my guiding principles is simple: “If you can help, help.” No matter your role or title, you should always be ready to jump in and do what’s right for your coworkers, your teammates and our customers.

That philosophy shows up every day at Kardex. I’ve seen our director of realization step into the warehouse to help load trucks when we were short-staffed due to illness, and our sales team pitch in on a Sunday evening to help the marketing team load demo equipment for a tradeshow. That willingness to support one another creates a culture of teamwork and shared success.

This approach has fostered remarkable stability within our organization. Many team members have been with Kardex Remstar for more than 12 years, with 30-plus employees serving more than 20 years. When we hire someone, our goal is to keep them for their entire career. This longevity directly translates to reliability and expertise for our customers who know that they’re partnering with a team that deeply understands their needs and challenges.

My vision is centered on reducing risk and delivering reliable, cutting-edge solutions that help our customers operate more efficiently and confidently. My consistent message to the team: “When we innovate with purpose and focus on our customers, everyone wins.”

What are the trends shaping the future of manufacturing, including robotics, AI, reshoring and lean practices?

The future of manufacturing is being shaped by systems integration and connectivity. I believe that the next era of growth will be driven by connected warehouses, where automation, robotics and software work seamlessly together.

Key trends my team and I are seeing include:

• Robotics and AI: Moving beyond basic automation to intelligent, self-optimizing systems that reduce manual labor and predict maintenance needs.

• Reshoring: Bringing production closer to end markets to reduce supply chain risks and speed up fulfillment.

• Lean Practices: Leveraging automation to eliminate waste in space, motion and overproduction while boosting throughput and accuracy.

• System Integration: Connecting all aspects of the warehouse to deliver real-time insights, enabling leaders to make faster, smarter decisions.

I spoke about this at the Material Handling Institute’s industry convention ProMat this year, but the goal is not just automation; it’s orchestration. The future belongs to manufacturers who can connect their operations end-to-end for maximum resilience and efficiency.

What’s next for Kardex Remstar?

Kardex’s next chapter focuses on three core priorities—and connecting the dots between these priorities. First, we want to expand our American-made capabilities by continuing to invest in U.S.-based manufacturing to meet domestic and global demand.

Secondly, we are working to offer faster, more reliable access to automation solutions with shorter lead times. We’re particularly excited about the Kardex shuttle vertical lift module technology we’ve developed that serves as an automated, high-density storage solution that delivers goods directly to the operator, eliminating wasted time spent walking, searching and bending.

We’re also working toward deeper systems integration. We’re aiming to build connected, scalable solutions that bring together robotics, software and automation into a unified strategy.

By staying focused on these areas, Kardex will continue helping customers reduce risk, increase efficiency and future-proof their operations.