Sarasota, Florida, October 16th / PRNewswire / -- Product development and manufacturing company Kreate announced that it has been recognized as The Home Depot's Partner of the Year for 2026 ( Partner of the Year ), marking the third consecutive year the company has received this honor. This recognition comes following Kreate's investment of $100 million in expanding its operations in Tiffin, Ohio, to strengthen its vertical integration into the resin manufacturing process, as well as its ongoing investments in employees, technology, and HDX and Husky to expand its product portfolio.
The The Home Depot Annual Supplier Collaboration and Innovation Award is designed to recognize those supplier partners who bring value, innovation, and outstanding performance to DIY and its professional customers. This year's award reflects the多年 of collaboration between both parties in expanding and improving the The Home Depot product range, with a focus on consumer-driven product development, advanced manufacturing, demand creation, and reliable execution.
"Our employees are our strength. This recognition goes to the teams that, with their creativity, professional skills, and dedication, make us a better partner every day," said Nickolas Reinhart, founder and owner of Kreate. "Our commitment is simple: to help partners grow, win market share, and serve customers better. We enhance quality and reduce total cost of ownership by bringing innovation and exclusive products to market, as well as by investing in our employees, automated manufacturing, AI visual technology, and materials science. We aim to provide the best value, make collaboration easier, and build relationships through results."
Collaboration between Employees and Technology
Kreate combines employees' professional capabilities with robotic and automated material handling, as well as machine vision driven by AI, to reduce defects, waste, and downtime, while simultaneously improving productivity, consistency, and response times.
This $100 million expansion by Teufen will increase production capacity and bring advanced manufacturing closer to customer needs. Kreate The geographically optimized manufacturing and distribution operations help to reduce freight costs, handling times, and delivery cycles, while supporting a stable product supply.
With the support of materials science and engineering, Kreate has further integrated resin manufacturing, which helps to optimize formulations, product geometry, and processing procedures. These capabilities contribute to reducing material costs and waste while maintaining the strength, durability, and performance that customers expect.
Kreate also evaluates the total cost of delivering reliable products, including materials, labor, molds, energy, packaging, freight, inventory, and quality. The resulting savings and performance improvements create greater value for partners and their customers.
Innovation to help partners grow
The mission of Kreate is to reinvent product categories that can better serve users. The company combines its extensive experience in products, markets, and manufacturing with an ambitious spirit of innovation to transform the “old ways” into “new and better.”
Kreate designs, manufactures, and distributes HDX and Husky storage and organization products, which are exclusively sold by The Home Depot. Their team focuses on customer needs, differentiated design, and complementary products to expand the storage ecosystem.
Recent innovations include:
- Tote Stacker: A storage solution that helps organize and conveniently access storage boxes, assisting customers in building more practical storage systems.
- HDX Defender Series: Waterproof and dustproof storage boxes with integrated gaskets, heavy-duty snaps, as well as transparent boxes and lids, providing additional protection and visibility. 27 gallons. The Defender Tote was rated as the Apartment Therapy Organization of 2026. Multiple modular sizes can be used together and can be integrated into a wider HDX storage ecosystem.
- HDX Vista Stack Series: A modular and transparent storage system featuring stackable and nested design, equipped with secure clips and available in various sizes, suitable for clothing, bedding, seasonal decorations, and household essentials.
- HDX 2.5 quarts Mini Tough Tote: A compact new product in the HDX Tough Tote ecosystem that brings the durability and modular design of large storage boxes to smaller items. Its flip-top and stackable, nestable structure makes it ideal for organizing tools, household items, toys, and other necessities.
- HDX Nano Tough Tote: A member of the HDX Tough Tote family, measuring only the size of a palm and with a capacity of 0.75 quarts, extending its heavy-duty storage design to include hardware, household items, and other easily lost objects.
Built around cooperative relationships
Kreate aligns product development, production capacity, capital investment, and demand creation initiatives with the customers, priorities, and growth opportunities of its partners. The company emphasizes the implementation of responsibilities in development, forecasting, ordering, and support, as well as reliable delivery, proactive communication, and continuous improvement.
“To be the best partner, it’s not just about having a great product,” Reinhart added. “It requires people who are willing to listen, brave enough to take responsibility, and committed to keeping their promises. We will continue to invest in these employees and the technologies that help them succeed, continue to create exclusive advantages for our partners, and continue to seek better ways to serve our customers. This is how we grow together.”
Kreate award-winning products are available for purchase online at The Home Depot and in stores across the United States. For more information, please visit storage.kreate.com.
About Kreate
Kreate is a product development and manufacturing company that focuses on reimagining product categories for today's consumers. From conception to implementation, Kreate combines the creativity and expertise of its employees with engineering, materials science, automated manufacturing, and AI visual technology to develop differentiated products and bring better solutions to market. Its commitment to collaboration includes innovation, creating exclusive advantages, reducing total cost of ownership, ensuring reliable delivery, and making the customer experience easier.
About Nickolas Asset Management
Nickolas Asset Management ( NAM ) is an evergreen, operator-led family office founded on the principles of permanent capital and long-term ownership. NAM collaborates with management teams to strengthen core businesses by investing in employees, technology, and processes, in order to support better products and sustainable growth.
Media contact: [ email protected ]
