Kreate Named The Home Depot Partner of the Year for Third Consecutive Year

Posted on October 16th, 2026 | Filed under Press Releases

Recognition follows $100 million Tiffin expansion, resin manufacturing integration and continued investment in people, autonomous manufacturing, AI vision technology and innovative products

SARASOTA, Fla., Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kreate, a product development and manufacturing company, announced it has been named The Home Depot’s 2026 Partner of the Year, marking its third consecutive year receiving the recognition. The honor follows Kreate’s $100 million expansion in Tiffin, Ohio, increased vertical integration into resin manufacturing and continued investment in its people, technology and HDX and Husky storage portfolio.

Kreate's Executive Leadership Team

The Home Depot’s annual Supplier Partnership and Innovation Awards recognize supplier partners that deliver value, innovation and performance for DIY and Pro customers. Kreate’s recognition reflects a multi-year collaboration focused on expanding and improving The Home Depot’s storage assortment through consumer-driven product development, advanced manufacturing, demand creation and dependable execution.

“Our people are our strength. This recognition belongs to the teams whose creativity, expertise and commitment make us a better partner every day,” said Nickolas Reinhart, Founder and Owner of Kreate. “Our promise is simple: help our partners grow, win market share and serve their customers better. We do that by bringing innovative, exclusive products to market and investing in our people, autonomous manufacturing, AI vision technology and material science to improve quality and lower total landed cost. We want to deliver the best value, make working with us easy and earn the relationship through results every day.”

People and Technology Working Together
Kreate combines the expertise of its people with robotics, automated material handling and AI-enabled machine vision to reduce defects, scrap and downtime while improving productivity, consistency and responsiveness.

The $100 million Tiffin expansion adds capacity and brings advanced production closer to customer demand. Kreate’s strategically located manufacturing and distribution operations help reduce freight, handling and lead times while supporting reliable product availability.

Greater integration into resin manufacturing, supported by material science and engineering, enables Kreate to optimize formulations, product geometry and processing. These capabilities help reduce material cost and waste while maintaining the strength, durability and performance customers expect.

Kreate also evaluates the complete cost of delivering a dependable product, including materials, labor, tooling, energy, packaging, freight, inventory and quality. Resulting savings and performance improvements create greater value for partners and their customers.

Innovation That Helps Partners Grow
Kreate is on a mission to reimagine classes of products that better support the people who use them. The company combines extensive product, market, and manufacturing expertise with an ambitious, innovative spirit to turn “same old” into “new and improved.”

Kreate designs, manufactures and distributes HDX and Husky storage and organization products available exclusively at The Home Depot. Its teams focus on customer needs, differentiated designs and complementary products that expand the storage ecosystem.
Recent innovations include:

Tote Stacker: A storage solution that keeps totes organized and accessible, helping customers build more useful storage systems.
HDX Defender Series: Waterproof and dustproof storage totes with integrated gaskets, heavy-duty latches and clear bins and lids for added protection and visibility. The 27-Gallon Defender Tote was named a 2026 Apartment Therapy Organization winner. Multiple modular sizes work together and integrate with the broader HDX storage ecosystem.
HDX Vista Stack Series: A modular clear-storage system featuring stackable and nestable designs, secure latches and multiple sizes for clothing, bedding, seasonal décor and household essentials.
HDX 2.5-Quart Mini Tough Tote: A compact addition to the HDX Tough Tote ecosystem, bringing the durability and modular design of larger totes to smaller items. Its snap lid and stackable, nestable construction support organization of tools, craft supplies, toys and other essentials.
HDX Nano Tough Tote: A palm-sized, 0.75-quart addition to the HDX Tough Tote family, extending its heavy-duty storage design to hardware, craft supplies and other easily misplaced items.

Built Around the Partnership
Kreate aligns product development, capacity, capital investment and demand creation initiatives with its partners’ customers, priorities and growth opportunities. The company emphasizes accountability, reliable delivery, proactive communication and continuous improvement across development, forecasting, ordering and support.

“Being the best partner takes more than a great product,” Reinhart added. “It takes people who listen, take ownership and deliver what they promise. We will keep investing in those people and the technology that helps them succeed, keep creating exclusive advantages for our partners and keep finding better ways to serve the customer. That is how we grow together.”

Kreate’s award-winning products are available at The Home Depot online and in stores nationwide. For more information, visit storage.kreate.com.

About Kreate
Kreate is a product development and manufacturing company focused on reimagining product categories for today’s consumers. From ideation to realization, Kreate combines the creativity and expertise of its people with engineering, material science, autonomous manufacturing and AI vision technology to develop differentiated products and bring better solutions to market. Its partner promise is to innovate, create exclusive advantages, lower total landed cost, deliver reliably and make the customer experience easy.

About Nickolas Asset Management
Nickolas Asset Management (NAM) is an evergreen, operator-led family office built on permanent capital and a long-term ownership philosophy. NAM partners with management teams to strengthen essential businesses by investing in people, technology and processes that support better products and sustainable growth.

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Kreate's 27-Gallon HDX Storage Tote