"This move is a direct result of our company s growth," said Tom Feeney, president and CEO of Safelite Group. "It is part of a detailed North American supply chain strategy that will support our continued expansion through 2015."
The new 357,000 sq. ft. facility will support distribution of vehicle glass to the states east of the Mississippi River and has infrastructure that will support Leedcertification, which designates a building as environmentally friendly. It expands capacity from the company's current Enfield facility by 36 percent, allowing for storage of 250,000 windshields and 90,000 other vehicle glass parts. It is expected to be operational by September.
As a result, the company's Enfield distribution center will restructure its operations when the Braselton facility opens. While the reorganization will result in some staffing adjustments, Safelite will retain its manufacturing operations in Enfield, employing 288 people and the current distribution center will be operated as a warehouse. A number of current distribution center employees will be absorbed into the company's manufacturing operations.
"We considered maintaining our east coast distribution center operations in Enfield, which are adjacent to the manufacturing plant, but because of the inability for us to further expand in that location we had to consider new options," Feeney said.
Company officials say they reviewed sites along I-85 between Atlanta and Charlotte in areas that would allow for more efficient and lower-cost transport of manufactured glass to points east of the Mississippi River before selecting the Braselton location.
Last year, as part of its supply chain expansion, the company opened a 282,000 sq. ft. distribution center in Ontario, Calif., which serves points west of the Mississippi River, opened five warehouses, and expanded 12 facilities. This year, in addition to the relocation of east coast distribution center operations, the growth of the warehouse operations continues with 12 targeted warehouse expansions, according to company officials.
The new Braselton distribution center, located at 1350 Braselton Parkway, will bring 92 new jobs to the market with the potential to grow to 120 jobs as volume increases.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/3/227709