Lowe’s distribution center to bring 100 jobs to Shippensburg
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. — Lowe’s has opened a new bulk distribution center in Shippensburg.
The 1.2 million-square-foot facility received its first shipment of goods this week and plans to begin shipping appliances next month out of the newly constructed logistics center at the United Business Park, the company said in a news release Tuesday.
The new distribution center will bring more than 100 new jobs to Franklin County and will help Lowe’s improve and speed up delivery to customers across the Northeast, the company said in a news release.
The facility will provide daily shipments of appliances and other bulky items, such as riding mowers, grills and patio furniture, to Lowe’s cross-dock facilities — where goods are transferred quickly from one transport vehicle to another — for last-mile delivery to customers.
Lowe’s worked with Matrix Development Group and the Cumberland Valley Regional Development Corp. to bring the new facility to the United Business Park, a 350-acre, state-of-the-art logistics center off Interstate 81 in Shippensburg.
“This is a major win for our community and for the United Business Park,” Stephen Christian, executive director of the Cumberland Valley Regional Development Corp., said in the news release. “Lowe’s could have placed this facility anywhere along the I-81 corridor, and they chose Franklin County for our strong business climate, excellent workforce and best-in-class industrial park.”
The Shippensburg center will replenish inventory at more than 130 stores, serving locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey and New York.
“Adding this facility enables us to provide faster and more reliable delivery for our customers, which improves their overall delivery experience,” Robin Bornkamp, Lowe’s vice president of supply chain strategy and network said in the release. “It will help ensure that we have inventory in the right place at the right time and in the right quantity to meet our customers’ needs.”
Last year, Lowe’s announced it is investing $1.7 billion to transform its supply chain over the next five years. The company is building a network of bulk distribution centers and cross-dock facilities to coordinate deliveries at a market level and reduce inventory at regional distribution centers and stores. These changes will free up space and associates in stores and enable next-day delivery service for a broader range of products. The dedicated delivery network also will give customers a more consistent experience across all of Lowe’s channels and communities.
Penske Logistics, which will run and staff the Shippensburg facility for Lowe’s, is now hiring people for several roles at the center.
“We’re excited to expand our existing relationship with Lowe’s, and we truly appreciate their close cooperation. We’ve worked together very closely to get this new facility operational,” Marc Althen, president of Penske Logistics, said in the release. “We’re especially pleased to be adding more than 100 new jobs here in this community as a result of our work together.”
Lowe’s has additional distribution facilities in Pittston, Pottsville, Bethlehem and Mt. Pocono, and operates 83 stores in Pennsylvania. The company employs more than 15,000 people in Pennsylvania.
— Mike Lewis, Herald Mail Media