- Decorative and industrial hardware maker Hickory Hardware is centralizing distribution and corporate offices into a new facility being built in Nashville, Tenn. The facility will include 300,000 square feet of distribution space and features a material handling system designed by FKI Logistex. Hickory says the move will help reduce distribution expenses in the face of rising costs for zinc, copper and other metals used to manufacture its hardware.
- Samsonite Corp. plans to build an 800,000-square-foot distribution center within the Imeson International Industrial Park in Jacksonville, Fla. The luggage maker intends to lease 38 acres at the industrial park in an area designated as a brownfield and spend $35 million to build the center.
- Menlo Worldwide has expanded its multi-client logistics center in the Netherlands. The facility, located in Eersel, has been expanded by 100,000 square feet to a total of 350,000 square feet. Opened in 1997, the center currently handles the distribution of apparel, footwear, sporting goods, medical equipment, electronics and automotive products for Menlo's clients.
- Mallory Alexander International Logistics has consolidated its facilities in the Chicago area. The company has opened an office and warehouse facility in Bensenville, Ill., near O'Hare Airport.
- Integrated logistics service specialist FMI International has opened a facility in Charleston, S.C. From this facility, FMI will offer trans-load and cross-dock services, warehousing and distribution services, and pier drayage and regional trucking services. The company will use a combination of company drivers and owner-operators.
- ProLogis has leased 600,000 square feet of distribution space at ProLogis Park Stateline near Memphis to two clients: Kyocera Mita America, a document imaging company, and Franklin Sports, which supplies sports equipment. The clients have each leased 300,000 square feet at the distribution park, located near Memphis International Airport.
And in another deal, ProLogis has leased nearly one million square feet of space to companies belonging to the Deutsche Post Group. ProLogis will lease 650,000 square feet to Exel near Toronto, Canada, and 333,500 square feet to DHL in Tilburg, the Netherlands. - Ozburn-Hessey Logistics has leased a new facility to serve its clients in the mid-Atlantic region. Located in Winchester, Va., the facility measures nearly 500,000 square feet and can be easily reached from the Virginia Inland Port located in Front Royal.
- DHL has a couple of new projects under way. The company recently broke ground on a modernized service center operation near Chicago's O'Hare Airport. DHL plans to invest $7 million in the 78,960-square-foot facility, which will serve local pickup, delivery and sorting operations. It is expected to begin operations in early 2007. Overseas, DHL Exel Supply Chain has just opened a new European DC near Prague, Czech Republic, to provide outsourced distribution for the LEGO Group. All shipments destined for Europe, Asia, Africa and South America will pass through the new building, which occupies nearly 200,000 square feet of space. In addition, the company's air and ocean freight arm, DHL Global Forwarding, has just opened a new $3 million facility in Jakarta, Indonesia. The nearly 20,000-square-foot facility is now one of seven offices and warehouses the DHL division operates in Indonesia.
- UPS has opened a new 800,000-square-foot logistics complex in Burlington, Ontario, to serve UPS Supply Chain Solutions. The two buildings on site serve multiple clients.
- The Grimes Companies (TGC) has purchased an existing distribution center in Jacksonville, Fla., to expand its 3PL presence in the Southeast. The 280,000-square-foot building was formerly a Pic 'N Save distribution center.
- Aerospace Products International (API), a company that distributes aircraft parts and related products, has announced that it will open a high-tech 172,000-squarefoot distribution facility in Southaven, Miss., 2.5 miles from the Memphis International Airport and the FedEx Express hub. API will consolidate operations from four existing Memphis-area warehouses at the new distribution center in early 2007.
- Transportation and logistics service provider Cornerstone Systems has opened a new distribution center in Chesapeake, Va. The 50,000-square-foot facility will serve customers importing goods through the Port of Virginia in nearby Norfolk.
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