McLane Company Inc, a supply chain services company providing grocery and foodservice solutions, recently celebrated the opening of its brand new, $150 million, 417,338-square-foot grocery distribution center in Findlay OH at a ribbon cutting ceremony with Ohio Gov John Kasich.
“Of our 80 grocery and foodservice distribution centers nationwide, the Findlay facility is the most technologically advanced combining teammates, state-of-the-art automation, advanced robotics and artificial intelligence,” said Tony Frankenberger, president of McLane Grocery.
The Findlay distribution center will employ approximately 400 to 500 teammates in Ohio. Of McLane’s 80 distribution centers nationwide, the massive Findlay facility is the most technologically advanced—utilizing teammates, robotics and artificial intelligence to deliver more than 325,000 item picks per day at peak operation.
Kasich’s remarks applauded McLane’s decision to locate in Ohio and highlighted the positive impact the firm has on the community. He touched on some of McLane’s inclusive hiring policies, saying, “That is a huge, huge deal, when we’re giving everybody a chance.”
Lydia Mihalik, the mayor of Findlay, also attended the ceremony, along with other local Findlay leaders.
“It’s not just the environment that makes things successful, it’s a competent and committed workforce, one that wants to do the right things and that’s how companies like McLane continue to be amazing companies and we are so happy that McLane chose Findlay, Ohio to call home,” said Mihalik.
The Findlay distribution center will store about 16,000 grocery and convenience store items representing more than 700 suppliers, which will continue to increase in 2018. Robots use bar codes on the products to store and transfer pallets of goods, traveling up to 60 mph to fulfill orders. McLane teammates help control and program the robots and load and organize products into bins based on their final destinations.
These items are then delivered to convenience stores, mass merchants, warehouse clubs and drug stores in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania.
The Findlay distribution center employed 500 construction trade representatives over its 14-month construction. The company is committed to hiring Ohioans and contributing to the Findlay and Ohio economy. Teammates are relocating to Findlay from Toledo, Lima, Indianapolis and Detroit to work at McLane. In addition, McLane has hired more than 95 truck drivers, with plans to hire 75 more.
McLane is a wholly owned unit of Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE: BRK) and employs more than 20,000 teammates.
