Distribution Center

WASHINGTON COUNTY - A Fortune 500 company is planning to open a warehouse distribution center near Hagerstown this summer, officials connected with the project said. The company, which officials declined to identify, will create "probably around 35 to 50 jobs," said Troy Briggs, director of leasing and development for Liberty Property Trust. Briggs said the unnamed company will lease 215,460 square feet of space in the 554,000-square-foot distribution center that Liberty is building on 145 acres in the Hunter's Green business park in the Hopewell area near Valley Mall.

HAGERSTOWN - National Book Network recently signed a long-term lease for its newest distribution center in the General Electric building at 18212 Shawley Drive in Hagerstown. The company will be utilizing half of the 300,000 square feet owned by First Industrial Realty Trust. The company also has a 300,000-square-foot distribution center in Blue Ridge Summit, Pa. The operation is starting up. Seven people are working at the distribution center. Two peopole were moved from within the company, and there are five new jobs, said Al Patterson, vice president of distribution for National Book Network.

WILLIAMSPORT - Dot Foods Inc., a redistributor of food and nonfood products, has completed its warehouse expansion plans at its Williamsport distribution center. The company anticipates hiring 100 additional employees over the next four years, according to Brian Duffield, general manager of the Williamsport distribution center. Currently, the warehouse employs 330 people. Many of those employees are Class A CDL drivers or warehouse material handlers. The warehouse was built in 1994, and the latest major expansion is its second, adding 63,000 square feet of dry storage and 40,000 square feet of frozen storage space.

CHARLES TOWN, W.VA. - An Oregon-based men's and women's apparel company that operates a distribution center in Jefferson County where about 150 people work in full-time and part-time positions has decided to move the facility to northwestern Pennsylvania in May 2008, company and local officials said Thursday. Employees at the Norm Thompson Outfitters plant in the Burr Industrial Park in Bardane, W.Va., were informed about the move Tuesday, said Sarah Bochynski, director of human resources for the company.

The Staples Distribution Center on Hopewell Road in Hagerstown will hire at least 100 employees between late May and mid-July, said Walt Lachenmayr, the distribution center's human resources manager. Lachenmayr said the jobs primarily will be for equipment operators and material handlers. Although Lachenmayr did not give a salary range, he said some of the jobs will pay more than $12 per hour depending on experience. All of the positions carry full benefits, including health and 401(k)

A manufacturer of lab supplies for the life-sciences industry has opened a distribution center near Williamsport. Pelican Life Sciences, based in Huntersville, N.C., is operating out of the former Trendlines Building at 9912C Governor Lane Boulevard, near Md. 68 (Lappans Road). Gina Curcuru, executive assistant to Pelican Chief Executive Officer Bill Baugh, said the facility is serving as the distribution warehouse for the East Coast. The distribution center opened in November, she said.

A German supplier of aluminum modular machine building and framing products plans to open a distribution center in Hagerstown. Item International has signed a lease with Merritt Properties LLC for 60,600 square feet at 12105 Insurance Way in the Hunt Ridge Business Park, according to the Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission. The North American distribution center will be called Item International America, EDC Deputy Director Cassandra Latimer said Thursday.

WILLIAMSPORT - An expansion of DOT Foods Inc. in Williamsport is expected to bring about 100 jobs to the area over the next four years. The positions will be mostly for truck drivers and warehouse staff, general manager Brian Duffield said. The Mt. Sterling, Ill., company has locations throughout the country and delivers food service and retail products to its network of distributors. Duffield said the growth of the distribution center on Elliott Parkway has led to the expansion, which will bring the overall facility to more than 275,000 square feet.

WILLIAMSPORT - Dot Foods Inc. is planning to add as many as 100 jobs over the next four years as part of a $10 million expansion of its distribution center in Williamsport. The Mt. Sterling, Ill., company, with locations throughout the country, delivers food service and retail products to distributors in each of the 50 states, according to a written statement. The food redistributor will add 63,000 square feet of dry storage capacity and 40,000 square feet of frozen storage capacity, increasing the total square footage at the 16301 Elliott Parkway facility to 257,000 square feet.