According to a report from WNDU, Lippert held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 15 to celebrate the grand opening of its new distribution center in South Bend.
Company execs and St. Joseph County officials used the ceremony to talk about their ongoing partnership and commitment to local economic development.
Lippert executives say this $47 million facility will become the company’s flagship warehouse. Acting as a central hub, Lippert will use this warehouse to supply automotive and boating parts to distribution centers across the country from California to Florida.
As an aftermarket parts company, Lippert specializes in accessories for towing, watersports and RVs.
Lippert already employs around 500 people across two other facilities in St. Joseph County. This new 606,000-square-foot facility can hold 30,000 SKUs on the inside while still having room for 50 semi-trailers on the lot outside.
Despite the massive size of the distribution center, Lippert executives say they are already considering a 200,000-square-foot expansion to meet increasing demand.
Scott Collignon, Lippert’s senior vice president of aftermarket supply chain, explains why the company’s recent growth has necessitated this new facility and how it will help customers receive their products faster.
“I think what makes this facility special is the size, and the fact that it allows us to take our three divisional product portfolios and combine them in one facility,” Collignon says. “And for our customers who buy across all three different business units, we can consolidate those shipments into one and deliver it to them locally within three days.”
Click here to read the full report from WNDU.
