By Mark Basch and Karen Brune Mathis
Winsupply Inc. announced Monday it will open a 272,480-square-foot regional distribution center that is under construction at the Westside Industrial Park in Jacksonville.
Winsupply Support Services Group President John McKenzie said the plan is to hire 35 to 50 people.
The company, which distributes construction and industrial supplies and equipment, said it plans to open the facility in the second half of this year.
The distribution center sits on 22.3 acres at 6282 Imeson Road. Pattillo Industrial Real Estate developed Westside Industrial Park.
Pattillo Industrial Real Estate Senior Vice President Peter Anderson said construction should be completed by April.
The Jacksonville facility will be Dayton, Ohio-based Winsupply’s fifth regional distribution center. Its other facilities are in Dayton, Denver, Middletown, Connecticut, and Richmond, Virginia.
Winsupply said its operations include nearly 600 wholesaling locations in 45 states.
“Having a distribution center in Jacksonville will lead to shorter delivery times to our local companies in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina,” McKenzie said in a news release.
McKenzie said in the release that the Southeast continues to be a growing market and a recent Forbes profile indicated that eight of the top 25 growth areas in America are in Florida.
Winsupply said it is a $3.3 billion wholesaler-distributor of plumbing, industrial pipe, valves and fittings, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, electrical, waterworks and other supplies to contractors in 45 states.
Known as “The Winsupply Family of Companies,” it includes Win-branded locations, Noland Company, Carr Supply, Security Plumbing & Heating Supply, Wyatt Irrigation, Electrical Sales Inc., Tacoma Electric and APCO.
In March, Pattillo Industrial Real Estate applied for a permit to build the speculative warehouse in Westside Industrial Park. Arco Design/Build Inc. of Atlanta is the contractor for the $6.26 million construction job.
Anderson said in October 2017 the $10 million speculative building, which will be along Imeson Road north of Forshee Drive, was needed for inventory. He said then the market was as healthy as it had been in the 10 years since the economic downturn.
On Tuesday, Anderson said the market is steady.
Anderson said the building met Winsupply’s needs and the deal moved rapidly. “We are extremely pleased to have them as a client,” he said.
Houston Engineering Inc. of Conyers, Georgia, is the civil engineer. Randall-Paulson Architects Inc. of Roswell, Georgia, is the architect.
Atlanta-based Pattillo developed Westside Industrial Park at northwest Interstate 295 and Pritchard Road.