PetSmart® Announces New Distribution Center In Bethel, PA Creating 500 New Jobs Over Three Years

PetSmart® (NASDAQ: PETM) announced today that a new distribution center (DC) will open in Bethel, PA. Operational by April 2014, this new DC will bring approximately 300 jobs to the area in its first year and an estimated 500 jobs by the end of 2016. PetSmart will add construction jobs this year and commence building on the $50 million DC in fall 2012, with completion expected in the first quarter of 2014. This new DC is the result of PetSmart’s growth and increased demands on its supply chain.

“Bethel presented itself as an ideal location for our new distribution center, and we are excited to become an active part of this community,” said Eddie Burt, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain for PetSmart. “The construction of this new facility and the jobs it’s creating is just the beginning of our vibrant partnership with the town of Bethel.”

Within proximity of more high volume stores, the new, build-to-suit 870,000 square foot Bethel DC will provide transportation savings and enable a significant percentage of PetSmart’s over 1,240 stores to be serviced from this location. The DC, to be located at Berks Park (78 Industrial Park) off of PA I-78, will serve eleven states and Eastern Canada, providing services to 170 PetSmart stores in 2014 and over 260 by 2015.

“When I was elected Governor, I made a commitment to bring the Pennsylvania economy back and grow private-sector jobs,” Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett said. “Bringing projects to the commonwealth like PetSmart’s distribution center is adding jobs and having a positive economic impact on local communities.”

Once the build-out of the Bethel, PA location is complete, PetSmart will vacate two smaller distribution centers located in Gahanna, OH and Hagerstown, MD, both of which are nearing capacity. The approximately 160 PetSmart associates affected by these closures will be offered opportunities in other PetSmart DCs.

1 2 Next › Last »