Maple Leaf Foods (TSX:MFI) has chosen Puslinch Township, in Wellington County, as the location for a new distribution center that will operate as the company’s prepared meats distribution hub for central and eastern Canada. DB Schenker has been selected as the third-party logistics provider with responsibility for its operations.
The 282,000-square-foot distribution center will combine refrigerated, frozen, and ambient products into one facility. This facility will be built and owned by a third-party investor and leased by Maple Leaf Foods. Its location is near Maple Leaf Foods’ eastern prepared meats facilities including the 402,000-sq-ft facility currently under construction in Hamilton, and provides ready access through the 400 series highways.
“This is another important step in the implementation of our value creation plan, details of which were announced in October 2011,” said Michael McCain, president and chief executive officer of Maple Leaf Foods. “This new facility will simplify our distribution network and significantly increase our supply chain efficiencies.”
The company will proceed to obtain appropriate regulatory approvals with construction expected to begin in spring 2012. It will be commissioned in the first half of 2013, with consolidation of its existing distribution centeres in Moncton, Burlington, and Kitchener to be completed by 2014.
“This facility will bring significant benefits to our local economy, providing sustainable jobs and putting Puslinch Township on the map for even more investments from leading companies like Maple Leaf Foods,” said Puslinch Township Mayor Dennis Lever.
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Maple Leaf Foods employs about 19,500 people at its operations across Canada and in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Asia. The company had sales of $4.9 billion in 2011.
