Facility in South Carolina will support more than 1,000 stores

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Rite Aid Corp. has opened a new distribution center here, the company’s first new distribution center in 16 years.

The 900,000-square-foot Spartanburg distribution center sits on 97 acres and is located near Interstate 85 between Highways 9 and 221. Rite Aid had announced plans to build the new facility early last year.

John Standley, chairman and chief executive officer of Rite Aid, and Ken Martindale, CEO of stores and president at Rite Aid, were joined on Wednesday by South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt and several other state, city and community officials for a grand opening event and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Rite Aid’s Ken Martindale at the Spartanburg DC’s opening.

“We’re excited to celebrate the grand opening of our newest distribution center in Spartanburg, our first in 16 years,” Standley said. “Featuring highly efficient and advanced technologies, this facility will play a crucial role in our company’s supply chain, supporting more than 1,000 Rite Aid stores across the southeastern United States, and help us deliver a superior customer experience.”

The building features high-efficiency LED and T5 fluorescent light fixtures and occupancy sensor-controlled warehouse lighting; an on-site truck maintenance facility, including a fueling station, trailer weigh scale and wash area; high-speed automated palletizers; ergonomically designed manual palletizing stations and automatic label applicators; a state-of-the-art warehouse and labor management system; and voice pick technology.

In addition, the facility houses 60,000 square feet of office space, including an associate cafeteria, fitness center and other amenities.

“As a state with a dynamic transportation, distribution and logistics sector, we’re proud to see yet another nationally recognized company establish distribution operations within our borders. Today, we celebrate the opening of this new Rite Aid facility, as well as the remarkable impact it will have on our Upstate community,” commented Hitt. “I look forward to watching them succeed here for many years to come.”

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley noted in a statement that the facility will bring approximately 600 new jobs to the state. In South Carolina, Rite Aid employs 1,531 people at its 91 stores and distribution center.

The Spartanburg facility is Rite Aid’s 12th distribution center, along with several satellite distribution locations. The company had previously announced that it planned to consolidate its distribution centers in Charlotte, N.C. (585,500 square feet); Tuscaloosa, Ala. (230,000 square feet); and Poca, W.Va. (255,000 square feet) into the Southeast distribution center in Spartanburg.

Rite Aid worked with Johnson Development Associates, a Spartanburg-based real estate development firm, to design and build the new facility.

As part of the grand opening celebration, the Rite Aid Foundation presented a $25,000 donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Upstate. The donation will to be used to expand and support the programs and services offered by the Club at Mary H. Wright Elementary School.

*To see a slideshow of the Spartanburg DC grand opening, click here.