Volkswagen Group of America has opened its new distribution centre at the Perimeter West Industrial Park in Jacksonville, Florida. The 24,000m2 centre is 30 per cent larger than the carmaker’s previous facility (which has now been decommissioned) and will service 118 VW and Audi dealers in southeastern US.
DDS Logistics and FedEx will be handling outbound movements to the dealers. FedEx will also be handling inbound activity of parts, along with Roadway and Conway.
The centre, which was built by Trammell Crow Company and ING Clarion, features 9 metre clear height bays, a three-level, 4,200m2 mezzanine and 930m2 of office space. There is also scope for expansion by 3,720m2.
The company also recently announced the formation of its new manufacturing company, Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga Operations, to be based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The company will build a new $1 billion plant there featuring an integrated assembly, paint and body shop, with a full scale training centre on site.
“The Chattanooga facility is a critical part of our 2018 strategy and will be a benchmark for all future plants across the company," said Frank Fischer, CEO, Volkswagen Group of America Chattanooga Operations.
The company saw its shares increase by more than 20 per cent in 2008 despite an 18 per cent downturn in automobile sales in the country for the same year.
