SanMar has announced the addition of a new distribution center in Ashland, Virginia, approximately 16 miles north of Richmond. The facility is SanMar's ninth distribution center in the United States and marks a major initial investment in the Greater Richmond area.

• The new Ashland facility comprises 1.1 million square feet of capacity. The company hired its first employees in Ashland in February.

• This new location will be SanMar's largest distribution center and serve as the flagship facility for the company's East Coast distributions. The company has committed a minimum investment of $50 million to bolster its deep inventory and shipping capabilities and its longstanding commitment to meeting the needs of customers nationwide with reliable service.

• “We are really excited about the Virginia distribution center," says Jeremy Lott, CEO of SanMar. "It will be our largest building and employ over 1,000 people when fully built out. We are investing significantly in advanced material handling systems but won't be fully functional until later next year. Our 50-plus-year commitment to deep inventories continues with the growth of the business and this building.”