Lennox Industries announces the grand opening of its 130,000-sq.-ft. regional distribution center in Middletown, PA, outside Harrisburg. Lennox will host an open house for the community on Thursday, November 4, from 1 – 4 p.m.

The Harrisburg area was chosen for the site of the new $1.2 million facility for its strategic location within the Interstate 81 corridor. The distribution center currently employs 15 people and will employ approximately 30 when it reaches full shipping capacity to the entire Northeast region, estimated to occur in early 2011. The opening of the distribution center also allowed 20 Lennox employees throughout Pennsylvania to retain their positions.

The facility, a result of Lennox’s plan to re-structure its distribution model to improve efficiencies, will provide customers with additional logistics options and unsurpassed speed in delivery.

Lennox has plans to double its distribution capacity by creating a new distribution model. By 2012 the company plans to operate out of eight regional distribution centers in key locations throughout the US & Canada and 120 Lennox PartsPlus locations. The Harrisburg area distribution center is the sixth regional center to open as part of the new distribution model.

Lennox worked with the Governor’s Action Team and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to receive a $75,000 opportunity grant, $13,950 in job training assistance and $93,000 in job creation tax credits. The Lennox Northeast Regional Distribution Center is located at 1400 AIP Drive in Middletown, PA.

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