Mar 4 2014
Medline Industries, Inc., the nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of medical and surgical supplies, will open a new state-of-the-art distribution center in Lincoln County, N.C., in early 2015, the company announced today.
Construction is expected to begin this spring on the new 400,000-square-foot facility, which will service Medline’s customers, including hospitals, nursing homes, surgery centers, home care agencies and other healthcare providers throughout North Carolina and surrounding states. Lincoln County is located approximately 38 miles northwest of Charlotte.
The $18 million distribution center will be constructed with the latest energy efficient technology and undergo LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification review. The program provides third-party verification of green buildings in the area of design, construction and operation.
The new distribution center will be located at the Lincoln County Industrial Park and initially create approximately 40 new jobs for the area.
“We’re excited to have Medline join the growing and diverse family of companies that call Lincoln County home and we look forward to a long and successful relationship,” said Alex Patton, Lincoln County Board of Commissioners Chairman. “I want to thank Medline for their commitment to Lincoln County and to the environment, and I also want to thank the Lincoln Economic Development Association for their work over a number of years to make this announcement a reality.”
When the new facility opens, Medline will have more than 40 distribution centers throughout the United States, along with 19 manufacturing facilities and 1,200 sales representatives to support its broad line of 350,000 medical and surgical products. In 2013, Medline’s sales grew 13 percent to $5.8 billion, the 47th consecutive year the company has grown year over year. Over the past five years, Medline has been the fastest growing distributor of medical and surgical supplies in the U.S., serving as the primary distributor to more than 450 major hospitals and healthcare systems.
"As our company continues to grow, we’re proud to work with and serve the Lincoln County community to help bring our products, clinical programs and supply chain services to even more healthcare providers throughout the greater Charlotte area," said Bill Abington, Medline's president of Global Operations. "The location of our facility is ideal as it’s near major roads and highways that will enable us to deliver our products when and where our customers need them.”
Medline continues to be recognized for its commitment to the environment, including recent honors such as the Practice Greenhealth Champion for Change Award and Novation Environmental Excellence Leadership Award. Some of the cost and energy efficient technologies employed at the new facility will include:
- Motion sensors combined with advanced high-output, energy-saving lighting to keep lights off in aisles when not in use.
- Sufficient daylight from more than 200 skylights will help brighten the facility. Sensors in light fixtures will then monitor when lights need to turn on.
- High-output T5 light fixtures (more energy efficient) and on/off sensors – there are no actual on/off switches in the warehouse – they are controlled with the motion and daylight sensors.
- Super-sized fans to reduce dependence on electricity for air conditioning and heating.
- Recycling programs, including all corrugated boxes, office paper and fluorescent bulbs.