Little Neck, New York, October 20, 2008 – Local politicians and community development groups joined Leviton’s chief executives Friday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to herald the February 2009 opening of the company’s new distribution center in Lebanon, Tennessee. The 450,000 square-foot, fully automated facility will serve as one of the company’s two state-of-the-art domestic warehousing and distribution hubs.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony offered local officials an opportunity to learn about Leviton and tour the inner workings of the facility, located at 103 Leviton Drive. Members of the Lebanon City Council, Wilson County Commission, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, Tennessee Valley Authority and Nashville and Lebanon Chambers of Commerce joined with Lebanon Mayor Don Fox and congressional representatives to take part in the event.
“In selecting a site for our new distribution center, we assessed many areas of the country that fit our geographic needs, offered a strong workforce and provided attractive incentives. At the end of the day, Wilson County distinguished itself as the right match for our needs. I’d like to extend my gratitude to Duke Realty Corporation, the Joint Economic & Community Development Board of Wilson County, the State of Tennessee, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the City of Lebanon and Wilson County, along with many other groups who have shown their support in making this project a success,†said Donald Hendler, President and CEO of Leviton.
Stephen Sokolow, Chairman of Leviton’s Board of Directors added, “We look forward to serving as a responsible corporate citizen, and bringing jobs and new sources of revenue to the local community.†Scheduled to open in February 2009, the new facility will service U.S. customers east of the Mississippi River, and serve as a regional showcase for the company’s distribution technology and products. Conveniently located between Wilson County’s Highways 109 and 840, the center will ship over half of Leviton’s U.S. order volume and bring approximately 150 new jobs to the area.
“Leviton encourages opportunities and offers a corporate culture that inspires personal and professional development, serving the communities in which it operates as an outstanding corporate citizen. It is with much excitement that we welcome Leviton to our community,†said Lebanon City Mayor Don Fox.
“Leviton’s decision to build a distribution center in Lebanon speaks to the high quality of the area’s workforce. Governor Phil Bredesen and I are thankful to Leviton for its investment in our citizens and state, and we look forward to working with them on future endeavors,†said Matt Kisber, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
The new distribution center will feature Leviton commercial-grade occupancy sensors, light switches, outlets and commercial networking devices. The center’s loading docks will be outfitted with dock seals to maintain HVAC levels and reduce energy consumption. Leviton is committed to serving the communities in which it operates as an environmentally and socially responsible corporate citizen.