Logistics CompanyTo Close Facility Near Medley

A wholesale distribution and third-party logistics company will shut down a facility near Medley and lay off 47 people, according to a notice to state officials.

Essendant will close its distribution and fulfillment center at 10801 N.W. 103rd St., Suite 21, on January 31, according to a WARN notice from the Deerfield, Illinois-based company to Florida’s State Trade and Rapid Response Program in Tallahassee.

The employees slated to be terminated are 28 distribution employees, seven workers in operations support, six managers, five team leads, and a maintenance worker.

Under the Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, companies must inform state and local officials of any pending plant closures or mass layoffs.

Essendant currently operates in a 327,840-square-foot warehouse that was built in 2009. Located within Flagler Station Business Park, the building was acquired by a subsidiary of Boston-based AEW Capital Management LLP as part of a $109.07 million bulk deal in April 2012, according to the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser website.

Founded in 1922, Essendant has about 30 facilities across the U.S. that provides wholesale distribution and fulfillment services to resellers and manufacturers.

The company said in a statement that its operations in Miami-Dade will be “consolidated” into its facility in Orlando next year since both places cover the “same geographic footprint.”

“The closure is in alignment with our goal provide world class service to customers in a more cost effective manner. We have informed the impacted associates and are providing severance and outplacement services to help them transition to their next career opportunity.”

In June, Essendant consolidated its distribution center in Bakersfield, California, into a facility about 180 miles away in Perris. That same month, Essendant closed down its Memphis distribution center and laid off 70 employees after the company transferred that plant’s operations to its facility in Nashville.

Essendant also announced that its facility in Columbus, Ohio, will be consolidated into the company’s Cleveland facility, a company spokesperson said.

Source: SFBJ