Cardinal Health to expand footprint in Columbus, Ohio

Cardinal Health is expanding its presence in Ohio. The company said that it plans to build a 574,670 sq. ft. medical distribution center in the Columbus, Ohio area.

The new building will integrate automation and technology to work alongside Cardinal Health employees; improve safety, service and quality; deliver operational efficiencies; and better support fluctuations in volume and labor to provide customers with a predictable and stable customer experience, the company said.

"We're building a new warehouse to meet both our customers' current and future needs," James Sembrot, senior vice president of U.S. supply chain at Cardinal Health, said. "The new facility is part of a multi-year strategy to increase U.S. warehouse capacity with expanded inventory space. By increasing our medical distribution footprint, we will provide customers another location in our network for strategic stock solutions and 3PL services."

[Read more: Cardinal Health reports revenue growth in Q2]

The new Columbus facility will replace Cardinal Health's current 235,000-sq.-ft. facility in nearby Obetz, Ohio. The larger warehouse footprint and operations can accommodate a full transition of existing employees, and will create new job opportunities for the Ohio Valley market.

In partnership with Duke Realty, a leading owner, developer and manager of logistics and industrial properties, along with its joint venture partners Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Capitol Square, Cardinal Health said it anticipates the new facility to be fully operational by late 2022 or early 2023.

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"Our public-private partnership between the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Capitol Square continues to drive our developments in Rickenbacker Global Logistics Park with direct access to highways, the largest dedicated cargo airport in the world and the rail intermodal terminal for Norfolk Southern," Ben Struewing, Duke Realty's vice president of leasing and development for Ohio, said. "Columbus' robust talent pool and centralized location make it ideal for Cardinal Health to meet its supply chain and logistics needs to further fuel their growth and success."