APL Logistics (Oakland, Calif.) announced that it has agreed to lease a 315,000-square-foot facility at Union Cross Business Park, in the Winston-Salem, North Carolina region to operate a Supplier Logistics Center (SLC) for Dell Inc. APL Logistics, a provider of international, end-to-end logistics services, will occupy the building as of September 2005. The building is currently under construction.
The SLC operation, which is within three miles of the new Dell factory, will handle the inventory for suppliers that provide parts to Dell. The center will warehouse and manage computer peripherals such as monitors, speakers and computer chassis from 50 different suppliers. APL Logistics will initially occupy 75,000 square feet of the facility and plans to ramp up to full capacity within a year. The Dell factory will produce Dell's award-winning desktop computers.
"APL Logistics is excited about the opportunity to grow with Dell in North Carolina," said David Vernon, Vice President of Supply Chain Solutions for APL Logistics and parent company NOL Group. "This facility, similar to the 12 others we manage for Dell in the US, will manage the inbound flow of supplier parts into Dell's new manufacturing facility from suppliers across the globe. We are pleased to be able to create opportunities for our new associates in North Carolina, make it easier for companies to do business with Dell, and to support Dell in delivering a superior customer experience."
"While Dell's North Carolina employees and facility will be contributing to Dell's global leadership and delivering a superior customer experience, we are delighted that our investment in North Carolina is generating additional economic opportunities with other companies choosing to grow in North Carolina," said Travis Simpson, Dell's Vice President of North Carolina Operations.
APL Logistics will hire up to 50 full time employees over the course of the next three years. Additional labor of up to 100 seasonal and temporary staff is also anticipated. A local temporary agency will be appointed to manage recruitment from the local Winston-Salem area.
