Poplar Bluff, MO – Nortek Global HVAC (formerly NORDYNE) announced on July 2 the company is shifting its central warehouse operation back to their Poplar Bluff location.
While original plans were to move the function to a facility in Mississippi, the company has decided to re-establish Poplar Bluff as the central mixing warehouse for the foreseeable future. This summer Nortek Global HVAC will increase the volume of finished equipment stored and shipped from the Poplar Bluff plant. In early 2016, the company also will move its commercial product warehousing to Poplar Bluff.
Nortek Global HVAC cited the quality workforce and central location as two reasons for moving distribution back to Poplar Bluff.
“This is extremely good news for Poplar Bluff and our area,” said Steve Halter, president of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce. “They will be investing capital in the building to make it a distribution center and adding staff back at the facility.”
Halter had been helping to find a buyer for the 727,000-square foot building (about 17 acres under roof) in the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park.
“The firm’s decision says a lot about the quality of the workforce in our community and it makes a statement to others interested in coming to our area,” Halter said. “It also will be good for our trucking industry, which will be adding jobs as well.”
Over the past two years, NORDYNE had been gradually laying off workers after announcing its manufacturing operations in Poplar Bluff would be moved to Mexico. At that time, NORDYNE employed 500 workers.
It was not released how many workers will eventually be employed in the distribution center in Poplar Bluff. Efforts to reach company officials were not successful.
Halter said Nortek Global HVAC plants to purchase the building from Poplar Bluff Industries — the chamber’s industrial division.
Nortek Global HVAC has been designing and manufacturing heating and cooling products for more than 95 years.
Norteck Global HVAC and its subsidiaries build and sell HVAC systems under the Maytag®, Broan®, Frigidaire®, Nu-Tone®, Westinghouse® and Reznor® brands, among others. To learn more about Nortek Global HVAC and its product offerings visit www.nortekhvac.com.
Nortek Global HVAC is a subsidiary of Nortek, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTK) a global, diversified company whose many brands deliver a wide array of technology-driven products for home and work. Visit nortek.com for more information.