McLane Prepares to Open New Distribution Center

FINDLAY, Ohio — McLane Co. Inc. prepared for the opening of its new distribution center by holding hiring events on Oct. 7-8 in Findlay, according to a Courier report. The company expects the facility to have 200 to 250 employees by its January 2017 opening before ramping up to 425 employees by December 2017.

The wholesale supplier first announced plans to build the new $119-million facility in 2014, as CSNews Online previously reported. It is McLane's 22nd distribution center.

"We're actually doing interviews and making offers," Ruben Santana, director of teammate relations for McLane, said of the events.

McLane was primarily seeking truck drivers, but also interviewed people for positions as maintenance workers, mechanics and various warehouse jobs.

A nationwide truck driver shortage exists, but McLane is confident that it will not be a problem for the new facility.

"Every one of our distribution centers, we're pretty much fully staffed with drivers. So, we feel OK. We'll get there," Santana said. "The truck driver challenge has always been there, but we find ways of adapting to that challenge and we seem to do pretty well at the end of the day when it comes to bringing in the skilled drivers that we need."

The Findlay distribution center will provide groceries, food service and beverages to convenience stores, drug stores, chain restaurants and other merchants in Ohio, Michigan, eastern Indiana and western Pennsylvania.