VF Teams With Public Sector for Distribution Center
When VF Corp. began scouting locations for a new distribution center to house its large stable of brands, it went to the public sector for help.
The company teamed with a group of state and local governments and agencies to seek out a swath of land in Visalia, Calif., for an 800,000-square-foot distribution center. The center will be the focal point for the company’s shipping and warehousing operations.
Aside from the city of Visalia and the Tulare County Economic Development Committee, VF officials met with the state’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) and Business Investment Services Unit (CalBIS) to discuss location, labor and logistical issues.
CalBIS worked with VF for about a year to help the company find an area that would provide an adequate workforce, a central location for shipping and competitive real estate rates. Visalia is located in central California’s Tulare County, south of Sequoia National Park. The center is expected to employ about 350 workers when it opens sometime next year.
CalBIS, part of California’s Employment Development Department, offers a program that provides no-fee siteselection assistance and investment counseling for corporate real estate executives and site-location consultants considering California for new business investments.
The decision to build in Visalia was a win-win situation for both VF and California, said Victoria Bradshaw, secretary of the LWDA.
“This is a perfect example of the kind of collaboration it takes to attract businesses in California,” Bradshaw said. “A collaboration between government and the private sector helps enhance business opportunities and foster community pride.” VF Corp. is considered to be the largest branded-apparel company in the world, with denim, intimate, outdoor and specialty clothing lines. Its brands include Lee, Wrangler, Riders, Rustler, Vanity Fair, Vassarette, Bestform, Lily of France, Nautica, Earl Jean, John Varvatos, JanSport, Eastpak, The North Face, Vans, Reef, Napapijri, Kipling, Lee Sport and Red Kap. —Robert McAllister
