Oak Brook, Ill. — Ace Hardware, the world’s largest hardware cooperative, has opened its new Retail Support Center (RSC) in Kansas City, Mo. The new facility spans more than 1.5 million square feet, measuring a half-mile from end to end. It represents a major investment in Ace’s continued growth and commitment to supporting its network of independent retailers through best-in-class logistics and supply chain efficiency.
“This new 1.5 million-square-foot facility in Kansas City is more than just a building — it’s a symbol of what hard work, purpose and servant-hearted teamwork can accomplish,” says John Venhuizen, president and CEO of Ace Hardware. “It exists for one reason only: to help our locally owned stores serve their neighbors with excellence that has made Ace famous.”
Strategically located in nearly the exact geographic center of the continental U.S., the Ace Hardware RSC opened July 25 and is situated along Interstate 29 and adjacent to Kansas City International Airport, offering immediate access to major highway and air freight networks. This location enhances Ace’s ability to deliver products quickly and reliably to thousands of locally owned stores across the central United States.
The Ace Hardware RSC is the first facility to open in Hunt Midwest’s newly developed KCI 29 Logistics Park and is nearly twice the size of the average Ace distribution center. (Hunt Midwest is a Kansas City-based, privately held real estate development company.) The new facility will play a crucial role in supporting Ace’s growing network of more than 5,000 locally owned stores in the U.S.
Ace Hardware’s supply chain network is a cornerstone of the company’s operational success. The new retail support center joins a network of over a dozen distribution centers across the country, each designed to support Ace’s unique independent retail model. The new facility will also feature advanced automation technology and efficiency systems to streamline operations, minimize environmental impact and support Ace’s long term sustainability goals.
Ace Hardware is the largest hardware cooperative in the world, serving more than 8,700 locally owned and operated stores around the globe, while providing the best products, services and operating methods to almost 5,200 Ace retail stores in the United States. Ace Hardware’s family of brands includes Ace Hardware, Emery Jensen Distribution and independent retailers worldwide. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace operates an expansive network of U.S. distribution centers, along with international capabilities in Ningbo, China, and Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico. Since 1924, Ace has been a part of local communities, known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit www.acehardware.com.
SOURCE: Ace Hardware Corporation