Mericle is expanding one of its buildings in CenterPoint to accommodate the growth of one of its tenants.
British clothier Boden has announced plans to more than double the size of its Jenkins Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania facility. The project will help preserve 140 jobs and lead to the creation of 60 new jobs by February, 2011.
Construction will begin immediately and will add 74,400 square feet to the 62,000 square foot call center and distribution facility located at 180 Armstrong Road in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East. The expansion is expected to be finished by the end of the year.
Julian Granville, Managing Director of Boden said, “We are delighted and proud to be expanding our US facility in Jenkins Township. Since its opening in 2008 we have established a fantastic team and have been providing a great service for our customers. The growth in our US business and our desire to ship more stock direct to customers from Jenkins Township means that we need to double the size of our facility earlier than we expected. Once fully operational in 2011 we will be able to offer our US customers an even better service.”
“This is great news,” said Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce President Charles Adonizio. “We thank Boden for making this major investment and for their faith in the Greater Pittston business community.”
Boden is a UK direct retailer of premium casual apparel. The company sells womenswear and menswear under the Boden name, teen apparel under the Johnnie b label, and children’s clothing under the Mini Boden brand. It markets the collections through its catalogs and Web site. Boden also operates two retail stores in the UK. Set up by Johnnie Boden in 1991, who was inspired by the high standards set up by US mail order companies, Boden fills a gap in the apparel market offering high quality, colorful, unique, good value clothes with a British twist for all the family. Boden is now a $300+ million turnover (2009) business employing 875 staff, of which 140 are based in Jenkins Township.
Boden opened its CenterPoint facility in March, 2008 after a multi-state search for a U.S. headquarters location. Governor Rendell touted the advantages to locating in Pennsylvania when he met with Boden’s leaders while on a trade mission to the United Kingdom in June 2007. Local economic development officials and representatives from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services provided site selection assistance to Boden.
“Governor Edward G. Rendell has made it his priority to bring great companies, like Boden, to Pennsylvania,” said Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Austin Burke. “We are proud to have been a part of the company’s success in Luzerne County.
“Through the Governor’s World Trade PA program, we have representatives in England and around the world who listen to what companies need, work with the Governor’s Action Team to find locations and assistance, and help them achieve success in Pennsylvania,” Burke said.
CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park was developed by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services starting in October of 2005. In less than five years, the park has grown to approximately 5.3 million square feet in 18 buildings. Close to 2,500 people work for the 24 companies located in CenterPoint.
Mericle owns the Boden building and is constructing the expansion.
The real estate transaction was handled by Jeff Williams of Cushman & Wakefield, Philadelphia and Bill Jones of Mericle.
Founded by Robert K. Mericle, Mericle Construction Inc. self-performs virtually all aspects of development and construction, using its own in-house personnel, Mericle Construction is better able to control costs and fast track delivery schedules to meet its clients’ needs. It fashions itself as a throwback to the “master builder” of old when experienced craftsmen self-performed all aspects of the construction process.