Haverty Announces Plans For New Regional Disstribution Center In Georgia

Furniture World Magazine

Haverty Furniture Companies, Inc. announced plans to operate a new Regional Distribution Center in Braselton, Georgia. John W. Rooker and Associates,Inc. of Atlanta, Georgia, will develop the site and be the lessor of the facility. The 511,000 square foot installation, expandable to 932,000 square feet, is expected to be completed and operational by the fall of 2002. CB Richard Ellis brokered the transaction. The new Regional Distribution Center will feature the newest technologies for furniture warehousing, handling and delivery. In addition, Havertys' existing Information Systems will be further developed to incorporate enhanced order forecasting, inventory control and regionalized customer service functions. Havertys expects this more efficient facility and the more effective Information Systems to yield reduced distribution and inventory carrying costs and to provide improved customer service. This building will replace two existing Regional Distribution Centers, one in Atlanta, Georgia, and the other in Charlotte, North Carolina. Both have reached the limits of their useful function, and physical expansion of either location is not practical. The new center will be developed under an operating lease structure. The Atlanta and Charlotte centers are both owned properties and will be placed on the market. Clarence H. Smith, COO, said, "We are very pleased to make this announcement of a new Regional Distribution Center that will accommodate future growth for Havertys. It will contribute to our goal of constantly increasing our operational efficiencies and strengths. We will be able to shorten our 'just-in-time' inventory window to our customers and have better systems for handling the growing mix of imported product in our merchandise assortment. Braselton, Georgia, is an ideal location and a wonderful employment base for the new jobs this endeavor will create." Havertys currently operates 105 furniture showrooms in 68 cities across 14 southern and central states. With sales volume of more than $680 million, in 2000, Havertys ranks within the top 10 furniture retailers in America.