Ace Hardware Corporation, the world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative, announced it will open a new Retail Support Center in Kansas City, creating 350 jobs. The 1.5 million-square-foot facility, projected to be fully operational in 2025, will increase the company’s inventory capacity and levels of service.
“We’re excited to add a world-renowned company like Ace Hardware to the growing list of businesses opening new facilities in Missouri,” said Governor Mike Parson. “Our state’s location in the center of the United States gives companies the ability to reach customers quickly. We’re proud to welcome Ace Hardware to Kansas City and look forward to watching its success in the region.”
Ace Hardware’s new Kansas City facility will balance its current distribution network and meet the needs of its growing retail landscape. In the last 10 years, the company has increased its retail sales by $12 billion. Ace Hardware has also experienced 11 consecutive years of new domestic store growth and opened 850 new stores in the past five years. Its network of distribution centers allows the company to offer best-in-category service and support to its retailers.
“We look forward to the construction of the new Retail Support Center in Kansas City, which will be a critical part of Ace Hardware’s robust supply chain,” said Lori Bossmann, Executive Vice President, and Chief Supply Chain Officer for Ace Hardware Corporation. “This new facility will allow Ace to accommodate its recent growth and sales volume, and it will prepare our company for future business opportunities. By strengthening our presence in the Midwest, Ace will be better positioned to fulfill deliveries more frequently, ensuring consistent service levels as new stores are opening within our network.”
Ace’s new facility in Missouri will be almost twice the size of its average RSC. It will be the first facility in the new KCI 29 Logistics Park, a 3,300-acre mega site assembled by Hunt Midwest. The company’s Kansas City RSC will also be equipped with state-of-the-art technology, automation, and warehouse management systems. Construction is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2023.
Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world, with more than 5,700 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 60 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, Ace, and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China, and Santa Catarina, Mexico. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and is known as the place with the helpful hardware folks.
To learn more about Ace Hardware, visit the Ace Hardware website.
