Braselton, GA – Two Japanese companies – Hitachi Power Tools (HPT) and sports equipment maker Mizuno USA – have announced plans to relocate some or all of their North American operations to the northeast Georgia community of Braselton.
HPT said it will relocate its headquarters there later this year “to consolidate warehouses on the east coast, improve workplace efficiency as well as prepare for expected future growth.”
The company will operate out of a new 540,000-square foot facility featuring a state-of-the-art cross dock facility with access to both the north and southbound I-85 Highway and the newly rerouted State Route 124.
HPT, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Hitachi Ltd., manufactures professional grade power tools and accessories for woodworking, metalworking, drilling and fastening, concrete drilling and cutting, outdoor power equipment products, as well as a complete line of pneumatic nailers, staplers, compressors and collated fasteners.
“This new location is ideal to maximize warehousing efficiency and provide the over 100 current Hitachi employees with a professional work environment in an exciting area of Georgia that is experiencing its own growth and development,” the company said.
By the end of this year, Mizuno USA will relocate all of its distribution and manufacturing operations to a new 520,000 square-foot facility “that will significantly increase the current supply chain footprint to meet emerging and future supply chain needs.”
“Mizuno USA has seen strong growth, tripling sales since 2000,” said Bob Puccini, President of Mizuno USA, Inc. and Director of Mizuno Corporation. “Our growth expectations are even higher for the next five years with award-winning innovations and increased spending in brand marketing initiatives. This investment is a critical next step for our business to be able to service the omni-channel supply needs of our customers and consumers.”
The new facility will merge the company’s two distribution facilities to service all Mizuno USA divisions, including running, golf, and team sports, and relocate its golf manufacturing center from Norcross, Georgia, increasing its custom golf club production capabilities two-fold.
Current Mizuno employees will transition to the new facility later this year following renovations to the new facility.
The distribution center will have 150 full time positions and bring seasonal work opportunities starting in 2015, while the company’s US corporate offices will remain in Norcross.
06/26/2014