Makita builds big, new facility in Reno
Makita U.S.A., Inc. continues to set a fast pace with more products, more infrastructure and more jobs. And in a year that marks 50 years in the U.S.A., Makita has expanded its distribution, training and service capabilities with a new 600,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility in Reno, Nev.
It increases Makita’s operational ability to meet growing market demand with nation-wide 2-day ground coverage, so customers receive products faster.
“Makita is focused on leading innovation and engineering, as well as training and after-sales service,” said Joe Blackwell, vice president operations. “These are cornerstones that go back to the earliest days of the company, and the addition of the new Reno facility is focused on fulfilling these promises. Makita is looking forward and we are committed to serving our valued customers.”
The new Reno facility, a $50 million investment, is the company’s fifth in the U.S. and follows the recent opening of a similar facility in the Dallas region. Makita recently opened Reno with a soft launch. It will be fully on-line this fall.
The Reno facility is located on nearly 50 acres of land with 600,000 square feet of warehouse space fully equipped with operational capabilities. It’s the latest addition to Makita’s distribution chain which includes operations in Wilmer, Texas; Mt. Prospect, Ill., and Buford, Ga., as well as the Makita U.S.A. home office and distribution center in La Mirada, Calif. The Buford facility includes a manufacturing and assembly plant, which is one of ten Makita manufacturing facilities worldwide.
The new facility also includes a detached 28,000 square foot state-of-the-art training center. It is Makita’s fourth in the U.S. and will offer tailored curriculum and hands-on training. Makita trainers can utilize adjacent outdoor space equipped with infrastructure to run Makita’s expanding line of outdoor power equipment.
For dealer partners, training will focus on increasing their knowledge of Makita’s technologies and empowering them to match a solution to their customers. For professional users, the focus is application-driven with instruction showing the right accessories and the right tools for the job with an emphasis on proper use for increased productivity and profitability.
A new Factory Service Center is targeted to open in late fall 2020. It will be the latest addition to Makita’s national service network, and will be four-times larger in square footage than any other Makita Service Center in the U.S.A.
“The new facility addresses increasing demand that we’re seeing across all product categories including construction, cordless outdoor power equipment, automotive and janitorial-sanitation,” said Blackwell. “But even during construction in Reno we were still looking forward. The open space adjacent to the building is shovel-ready for planned future expansion.”