Company Website: http://www.lawsonproducts.com
DES PLAINES, Ill. -- (Business Wire)

Lawson Products (NASDAQ: LAWS) announced plans today to lease a new, state-of-the-art Midwest packaging and distribution center in McCook, Illinois. The facility will be constructed and owned by CenterPoint Properties, a leading national industrial real estate and development firm. The company also announced that it will relocate its corporate headquarters to a leased facility in the City of Chicago.

“We have spent the past several years investing in our business transformation, building a solid platform for the sustained growth of Lawson,” commented Lawson CEO Tom Neri. “When our new packaging and distribution center is completed and our headquarters are relocated, we will further improve operating efficiencies that will help us achieve our vision to be our customers’ first choice for maintenance, repair, and operating solutions.”

Neri added: “We are especially pleased to stay here in Illinois, where we can retain much of our current team, and continue to have access to a highly skilled labor force. We considered locating to neighboring states, but we worked with the State of Illinois and found the Governor's office to be very accommodating and supportive of our business needs."

“We have many intrinsic assets that make Illinois extremely competitive in terms of locating or growing a business,” said Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Warren Ribley. “By continuing to invest in areas such as infrastructure and worker training, and reforming the state’s business policies, we will continue to keep highly-successful companies like Lawson investing in Illinois and creating jobs for the future.”

New Packaging and Distribution Center

The newly constructed packaging and distribution center that Lawson will lease offers the company many benefits. Distribution and Logistics Vice President Shane McCarthy explained how it will enhance Lawson’s position in the market: “Through our dedicated sales force, Lawson provides our customers with technical solutions that improve the efficiency of their maintenance, repair, and operations, resulting in cost savings for them. With our new facility, we will continue to meet their needs with better shipping options, improved inventory management, and a host of other improvements.”

Some of the enhancements of the new facility include the following:

• Improved technology and combined space that will reduce order processing times and increase order fulfillment rates.
• Combined inbound and packaging operations in one distribution center, resulting in better product availability.
• Increased efficiencies and cost savings from one, centralized warehouse and distribution center in the Midwest.
• Greater customer shipping options, particularly given the facility’s proximity to a UPS hub.

The new packaging and distribution center will be built in McCook, Illinois. It is expected that a majority of the teams from Lawson’s current facilities in Des Plaines, Vernon Hills, and Addison will work in the new state-of-the-art center.

Lawson was represented by Colliers, as the leasing agent for the McCook facility. ARCO-Murray will design and build the new facility and serve as general contractor.

New Headquarters

With the warehouse and packaging center consolidation, it was no longer cost efficient to maintain corporate operations in the Des Plaines location. Corporate headquarters will be relocated to the City of Chicago in late spring early summer, 2012. After evaluating several options for the location of the new headquarters, Neri explained: “Ultimately, it was an easy decision. We have selected a building with improved infrastructure and an array of amenities that will deliver an ideal work environment for our employees.”

The new headquarters also offers the advantages of the City of Chicago, such as proximity to major expressways and public transit while maintaining a very reasonable commute for the current Lawson corporate staff. Providing the best possible professional atmosphere for our team was a top priority for the new corporate headquarters.

"Lawson Products has deep roots in Chicago, and as the company evolves, there's no better place for transforming their business than in the most business-friendly city in the nation," said Mayor Emanuel. "I am pleased that Lawson Products will be bringing 400 jobs to the City of Chicago. Lawson Products understands that Chicago offers unique advantages in terms of infrastructure, public transportation, and quality of workforce, and they are capitalizing on these to advance their business interests."

Lawson was represented by Studley, Inc. as leasing agent for the Chicago location.

About Lawson Products

Founded in 1952, Lawson Products, Inc. (NASDAQ:LAWS), is an industrial distributor of more than 300,000 different maintenance and repair supplies, including fasteners, specialty chemicals, cutting tools, abrasives, electrical, fluid power, welding, battery maintenance, safety products, and storage systems. Lawson Products serves its customers through a dedicated team of 1,100 experienced field sales agents and approximately 900 employees. The company services the industrial, institutional, commercial and government markets in all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information on Lawson Products, visit the company’s website, www.lawsonproducts.com.

Contacts:

Media Contact:
Carolyn Ballard, Lawson Products
847-769-9805 (cell); 847-827-9666, ext. 2251 (office)
Carolyn.ballard@lawsonproducts.com

Source: Lawson Products