Friant & Associates, manufacturer of office furniture inaugurates its state-of-the art manufacturing and distribution facility located at 1010 CenterPoint Drive in Suffolk. The event was hosted by CenterPoint Properties. Mayor Linda T. Johnson, company executives, local officials and business partners were on hand to celebrate the facility’s grand opening.
“With this new facility, we will be able to better serve our growing base of East Coast customers and increase efficiencies throughout the entire company,” said Paul Friant, founder and CEO, Friant & Associates. “Working hand-in-hand with the state and local government and our business associates, we’re confident of our expansion plans and are proud to be actively joining this community by adding 166 new jobs and developing more local partnerships.”
The new 357,000 square foot facility was built from the ground up and will leverage all of the benefits the close proximity to the Port of Virginia offers, including increased efficiencies from port to manufacturing to shipping and significantly better shipping lead times. The overall investment is $17.4 million dollars.
Friant & Associates will be operating with state-of-the-art technology, such as CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) machinery and automated manufacturing advancements, including “lights off” capabilities that enable the facility to offer the highest value and quality office furniture products available with faster production and shipping times.
“CenterPoint Intermodal Center – Suffolk offers 5.8 million square feet built-to-suit Class A distribution and warehousing space and provides a two-day delivery window to the entire East Coast, enhancing supply chain connectivity for distributors,” said Bob Harbour, Senior Vice President, Development of CenterPoint. “We are confident Friant & Associates’ first East Coast facility at CenterPoint will provide multiple channels of distribution that meet its customers’ demanding delivery requirements and help to reduce transportation-related costs.”’
“Friant & Associates and CenterPoint Properties are making an enormous contribution to CenterPoint Intermodal Center and to the Warehousing/Distribution and Advanced Manufacturing industry sectors that are rapidly transforming Suffolk,” noted Suffolk Mayor Linda T. Johnson. “As Friant & Associates brings their East Coast operations to CenterPoint, they are the first with a manufacturing element. They join a new and strong group of businesses that continue to enhance Suffolk’s overall economic growth.”
To demonstrate their ongoing commitment of the local business community, Friant & Associates and CenterPoint are jointly making a generous donation to the Logistics Scholarship fund at the Paul D. Camp Community College’s Supply Chain Program, where students gain training in warehouse and manufacturing facility jobs, such as those to be offered by Friant & Associates.
About Friant
Headquartered in Oakland, California and founded in 1990, Friant & Associates designs and manufactures innovative and customizable high-end office systems at affordable prices. The company offers several complete office furniture lines, including private, semi-private and benching workstations, casegoods, conference tables, reception stations, as well as, chairs, tables, storage and custom manufacturing to meet individual office environment needs. With manufacturing facilities in Oakland, California and Suffolk, Virginia, the privately held company serves U.S. and international markets through a network of more than 500 dealers. For more information, please visit www.friant.com.
About CenterPoint
CenterPoint Properties is focused on the development, acquisition and management of industrial property and transportation infrastructure that enhances business and government supply chain efficiency. The company invests in major coastal and inland port logistics markets anchoring North America's principal freight lanes.
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