Gordon Food Service, Grand Rapids, Mich., announced plans to construct a new distribution center in Westfield, Ind. The proposed site for the company’s new 500,000-square-foot facility is located in the NorthPoint Business Park at the northwest corner of Grassy Branch Road and 196th Avenue.

Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2020, with a projected start-up in late 2021. The new facility will be semi-automated, using mini-loaders, mini-shuttles and conveyors designed to assist staff in moving products quickly and safely through the warehouse.

“Our roots are in the Midwest, where our business has steadily increased for decades, and we continue to grow by offering customers great service and an even wider range of products,” says Rich Wolowski, president and CEO. “We saw an opportunity to place a new distribution center in a strong, established market, giving us the ability to deliver more efficiently to our customers.”

The Westfield facility will be the company’s first in Indiana, and will serve customers in the Greater Indianapolis area.

“The Westfield facility will be outfitted with the latest technology and warehouse automation innovation,” says Dean Noble, chief operating officer. “The robotics and interior layout will greatly reduce manual labor and help ensure the accuracy of orders shipped to our customers.”

Prior to opening, the distribution center will employ more than 200 people.