MARKHAM, ONTARIO — Canadian specialty pet food and supplies retailer Pet Valu Holdings Ltd. announced the opening of its new 350,000-square-foot, LEED Gold certified distribution center in Surrey, British Columbia on Sept. 6. The new distribution center is three times the size of the company’s existing warehouse. The addition of this new facility is a key component of the company’s $100 million supply chain transformation providing additional growth and enhanced service to stores in Western Canada, according to the company.

“Our new Surrey DC (distribution center) represents the second pillar of our supply chain transformation, and another key achievement of our cross-functional teams, whose careful balance of rigorous planning and iterative learning have kept this multi-year project on time and on budget,” said Richard Maltsbarger, chief executive officer of Pet Valu. 

The Surrey facility is the second largest pet specialty distribution center in Canada, with Pet Valu’s 670,000-square-foot center in Brampton, Ontario, being the largest. The new distribution center is expected to bring 150 jobs to Surrey.

Design features of the new facility include an advanced warehouse management system and modernized machine handling equipment, safety systems and security systems. Other features designed to benefit employees include a meal room, training space, a driver’s lounge, prayer and ablution rooms, and first aid facilities.

Pet Valu distribution centerSource: Wales McLelland

“Pet Valu continues to set a high bar for pet specialty distribution capabilities in Canada,” said Nico Weidel, chief supply chain officer at Pet Valu. “The advanced, modern processes and systems at each of our new distribution centres provide improved product availability, faster order processing, and enhanced customer service levels for stores and e-commerce customers alike in a safe, spacious environment that supports the needs of our modern workforce.”

As part of Pet Valu’s ongoing energy and emissions management efforts, the distribution center will utilize two electric trucks as part of its delivery fleet which will prevent the use of more than 25,000 liters (6,600 gallons) of diesel fuel per vehicle each year.

The company is currently scaling down its use of its legacy distribution center and storage facility in the metro Vancouver region and expect to have the Surrey distribution center fully operational by the fourth quarter of 2024. Shipping and receiving at the new facility will be conducted using an advanced manual process until it can transition to an automated piece-pick operation in 2026. 

“This new facility embodies Pet Valu’s commitment to Our Four Paws service model, designed to emphasize safety, compassion, expertise and efficiency” Maltsbarger said. “Following several years of heightened investments, we are now entering the final stretch of our transformation, after which we will have Canada’s strongest pet specialty distribution network as the backbone to propel Pet Valu’s continued profitable growth over the next decade.”

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