Bennett International Opens Semi-Automated Warehouse in Georgia
Bennett International Group celebrated the grand opening of a new warehouse for Deere & Co. in Grovetown, Georgia, on Oct. 25.
The semi-automated warehouse covers 524,700 square feet and was built next door to a John Deere factory where it constructs mowers, tractors and other landscaping, forestry and construction equipment. Bennett Distribution Services, a division of the motor carrier, will operate the facility from a 2,500-square-foot office in the complex. Hoback Investments helped finance the construction of the building.
“We are very excited about the new warehouse, especially its proximity to our plants,” said Mary Pat Tubb, factory manager for John Deere, Augusta. “We are grateful to BDS and Hoback for the vision they had to make a step function change in technology and warehouse management along with the consolidation.”
“Currently, we’re operating 3PL services for John Deere in five buildings spread out in a 20-mile radius,” said Danny Lowry, CEO of Bennett Distribution Services. “Consolidating our client’s services to one location allows us to provide improved operating efficiencies, increased capacity and the ability to improve manufacturing operations for John Deere.”
The warehouse has 90 docks and 180-foot-wide truck courts on both sides of the building. Bennett will store parts for John Deere and also use trucks to transport finished products back to the warehouse and manage the distribution.
Bennett International, based in McDonough, Georgia, ranks No. 68 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.
