Simpson Door Co. has chosen Birmingham as the site of its first facility in the Southeast.
The company recently opened a 30,000-square-foot distribution center at 2700 Thirteenth Street in Ensley. This center is the 107-year-old company’s third facility and is the first one not in Washington state, where the company was founded in 1912.
Simpson Door Co., a manufacturer and supplier of high-end wooden doors, chose Birmingham for its central geographic location and easy access in the Southeastern region, adding three jobs and $35,000 in capital investment and landing it on the Birmingham Business Alliance’s New and Expanding Industry List from 2018.
The new facility was necessary to reach the company’s growing customer base in the Southeast and on the east coast in a more timely manner from Washington, said Brad Loveless, marketing manager for the company.
“The biggest reason for our new facility in Birmingham is logistics,” he said. “Having a warehouse in Birmingham logistically allows us to get products to the Southeast more efficiently, quicker and at a better price for customers. Any production facility that is close by logistically helps everyone throughout the channel, from the lumberyard all the way down to the homeowner.”
Though the average consumer might not know the manufacturer of their wooden doors, among contractors and builders Simpson Door Co., which employs 280 nationwide, is one of the biggest names in the business, Loveless said.
The Ensley facility – which mainly serves as a distribution center but also does light manufacturing – came online earlier this year and is already proving to be a good move for the company, Loveless said.
“We are starting to see success in having the facility in terms of profitability,” he said. “Based on the success of the facility, there’s always a chance for growth and the addition of more capabilities.”
Simpson Door Co.’s decision to build its first distribution center outside of its home base of Washington is a testament to the importance of Birmingham’s geographic proximity to the entire region, said Brian Jennings, vice president of economic development at the Birmingham Business Alliance.
“We are so pleased that Simpson Door Co. has selected Birmingham as its home in the southeastern U.S.,” Jennings said. “With its new Ensley location, the company is well-positioned to serve its expansive customer base due to Birmingham’s central location and unparalleled highway infrastructure.”