HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A company is moving into an industrial park in our area bringing hundreds of jobs with it.
True Value announced it will be opening a distribution center in Hanover Township.
The business supplies independent hardware stores.
The facility will be about 1 million square feet. It is the first distribution center the company has built in more than 30 years.
"It'll improve our customer service, so we already had industry-leading fill rates. It'll help bring them to a higher level as well as provide more flexibility and room and expansion for growth as they grow in their communities," said True Value representative James Harrington.
True Value announced its plans to move into the Hanover 9 industrial park near Nanticoke, which is also still under construction, during a news conference with state and local leaders.
"It's critical for us. A large portion of our business comes out of the Northeast region, and this will service over 1,000 retailers that we support in the Northeast," said Harrington.
True Value is investing $150 million in the project, which will bring hundreds of jobs to the area.
"They're going to ramp up quickly. The building is being built as we speak, and they hope to occupy this year. They will be aggressively recruiting new employees," said State Sen. John Yudichak, (D) 14th District.
True Value says it wanted to build here because of how close it is to the interstates, but people we spoke with who live in the area say they're worried about increased traffic.
"I worry about the condition of the roads because they're already kind of beaten up, but I do hope that it brings more business into the area," said Jacqueline DeLucca, a worker at Grateful Roast Café.
Sen. Yudichak's office says the recently built South Valley Parkway will help alleviate traffic on local roads. He says it was specifically built to bring in this type of economic development.
Workers at businesses near the project say they're already seeing more customers.
"I think some of the construction workers come and get lunch a lot of times, so I'd imagine the workers would, too, especially for a cup of coffee even," DeLucca said.
The distribution center is still under construction. It is expected to open in the fall.