Nebraska-based Warren Distribution Inc. last month announced plans to build its third lubricant blending plant – a 250,000-square-foot facility along the Ohio River in northern West Virginia.
We have customers in that part of the country, and we can serve them better if we have manufacturing facilities in that area, Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert N. Schlott told Lube Report. Weve had good growth the last several years, and this is necessary to continue that growth.
Warren is headquartered in Omaha, Neb., and manufactures automotive lubricants, chemicals – sold as private label and under its own brands – as well as plastic bottles used in packaging its products. Its two existing plants are located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and in Guntersville, Ala. The latter was built in 2002.
The new plant will be located in Glen Dale in West Virginias northern panhandle. The building already exists, but Warren must equip it for blending operations and build a tank farm. Warren declined to disclose the cost of the project, but West Virginias Development Office said the company will invest $13 million. The plant is scheduled to be fully operational by early 2007 and will employ approximately 46 people.
Schlott said Warren has managed to grow in the competitive motor oil market by making its business more efficient.
We have an outstanding group of people who are relentless about taking waste out of our systems, he said.