Mazda opens new parts distribution centre

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced the opening of the Chicago Parts Distribution Center (PDC). The new center, located in Aurora, will create 65 full-time jobs in the area as well as seasonal, part-time employment opportunities.

The facility, the last of four that MNAO open across the U.S. over the last year, will supply Mazda automotive parts to more than 125 dealers across the Midwest and Canada.

"Mazda is thrilled to expand our presence in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs with this new Parts Distribution Center," said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. "Once fully operational, this distribution center will enable us to fulfill orders quickly and efficiently to enhance customer service and satisfaction levels throughout the Midwest. We look to this facility to also reduce our carbon footprint through more efficient delivery planning and tracking, all of which are important Mazda commitments."

The 250,000-square-foot Aurora facility will supply more than $18 million in parts inventory to more than 125 dealers in the region and will serve as Mazda’s distribution center for domestically sourced parts.

The launch of the Chicago PDC is the last in a $20 million Parts Distribution Center Network Expansion that MNAO announced to its dealers in July 2010. The expansion created a network of seven Parts Distribution Centers in North America – five in the U.S. and two in Canada – and reinforces the company’s continued commitment to customer satisfaction. The facility is managed by Caterpillar Logistics a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc.