CHEMUNG, N.Y. — With a gathering of federal and New York state officials on hand, CVS Caremark Corp. this week held a grand opening for a 751,000-square-foot distribution center in Chemung, N.Y., that serves about 350 CVS/pharmacy stores in the Northeast.
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(Left to right) Sen. Charles Schumer, CVS/pharmacy Chemung distribution center director Perry Lundberg and CVS Caremark CEO Larry Merlo at the grand opening of the 751,000-square-foot facility. |
Among those appearing at the ribbon-cutting event and tour of the distribution center, which opened for business in June, were CVS Caremark president and chief executive officer Larry Merlo and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.), U.S. Rep. Thomas Reed (R., N.Y.) New York Lieutenant Gov. Robert Duffy, New York State Sen. Thomas O’Mara (R.) and New York State Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R.).
Representing an investment of approximately $90 million, the facility will employ more than 300 people by the end of this year and a total of 600 people when it reaches full capacity, according to CVS Caremark.
"Our Chemung distribution center is supporting the expanding distribution needs of our retail stores and is an important part of our company’s overall growth," Merlo said in a statement. "The 600 jobs we are creating here is part of our hiring effort for more than 5,000 positions around the country and across all areas of CVS Caremark’s business over the next 12 months."
Organizations recognized for their support included Southern Tier Economic Growth, the Chemung County Industrial Development Agency, Empire State Development, the New York State Office of Community Renewal, the New York State Electric and Gas Corp., and the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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Federal, state and local officials at the ribbon-cutting event noted that the new CVS facility will provide an economic boost with hundreds of new jobs. |
Commented Schumer, "This new CVS Distribution Center in Chemung is just what the doctor ordered for the Southern Tier economy. This $90 million facility is set to create 600 good-paying jobs, all while putting the Southern Tier at the center of CVS’ operations in the Northeast. I am thrilled and honored to be part of this incredible event today, which is sure to refill jobs and breathe new life into the region."
CVS Caremark noted that the Chemung distribution center also is New York’s largest industrial building to be certified Gold by LEED, the nation’s leading green building certification program, as well as one of the nation’s 10 biggest industrial buildings to receive that certification.
"CVS/pharmacy’s Chemung Distribution Center is a great example of a public-private partnership that benefits the entire region," stated Ron Link, senior vice president of supply chain and logistics at CVS Caremark. "Not only are we creating 600 new jobs in the Southern Tier of New York, but more than 90 New York-based businesses received work over the last two years from the construction of our facility and the installation of equipment."
