20130821_aerial_CIP_002-ppt

Sunlight Supply Inc. plans to build its national corporate headquarters at the port’s Centennial Industrial Park. The light-industrial property features 58 ready-to-build acres and 50 adjacent acres for future development.

VANCOUVER, Wash. – The Port of Vancouver USA Board of Commissioners on Feb. 10 unanimously approved selling 18.9 acres of prime light-industrial property to Sunlight Supply Inc./National Garden Wholesale.

The Vancouver-based company and port tenant is planning to build a 285,000-square-foot facility at the port’s Centennial Industrial Park. The facility would be Sunlight’s corporate headquarters with a mix of manufacturing, warehouse and office space.

“There are so many good things about this,” said board President Nancy Baker. “This is a huge investment by Sunlight in the port – $23 million – and we’re helping keep 253 people working here in our community and retaining a local business. I’m very pleased.”

Sunlight is currently operating out of five separate facilities across Southwest Washington, including a 90,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility leased from the port. Tuesday’s decision by the board allows the company to consolidate facilities and increase efficiencies, and bring all of its local employees together in the same building for the first time since 2004.

The new facility also gives Sunlight room to expand, and founder/owner Craig Hargreaves anticipates growth in 2015.

“Our company grew 21 percent last year and…in the month of January we were up 28 percent over January of ‘14,” Hargreaves said. “So with that growth tends to come additional staff members: customer service people, shipping and receiving staff, and manufacturing staff.

“It is growth-dependent. If we continue to grow, staff members will be added to facilitate that growth.”

The Columbia River Economic Development Council (CREDC) has been working with the port and Sunlight for more than a year to help facilitate the company’s continued presence in the region. During public comment Tuesday, CREDC President Mike Bomar praised both organizations for their hard work to keep Sunlight and its employees in Southwest Washington.

“Sunlight Supply does fall squarely into…one of the target sectors we’ve identified in our 2011 Economic Development Plan,” said Bomar. “I appreciate and thank the port staff for working to keep these jobs in the region…we appreciate (Sunlight’s) interest in staying in Clark County.”

The port and Sunlight plan to finalize the sale of property this spring. Facility construction could begin this summer, with operations expected to begin in late 2015.

Centennial Industrial Park
Ideal for light industry, advanced manufacturing and supply chain support, the 108-acre Centennial Industrial Park features 58 shovel-ready acres and 50 adjacent acres for future development. CIP was made possible by $5.7 million grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Jobs Now Act 2012, which allowed the Port of Vancouver to move forward with infrastructure improvements.

– POV –

The Port of Vancouver USA is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast, and its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a skilled labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community. For more information, please visit us at www.portvanusa.com.