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A warehouse that has sat empty for years is now getting new life breathed into it all the while bringing economic benefits to the county.

Custom Made Inventory (CMI), a l packaging solutions company opened its fourth warehouse facility in Drakes Branch recently. The warehouse, located at 635 WestPoint Stevens Rd., is the former WestPoint Stevens textile plant. 

According to Nicole Jordan, Marketing Coordinator with CMI, the property is being converted to warehouse space. “There will be over 350,000sq ft of warehouse space by June 2024,” Jordan said.

As for the number of jobs the new facility will bring, Jordan says that will be a while. 

“We have not started the hiring process yet,” she said. “The current workforce out there is from our other warehouse locations but we look to start hiring in the next few months.”

Jordan said the Drakes Branch location was chosen for its distribution opportunities. “This colossal space is designed to accommodate up to 70,000 pallets or the equivalent of 2300+ truckloads, providing a robust solution for the evolving needs”

HOW WILL THE NEW FACILITY BENEFIT THE TOWN?

The Charlotte Gazette reached out to both Noah Davis, Board of Supervisor member representing the Drakes Branch District and town mayor Phillip Jackson. 

While Davis did not respond to questions, Mayor Jackson told the Gazette in an email, “The new owner is not ready to make a statement at this time.”

In 2013, CMI, then a printing company, was approached by the president of PDQ restaurants with a unique packaging dilemma: they needed custom-sized boxes for their chicken tenders, a need unmet by his food service provider and impractical for manufacturers due to high minimum orders. 

According to Jordan, seizing this opportunity, CMI stepped in to bridge the gap, offering tailored manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and supply chain insights. 

This marked CMI’s transformation from a printing specialist to a full-service packaging provider.