News January 30, 2024
S&S Activewear Aims To Open New Distribution Center in Pennsylvania
The Top 40 supplier will be relocating its current New Jersey-based operations to the facility in Reading, PA, about an hour’s drive from a new UPS “Superhub.”
S&S Activewear (asi/84358) plans to set up shop in the Keystone State.
The Illinois-headquartered Top 40 promotional products supplier is working toward opening a new distribution center in Reading, PA, a city about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
As part of the move, S&S plans to shutter a facility it currently operates in New Jersey.
The distribution center in Reading will be about 650,000 square feet – approximately 175,000 square feet larger than the Garden State plant. That will allow for the housing of more inventory, executives said.
“This transition, expected to be completed in Q1 of 2025, is a significant step in our journey to enhance our services and capabilities,” said Marc Vitulli, chief marketing officer at S&S, a multi-billion-dollar supplier.
S&S has a North America-wide footprint, with facilities located in strategic locations throughout the U.S. and in Canada, a positioning the firm says helps provide fast fulfillment to different geographic markets. The forthcoming Pennsylvania facility further bolsters S&S’s distribution network, executives said.
“Our new location in PA positions us ideally for better shipping coverage and efficiency,” the company said in a communication to customers. “This move enhances our ability to serve you faster and more effectively, especially with our proximity to the new UPS Superhub.”
S&S said it’s working to bring innovations to the new distribution center, including processes powered by automation technology and eco-consciousness in building design, with elements like high-efficiency lighting and water. The company could reveal more details on technology and sustainability initiatives as the opening date nears.
While the Reading distribution center isn’t expected to open for another year, S&S Activewear wanted to keep customers informed about the coming change. “We’re dedicated to a smooth transition and continuous improvement of our services,” Vitulli said.
Over the last decade-and-a-half, S&S Activewear has grown from a strong regional supplier in the Midwest into an apparel-providing powerhouse that does business throughout North America. The firm ranked second on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry based on estimated 2022 North American promotional product revenue of $2.1 billion.