Civic, business leaders help Meyer Corp. open new automated warehouse in Fairfield

Civic, business leaders help Meyer Corp. open new automated warehouse



By Sarah de Crescenzo | Daily Republic | August 19, 2010 18:08

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An automatic rail system moves pallets of cookware at the opening of the Meyer Corporation's new automated warehouse on Thursday. Photo by Robinson Kuntz

FAIRFIELD - Local VIPs praised the new automated warehouse and distribution center recently completed by cookware giant Meyer Corp. at its grand opening ceremony today, saying it will keep jobs and money in the community.

The newly constructed building stands 100 feet tall, covers 165,000 square feet and can house 66,000 pallets of kitchen products -- doubling the speed and volume of the company's shipping capabilities.

More than 100 government officials and business representatives took a tour of the facility and witnessed a demonstration of the center's storage and handling capabilities.

'You really have put together an impressive facility here,' Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Creek, said. 'What's more impressive is that you are keeping jobs in this area -- we need that.'

Garamendi was one of a number of local politicians in attendance, including Solano County supervisors Jim Spering, Linda Seifert and John Vasquez, and Fairfield City Councilman Rick Vacarro.

Vacarro gave a short speech listing a number of other businesses making investments in Fairfield and thanking Meyer Corp. for being among them. He called the company a 'formidable partner' that has been working with the city since the early 1990s.

Meyer CEO Stanley Cheng described the center's design to the assembled guests and said the facility would assure his company's continued growth in the U.S. It is currently the largest cookware company in the nation. . .

Due to its automated nature, the building was built up -- rather than out -- and is 11 stories high. Its square footage would be 750,000 were it a traditional-style warehouse, he said.

The building has minimal lighting needs due to skylights and extensive automation. Plans have already been drawn up for a solar installation that would cover the energy needs of the new building entirely, Cheng said.

The warehouse is at 2001 Meyer Way.

Reach Sarah de Crescenzo at 427-6935 or sarahdc@dailyrepublic.net.