The Webstaurant Store, LLC will invest $103.9 million to locate new distribution operations in Speedway Industrial Park in Lebanon, Tennessee. The Lancaster, PA-based company’s expansion project will create 225 new jobs in Wilson County.
The Lebanon facility will be the company’s newest plant and largest investment in automation and infrastructure to date. Once operational, it will utilize automated packing machines and work alongside the company’s current distribution operations in Georgia and Kentucky to target increased demand for restaurant, industrial and other office supplies and equipment in the Midwestern U.S.
“We are excited to continue the expansion of our distribution network with our newest facility in the state of Tennessee,” said Caleb Clugston, vice president of network optimization, The Webstaurant Store, LLC. “Our facility, located in Lebanon, will be our largest investment in automation and infrastructure in the company’s history. The labor pool and skilled logistics workforce of the greater Lebanon, Tennessee area made our decision easy when selecting our next site for distribution. We look forward to continued growth and positively impacting the community, as well as the State of Tennessee, for many years to come.”
The Webstaurant Store, LLC is one of the largest online restaurant supply companies. It specializes in distributing commercial equipment and wholesale supplies around the globe from its operations in Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania and soon, Tennessee.
“Companies continue to invest in Tennessee because of our state’s exceptional workforce and unmatched business climate,” commented Governor Bill Lee. “I thank Webstaurant for its commitment to create 225 new jobs for the Tennesseans across Wilson County and welcome this great brand to the Volunteer State.”
Since 2019, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) has supported 15 economic development projects in Wilson County, resulting in nearly 5,600 job commitments and $1.1 billion in capital investment.
“Tennessee’s central location and pro-business climate attract top-tier companies like Webstaurant to the state,” said TNECD Commissioner Stuart McWhorter. “We appreciate Webstaurant’s significant investment and believe Lebanon and Wilson County have the infrastructure and workforce needed to support this company’s new distribution operations.”
Dongwha Electrolyte Picks TN For First U.S. Plant
In Montgomery County, South Korean electrolyte manufacturer Dongwha Electrolyte USA Inc. will locate its first U.S. facility in Tennessee. The company will invest more than $70 million and create 68 new jobs in Clarksville.
Dongwha Electrolyte’s Clarksville operations will better position the company to serve electric vehicle lithium battery producers across the Southeast while also supporting its growing customer demand for electrolyte and other electronic materials.
“We are enthusiastic to participate in this journey of achieving 50-percent of electric vehicle shares by 2030 together with our customers in North America,” said SiJoon Lee, group CEO of Dongwha Electrolyte USA Inc. “The 80,000 tons of electrolyte capacity will provide the best electrochemical technologies into the market to achieve this goal. We appreciate the strong support from the State of Tennessee and Montgomery County to realize this investment.”
A subsidiary of South Korean-based Dongwha Enterprise Co., Ltd., Dongwha Electrolyte USA produces high-performance and high-stability electrolytes used in lithium batteries. Since 2017, companies have pledged to create more than 12,000 new jobs and invested approximately $16 billion in the state through EV-related projects.
South Korea is one of Tennessee’s top 10 countries for foreign direct investment. South Korean companies have invested $5.4 billion and employ more than 6,600 people across the state.
“Tennessee continues to lead the automotive industry, thanks to our unmatched business climate and skilled workforce,” said Gov. Lee. “I thank this company for choosing Tennessee as its first U.S. location and creating high-quality jobs for Tennesseans across Montgomery County.”
Since 2019, TNECD has supported nearly 20 economic development projects in Montgomery County, resulting in approximately 3,800 job commitments and $4.4 billion in capital investment.
“We are proud to welcome Dongwha Electrolyte to Tennessee,” commented McWhorter. “Companies always have a choice in where they choose to invest and do business, and today’s announcement highlights another significant global brand that has chosen to place its trust in our state and exceptional business climate, which will further amplify Dongwha Electrolyte’s success in the electric vehicle industry.”