Did You Hear?… TNF consolidates distribution into new Visalia facility

As of May, The North Face officially opened its new one million-square-foot, centralized distribution facility in Visalia, Calif., serving The North Face, Reef and Vans brands. Processing of orders began in June and shipments to retailers for the fall product line began in July. With over seven miles of conveyor belts and 300 to 350 employees, the facility is capable of handling up to one million units per week, SNEWS® was told. As one facility was opening, though, another was closing — the 240,000-square-foot Lenexa, Kan., distribution center. The North Face opened the Kansas facility in 1999, one year before the company was acquired by VF Corp. The Kansas distribution center employed 100 and will officially close by the end of July, when the lease for the building ends.