Kendall Electric to open large logistics facility in Vandalia

VANDALIA — Development is underway on a logistics and distribution facility for Michigan-based company Kendall Electric.

With four locations in Ohio, including one in downtown Dayton, Kendall Electric has plans including the construction of a 115,000-square-foot building for $19 million. Construction began this summer and is expected to be completed by spring 2023.

Earlier this year, the electrical distribution company submitted an application to the Montgomery County Economic Development/Government Equity (ED/GE) program, which awarded a $150,000 grant to assist in the expansion. The Vandalia Development Corporation contributed an additional $25,000 in funding.

The project will create about 60 new jobs, which include the relocation of 38 positions from the company’s Dayton location, according to application documents.

The new facility is being constructed on a nearly 14-acre plot that abuts Interstate 75, just south of Exit 63 and situated next to Adare Pharmaceuticals. The lot was previously vacant land.

Dayton plays a key role in the logistics industry, a specialization that is central to the region’s economy. This importance was underlined during the COVID-19 pandemic as e-commerce boomed and consumer products companies struggled to fill store shelves.

This development is part of an ongoing logistics boom in the area, a topic that has recently created a stir in Vandalia. In August, a developer stalled a proposal to build a large warehouse/office complex along the east end of Northwoods Boulevard in response to significant pushback from residents, who cited concerns regarding noise and effects on the environment.

Additionally, increased traffic congestion from the influx of trucks hauling goods for newly-located logistic companies, thousands of which through and around Vandalia on a daily basis, has lead to an $18 million plan to widen and reconstruct sections of Northwoods Boulevard, North Dixie Drive, and Lightner Road.

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