Investment joins two other expansion projects Buffalo Trace completed this month
Frankfort, Ky. – Buffalo Trace Distillery has completed the construction of its 83,000 s.f. revolutionary new distribution center, which uses satellite technology to store and retrieve pallets of finished goods. Buffalo Trace Distillery is believed to be the first spirits supplier to use this system, called an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS).
The AS/RS occupies 46,574 s.f. inside the distribution center and contains three storage and retrieval machines (or cranes) which operate in three aisles, serving storage lanes five deep, and storing pallets six levels high. The cranes are each wrapped in Buffalo Trace’s logo, and have been named Albert, George, and Edmund in honor of Buffalo Trace’s founding fathers, Albert Blanton, George T. Stagg and Edmund Haynes (or “E. H.”) Taylor.
The new distribution center connects to Buffalo Trace’s existing distribution center, making the total square footage of the center now 134,840 s.f. The new addition was artistically designed in keeping with the existing look and feel of the existing buildings on the 224-year-old campus, making it look like it has been in place for quite some time rather than brand new.
“We’re pleased our business has grown enough to support the need for this new highly advanced distribution center,” said Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer of Buffalo Trace Distillery. “We look forward to being able to serve our customers in a more efficient manner and having the capacity for even further growth in the future.”
Gray Construction, a nationally ranked design-build contractor, was responsible for the design and construction of the distribution center and Westfalia Technologies, Inc., installed the AS/RS.
This $20 million investment is part of parent company Sazerac’s $71 million investment in the state of Kentucky at its three distilleries: The Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro is receiving a new 223,000 s.f. distribution center which should be completed later this year or early 2016, and the Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown added new equipment to improve production capacity. In addition to Sazerac’s $71 million investment, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) granted tax incentives totaling approximately $7.4 million between the three Sazerac sites.
This is the third construction project Buffalo Trace has completed this month, in early July a 5,500 s.f. expansion of its Visitor Center was unveiled, which contained event space which includes four tasting bars. Also in early July, the Distillery opened its refurbished Old Taylor House, which dates back to the late 1700s and is the oldest residential property in Franklin County.
Add Comment