'American Tire Distributors' to open warehouse in Poconos

By: Brianna Strunk
A cold, windy day didn't stop crews from working on their latest venture within 'New Ventures Park' in Blakeslee.

They're building a one-million square-foot distribution center for American Tire Distributors, a North Carolina-based company serving the United States and Canada. It's expected to open this October.

Henry Steinberg is with the development group leading the $70 million dollar project.

"So they bring the tires into the warehouse, re-sort them based on customer orders, send them out to regional, smaller distribution facilities which then go out to the places where the everyday consumer buys their tires," explains Henry Steinberg, Exeter Property Group.

This creates 80 permanent jobs in management and warehouse operations, plus 120 construction jobs.

"What that is, we're not only creating jobs here in Tobyhanna Township, but creating a quality of life that helps stimulate the job creation," says John Jablowski, Tobyhanna Township Manager.

The project's happening next to another new project; a travel plaza right off Interstate 80. Jablowski adds, "and we have a lot of plans on the drawing board to continue that growth here."

State Representative Jack Rader says new development helps keep unemployment numbers down, locally. "I want to spur economic development, spur job creation, good jobs. And try to get more jobs in the area, and that's what we're trying to do here," says State Representative Jack Rader, 176th District.

There's no word yet when American Tire Distributors will begin taking applications, or how much the jobs will pay.

www.omegare.com