On March 23, Uponor opened its new 285,000-square-foot distribution center in Twin Cities suburb Lakeville, Minn. The new building houses Uponor’s primary North American distribution operations.

The company is applying for LEED® certification for the center; it features many sustainable building solutions including Uponor’s own radiant floor heating and cooling in the office areas as well as snow and ice melting in the sidewalks and dock ramps outside.

North American Executive Vice President Anders Tollsten announced that Uponor is “very excited” for the opportunities this new facility offers the manufacturer. “The efficient design helps us continue our strategy for enhancing our distribution network serving the North American market as well as meet our goals of becoming a more green, sustainable company,” he said.

The build-to-suit facility is larger than Uponor’s former distribution center in Burnsville, Minn., and features a more efficient design that offers 30 percent more cubic volume for greater storage space. It is also a more productive layout for employees who support areas in shipping, receiving, operations, customer service and supply chain.