INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – Kichler Lighting LLC today announced strategic plans to reposition its business for a dynamic future. Changes include an employee-supported shift to a flexible work culture with a reimagined Northeast Ohio headquarters facility, the closure of the company’s Independence, Ohio-based distribution center, and the addition of a new strategic distribution model and facility in Eastern Pennsylvania. These changes are being undertaken to provide optimal support for Kichler Lighting’s internal and external partners in this evolving marketplace.
Kichler Lighting Flexible Workforce
Many Kichler Lighting employees have been working remotely, with significant success, since the start of the pandemic. Productivity has remained constant, and employees have indicated a preference for this new way of working.
“The events of the past year have provided a unique opportunity to test remote work – and we’ve seen that the company operates quite effectively,” said Irene Tasi, President, Kichler Lighting. “We firmly believe making a permanent change to a flexible workforce will help Kichler Lighting attract and retain top talent locally and beyond, as well as increase our company’s competitive edge.”
With this change, Kichler Lighting will relocate its headquarters within the greater Cleveland area from Independence, Ohio, to Solon, Ohio. The Solon facility will be designed to reflect a more dynamic culture, offering a mix of collaborative space and hoteling workspace for local or out-of-town employees that are on-site for the day, plus a new showroom and areas like product quality testing and certification.
The local move of Kichler Lighting’s headquarters reinforces the company’s commitment to keeping a headquarters presence in Northeast Ohio, even as the company evolves to meet changing employee preferences and customer needs.
Kichler Lighting Distribution Center
In addition to its headquarters shifts, Kichler Lighting has made the decision to implement a new strategic distribution model and open a new third-party managed distribution facility in Eastern Pennsylvania, while closing its Independence, Ohio distribution center. The Allentown, Pa. distribution center, scheduled to open by the second quarter of 2022, will provide the company with close proximity to East Coast ports for faster port-to-inventory turnaround and improved delivery efficiencies, as well as up to 600,000 feet of warehouse space.
Kichler Lighting will continue to operate its Las Vegas and Braselton, Ga. distribution centers. The strategic locations of the Allentown, Pa., Braselton, Ga. and Las Vegas distribution centers will enable the company to sustain fast, efficient shipping to multiple regions across the country. To further distribution efficiency and align all facilities, Kichler Lighting is investing in a singular warehouse management system (WMS).
“These strategic shifts showcase our unfailing dedication to a culture of continuous improvement,” Tasi continued. “We’re committed to embracing change, adopting world-class processes and systems to advance our leadership role in the lighting industry. Our business is strong, and we’re focused on making it stronger.”