Scholastic will consolidate distribution for its home-oriented continuities business in a 500,000-square-foot warehouse in Maumelle, Ark., a suburb of Little Rock, which the company acquired last week for $14 million. The warehouse is expected to become operational in the fall with 150 employees, and Scholastic anticipates that the workforce will grow to more than 500 full- and part-time employees over the next three years. Lance Robinson, director of distribution and packaging at Scholastic's national service organization in Missouri, has been named general manager of the Maumelle site.
Inventory for Scholastic's home businesses is currently housed in a warehouse in Des Plaines, Ill., as well as at some third-party locations. The Des Plaines facility will be phased out and all warehousing that has been outsourced will be moved to Maumelle. The Scholastic at Home division serves families with children from birth to 12 with book programs for home reading and learning. It consists of units from Scholastic, Grolier and the recently acquired Baby's First Book Club. Over time, the Maumelle facility will likely handle distribution for other Scholastic operations.
