Company bringing 350 jobs to Sikeston

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Following months of negotiations, Orgill Inc., the world's largest independent distributor of home improvement products, announced Wednesday it will build its new distribution center in Sikeston.

"This is one of the best things that has happened to this community in a long time," said Ed Dust, Sikeston's economic developer.

Construction is set to begin in August, with completion expected in one year, Mayor Mike Marshall said. When it opens, the facility will employ about 150, but the number of employees is expected to grow to about 350 in five years.

"We are very fortunate to have an outstanding company like Orgill bring 350 jobs to our community," Marshall said. "All of the improvements that have been made to the city of Sikeston and the sacrifices and efforts from our local citizens are starting to pay off."

The facility, which will be built on a 70-acre site just north of town in Sikeston's Industrial Park, will be a 795,000-square-foot "Mid-America Supercenter" and be expandable to 1 million square feet.

Orgill officials weren't on hand at the conference. However, a news release said the new center will replace facilities in Vandalia, Ill., and Memphis, Tenn. Officials said the consolidation of those two centers into the Sikeston center will allow the company to serve its customers in the Midwest and mid-South more efficiently.

Orgill Inc. provides retailers across the U.S. and in more than 60 countries access to more than 65,000 products and industry-leading retail services.

"I think it's a good project for the whole region," said Mitch Robinson, Cape Girardeau Area Magnet executive director.

Cape Girardeau remained a contender to host the new facility until about three weeks ago, Robinson said.

The Cape Girardeau site would have been on Nash Road, and the company would have incurred about $1 million in costs to raise the foundation of the property, Robinson said.

At least 60 acres of relatively flat land were needed for the project, so other areas of Cape Girardeau County, such as Jackson, weren't usable, he said.

Staff writer Bridget DiCosmo contributed to this report.