Volvo Opens New West Coast Parts Distribution Center -- PDC

    IRVINE, Calif.--Sept. 17, 2001--In a move that denotes a growing demand in a market the company has deemed, "important," Volvo Cars of North America, LLC opens a 200,000 square foot Parts Distribution Center in Southern California.
    The state of the art facility in Ontario (45 miles east of Los Angeles) will provide service to 78 Volvo retailers on the West Coast.
    "Volvo has experienced significant sales growth in the United States and consistent with our commitment to service, we must assure that when customers buy our product we are able to support them," said Thomas Forsman, general manager, VCNA Operations and head of the company's Aftersales business unit.
    Specifically, the continued growth of Volvo sales in the Western region has had a positive effect on the overall growth of the parts business. "The demand in this business sector is the primary driver for this new facility," said Volvo Part Distribution Center (PDC) Manager, Joseph T. McAllister.
    "In our stock levels for parts, we've simply exceeded the range that our facility in Carson, Calif. can handle. However, with the new PDC we will be able to support our rapid growth," he concluded. In order to maintain the lucrative U.S. market, Volvo forecast its automotive parts inventory to exceed a range of 50,000 different parts by 2004.
    Ontario's growing infrastructure, easy access to air and ground transportation provides an ideal location. In addition Volvo Cars' own relocation of its North American headquarters to Irvine last month, the proliferation of automotive companies in the area further opens up opportunities to share services, resulting in lower costs and higher levels of service to retailers.