Sephora Opens State-Of-The-Art Distribution Center in Harford County

By Adrian Maties, Associate Editor

Sephora Americas has finally opened its state-of-the-art distribution center  in Maryland. Company officials were present in Perryman, on September 19, together with  officials from the state of Maryland, to celebrate the ribbon cutting for the new facility, the largest distribution to serve Sephora Americas.

The San Francisco-based beauty retailer has operated in Harford County since 2005 but it needed space to expand. Last year, Sephora announced its plans to open a new distribution center. The new facility is located at 531 Chelsea Road and provides 655,000 square feet of space. It will allow the company to retain its current workforce of 410 employees, and also add another 200 people, which Sephora plans to do by December 2017.

Company officials also said the facility will help move products faster to clients located east of the Mississippi. Clients were previously served through a smaller, 386,677-square-foot facility.

A joint venture between Ryan/Emory Properties and Northwestern Mutual Real Estate Investment are the developers and owners of the state-of-the-art distribution center. Sephora said the facility was designed with a focus on environmental efficiency and sustainability, and is currently pursuing LEED Silver certification.

The state of Maryland approved a $1 million grant to assist with the project. It will be paid out in stages, provided the company meets certain performance benchmarks.

“Our investments in education, innovation and infrastructure continue to set Maryland apart and offer quality brands like Sephora Americas a competitive advantage in today’s marketplace,” Governor Martin O’Malley said in a press statement. “We’re thrilled Sephora has chosen to expand operations in Maryland and is continuing to create new jobs.”

“We are thrilled to officially open our new distribution center and are tremendously grateful for our partnership with the Department of Business and Economic Development and the State of Maryland. All of us at Sephora are looking forward to having a larger presence in Harford County through this exceptional new distribution center that will enable us to provide even more rapid and efficient service to our clients,” Marty Flaherty, vice president of distribution for Sephora Americas, added.

Photo credits: Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development