Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services, a developer of industrial and office space, and its community marketing arm, DiscoverNEPA, were recognized as the 2022 Outstanding Business of the Year by the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce. The Outstanding Business of the Year Award recognizes the history of a successful business, its leadership, and its community involvement.

The award was presented to Mary Kolessar, Executive Director of DiscoverNEPA, during the Greater Pittston Chamber’s Annual Dinner held on Thursday, August 25 at Fox Hill Country Club in Exeter, PA.

“Mericle’s 350 team members embrace the company’s motto of Building Buildings, Building Careers, and Building Communities” said Michelle Mikitish, Executive Director of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, while presenting the award.

Kolessar told the story behind the creation of DiscoverNEPA as she accepted the award. “Mericle is, today and always, Northeastern Pennsylvania proud. And that pride is precisely how DiscoverNEPA was born. A little over four years ago, Rob Mericle had a vision to harness the marketability of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s 10 amazing counties. Our team’s goal of presenting our hundreds of great communities, and our thousands of amenities, as one unified region, had never been accomplished before. But we knew that NEPA had a story to tell and that it was one the world needed to hear.”

Since 1985, Mericle has developed more than 100 buildings that today house 205 companies and 20,000 employees. Founded in 2018, DiscoverNEPA markets the quality of life amenities in 10 local counties and already has more than 175,000 followers on social media.

Press Release by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services | October 26, 2020

Europe’s number one kitchen retail specialist, Wren Kitchens, is opening its first U.S. manufacturing facility and office in Hanover Industrial Estates, Hanover Township, Luzerne County. The project is expected to create approximately 360 jobs.

The company has leased a 252,000 square foot industrial building at 1070 Hanover Street from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services where it will manufacture and distribute its kitchens and has also leased 10,046 square feet of office and call center space from Mericle at 1110 Hanover Street.

Wren is seeking to fill a variety of job openings including management, customer support representatives, machine operators, hand sprayers, mechanical and electrical Engineers, CDL A drivers, production associates and many more.

The project was coordinated by Mericle, Pennsylvania’s Office of International Business Development and Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Action Team.

The real estate transactions were coordinated by Mericle Vice President Bob Besecker. The 252,000 square foot building at 1070 Hanover Street had previously been occupied as a distribution center for many years by Sears.

Besecker said Mericle’s construction crews have completed fitting out the interiors of 1070 Hanover Street and 1110 Hanover Street to Wren’s exact specifications.

On November 5^th, Wren will open America’s biggest kitchen showroom in Milford, Connecticut, at 31,465 sq. ft. The company plans to open several showrooms across the Northeast, including one in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Wren believes the showrooms will inspire and enlighten American homeowners with the use of 3D virtual reality to help bring dream kitchens to life, industry-leading kitchen design tools, as well as inspirational displays of hundreds of countertops, handles, storage solutions, appliances, faucets and sinks.

“We’re excited to bring our vertically integrated model to the United States, the largest home improvement market in the world,” said a Wren Kitchens spokesperson.

Wren currently employs more than 5,500 people across the UK, and the expansion will create a significant number of jobs in America mainly in the manufacturing and retail sector, as well as various support roles such as customer services and HR.

Mericle President Rob Mericle said Wren has received numerous awards in recognition of the quality of its UK products, manufacturing process, and retail showrooms. “Wren is highly regarded throughout Europe,” said Mericle.  “In 2019, the company was named the best retail place to work in the UK by the world’s number one job site Indeed.com. The company has been recognized many times for the quality of its products and installation services within the furniture and kitchen industries.”

Rob Mericle said he is looking forward to Wren bringing its expertise and positive corporate culture to Northeastern Pennsylvania.  “The project has the potential for significant job creation,” Mericle said.

Mericle thanked the Office of International Business Development, Pennsylvania Governor’s Action Team, and Hanover Township for their help with the project.

Wico van Genderen, President and CEO of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, said the fact that a European company as prominent as Wren Kitchens chose Hanover Township for its first U.S. manufacturing and distribution center, speaks volumes about the area’s rise as a preferred location for new business.

“Any time a manufacturer of Wren’s status moves into a community, other companies take notice, he said. Momentum drives a lot of economic activity”

“There is the potential for local suppliers of goods and services to see a boost in their business, added van Genderen. Wren will likely generate a lot of positive spin-off.”

Hanover Township Manager Sam Guesto said, “We are happy to provide assistance to a world class company like Wren Kitchens.  Hanover Township welcomes new businesses, especially manufacturing companies and the quality jobs they create”

“Penn’s Northeast is pleased to welcome Wren Kitchens to our region,” said Penn’s Northeast president John Augustine.  “As Europe’s # 1 kitchen retailer and manufacturer, Wren could have located their new facility anywhere in the US but because of our strategic location, access to markets, strong work ethic, and affordable and reliable utilities, the company chose to join the growing list of International companies that has located in Northeastern PA.”

“Penn’s Northeast congratulates our regional economic development partners – PA’s Department of Community & Economic Development and our members – especially Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services, for their success in attracting another growing manufacturer to NEPA,” added Augustine.

Individuals interested in applying for employment with Wren Kitchens may do so on Pennsylvania CareerLink’s website at www.pacareerlink.pa.gov. Search available positions by typing “Wren” into the search box.

ABOUT WREN KITCHENS:

Wren Kitchens is Europe’s number one kitchen retail specialist and has supplied kitchens worth more than $1.31 bn (£1 bn) in the last two years alone. Launched in 2009, Wren Kitchens is a family business, and it manufactures its UK kitchens in its three manufacturing and assembling facilities. It has 99 showrooms in the UK and delivers fully built cabinets with doors, drawers and wirework pre-installed and delivered by Wren’s award-winning fleet of trucks.

ABOUT MERICLE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES:

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services is a full-service commercial real estate development and brokerage firm that was founded in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania by Robert Mericle in 1985.  The company specializes in the development of industrial, flex, office, and medical space.  An estimated 17,000 people work for the more than 200 companies that are housed in Mericle-developed buildings throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. For more information, visit mericle.com.

January 7, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information Contact
Jim Cummings
Vice President Marketing
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services
570-823-1100

DiscoverNEPA® Showcasing Region’s Quality of Life to Decision Makers

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services has provided commercial space to several hundred companies since 1985 and more than 14,500 people work in the 22 million square feet of industrial, office, flex, and medical space the company has developed in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Mericle has constructed seven buildings in the East Mountain Corporate Center totaling 288,000 square feet and has plans to eventually develop as many as eight more buildings in the park.

Mericle markets the virtues of its available sites and buildings to a wide audience of corporate decision makers, commercial real estate brokers, site selection consultants, and economic development officials.

However, when companies are going through the site selection process, more factors come into play than just the availability of a certain type of building or site.

Recently, the national business publication Area Development Magazine surveyed hundreds of corporate executives from around the country who are actively engaged in site selection for their companies. The executives were given a list of 28 factors that are typically considered when companies are considering opening new facilities. The executives then rated each factor’s importance to their business and the ratings were averaged by the magazine.

Not surprisingly, “highway access” was rated the most important factor while “labor costs” ranked 2nd and “availability of skilled labor” ranked 3rd.  However, in a surprise to many, “quality of life” was rated the 4^th most important factor out of 28, with more than 87% of the executives listing it as being either important or very important to their site selection decision.

Mericle is taking big steps to help Northeastern Pennsylvania’s quality of life stand out when companies are considering moving or expanding here.

In 2018, Mericle launched DiscoverNEPA®, a 10-county initiative whose mission is “to encourage Northeastern Pennsylvania’s best and brightest to stay in the region, to promote local quality of life assets and communities, to recruit talented individuals to the region, and to assist local non-profits by cultivating awareness and volunteerism; branding the region as one of the nation’s best places to live.”

To date, Mericle has published information about more than 2,000 regional amenities on discovernepa.com and has listed more than 2,600 events on the site’s calendar. DiscoverNEPA’s digital marketing team produced approximately 100 videos in 2018 that together have been viewed close to 625,000 times. DiscoverNEPA already has more than 26,000 Facebook followers and more than 8,600 Instagram followers and regularly runs contests on social media with giveaways that have included gym memberships and gift certificates to local restaurants and other businesses.

“In today’s economy, skilled workers know that they are part of a small supply trying to fill a large demand,” said DiscoverNEPA Executive Director Mary Kolessar. “Where do skilled workers live? In many respects, anywhere they want to. Their scarcity gives them flexibility when deciding what community is right for them. That’s where quality of life, the 4th highest ranked factor in the Area Development survey comes in.”

“Many skilled workers, especially millennials, are drawn to those communities known as great places to live,” said Kolessar. “Communities such as Austin, San Diego, Seattle, Raleigh-Durham, and Madison, often show up on best places to live surveys, giving them a decided advantage when it comes to retaining and recruiting skilled workers.”

“Mericle created DiscoverNEPA to show this region’s best and brightest that Northeastern Pennsylvania’s quality of life does compare favorably with the Austins and the Madisons, that you can do just about everything here, and that they should choose NEPA as the place to start and grow their careers,” she said. “We hope our tenants and other area businesses will use DiscoverNEPA as a tool to recruit talented people and their families to this region. We also invite the area’s 18 colleges and universities to use DiscoverNEPA to convince prospective students – our future workforce – to be educated here and stay here upon their graduation.”

If interested in learning more, visit DiscoverNEPA.com and to follow the initiative on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 7, 2018
For More Information Contact:
Jim Cummings
Vice President Marketing
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services
jcummings@mericle.com

Mericle Launches Updated Corporate Website

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services, Northeastern Pennsylvania’s largest full service commercial real estate development and brokerage company, has launched an updated version of its corporate website to make it easier for businesses considering investing in the region to gather information about available properties, the area’s assets, and the company’s capabilities.

The new mericle.com allows visitors to collect important details about Mericle’s development and brokerage properties. The enhanced design was created to make the customer experience more interactive. Detailed property summaries include maps, site plans and floor plans, videos, and specifications about utilities, building systems, and parking. The website also includes an interactive map of area business parks and information about Mericle’s ReadyToGo!™ Program.

The new site highlights the many amenities available in NEPA and includes a link to discovernepa.com, Mericle’s new 10-county quality of life website. Visitors to Mericle.com can learn about the region’s available business incentives, labor availability, higher education, and quality of life. The site features photography, videos, articles, and press releases, that highlight many of the positive aspects of NEPA.

The site also highlights what Mericle has to offer, such as the widest variety of available commercial buildings and sites in NEPA, in-house property management, fast track capabilities, and a large staff of skilled professionals and craftsmen.

“We are committed to delivering the best web experience possible for businesses seeking information about available sites and buildings, said Mericle Vice President of Marketing Jim Cummings. “The new website allows for easy navigation and makes it very simple to quickly find important information.”

Mericle’s website will be updated regularly with new properties, photos, videos, press releases, and white papers about doing business in the region.

About Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services is a privately-owned developer of industrial, office, flex, and medical space throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. The company has developed more than 22 million square feet locally and an estimated 14,500 people work in its buildings throughout Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park, Mericle’s largest development, is home to 48 tenants, which together employ more than 5,400 people. Learn more at www.mericle.com

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Tapping Land Potential Others Did Not See: Developing CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park in Northeastern Pennsylvania

Sometimes the best sites in a community are hidden in plain sight.

Such was the case with the land that now makes up CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park near Pittston, Pennsylvania.

Every day for decades, tens of thousands of people drove right by the rough looking property, never giving it a second thought. It wasn’t until 2005 that local developer Rob Mericle saw what others were missing, the chance to develop an upscale business park that could create as many as 10,000 jobs for the residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Perhaps it was the fact the land had been strip mined that kept other developers away. Or maybe it was because so much work would have to be done to install roads and utilities. Or maybe others looked at the rugged topography and thought there was no way that it could be turned into level building pads.

By 2005, Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services had already constructed and filled close to 10 million square feet of commercial space in the business parks near Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Hazleton. In the late 1980’s, Mericle became the first private, for-profit developer to construct industrial shell buildings on speculation in the region. By the early 1990’s, Mericle had pioneered the development of multi-tenant flex buildings in the area. Suburban office buildings soon followed.

The Mericle model had been to acquire parcels in business parks developed by local non-profit industrial development corporations, build on speculation, lease the space, and then hold onto the real estate long term. However, by the early 2000s, available land in these parks was in very short supply. Sensing that Northeastern Pennsylvania was positioned to become a major player along the I-81 Corridor, Rob Mericle set out to find a large tract of land that could support the development of many millions of square feet of industrial, office, and flex space.

“Having grown up in Wilkes-Barre and having already constructed dozens of buildings in the area, I was very familiar with our hilly topography and tough site conditions brought about by past coal mining activity,” said Mericle. “I knew that finding a few thousand flat acres near an interstate was not in the cards. I also knew that I’d have to be willing to take land that others had passed over and have confidence that we could make that land productive.”

Rob Mericle eventually settled on about 1,800 acres in Pittston Township and Jenkins Township with immediate access to Exit 175 of I-81 and Exit 115 of I-476. After acquiring the land from several parties, he worked with the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce to obtain incentive financing from Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development to pay for part of the infrastructure work. Reclamation grants from the Office of Surface Mining assisted as well. In 2005, Mericle began constructing CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park, so named because it is located in the center of the marketplace, just 10 minutes from Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.

The corporate structure of Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services proved to be a key advantage to the development of CenterPoint. “We are a vertically integrated master builder,” continued Mericle. “That means our own employees design our projects, perform the site work, and construct the buildings. Our heavy equipment operators, with many years of experience in Northeastern Pennsylvania, knew they could tackle CenterPoint’s very rough, mine-scarred terrain and make it ready for new buildings. I doubt that there are many other developers capable of doing what we did.”

Another key to the success of the park is a special tax abatement program put in place by Luzerne County, the Pittston Area School District, and Pittston Township and Jenkins Township. These taxing bodies all agreed to make CenterPoint a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) zone. Real estate taxes on improvements are 100% abated for 10 years for all buildings constructed in the park.

“CenterPoint has been a tremendous public-private partnership,” said Mericle. “The federal and state government, the chamber of commerce, local taxing authorities, and private businesses joined forces to take barren, unsightly land and turn it into a major asset. CenterPoint is a great case study of how a community should work together to create new capital investments and new jobs.”

Over the past 14 years, Mericle has developed, or partnered in the development, of 37 buildings in CenterPoint totaling 9.9 million square feet. There are 51 tenants in these buildings who together employ 6,000 people. When the park is fully built-out over the next 10 years, Mericle expects the employment total to grow to 10,000.

The park’s location – just two hours from New York City and Philadelphia – and Mericle’s affordable lease rates and wide variety of available spaces and sites, have been big draws.

Major park tenants include Neiman Marcus, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Kimberly Clark, Amazon.com, Corning Life Sciences, Isuzu, Bimbo Bakeries, Cintas, Benco Dental, FedEx, Pepsi, and Geisinger Health Plan. Many of these companies are located in buildings developed on speculation by Mericle.

In recent years, Mericle’s buildings in the park have gotten larger. “We knew we needed to be ready for the growth in bulk distribution along the I-81 Corridor, especially as it relates to e-commerce fulfillment,” said Mericle. “The building sizes requested by our clients have been steadily growing.”

The last four buildings constructed on speculation by Mericle in CenterPoint have all been in excess of 400,000 square feet. In 2018, Mericle became the first developer in Northeastern Pennsylvania to construct a spec industrial building in excess of 1 million square feet.

With CenterPoint well on its way to being one of the most successful business parks in Pennsylvania, Rob Mericle wonders where his next big development will be. “I am hoping to find what others can’t see,” he said.

About Mericle: Founded in 1985 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services is the largest, privately-owned developer of industrial, office, and flex space along Pennsylvania’s I-81 Corridor. Mericle has developed 22 million square feet in 15 Northeastern Pennsylvania business parks. Its buildings provide homes to close to 200 companies and approximately 14,500 employees.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2018
For More Information Contact:
Jim Cummings
Vice President Marketing
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services
570-823-1100
jcummings@mericle.com

Mericle Provides Solutions for Increasing Trailer Storage Demands

Northeastern Pennsylvania, together with the Lehigh Valley and Central PA (Greater Harrisburg) make up what has become known as the I-78/ I-81 Industrial Corridor. This corridor has seen dramatic growth in bulk industrial development in recent years.

The I-78/ I-81 Corridor’s steady growth and ever-increasing stature as a preferred distribution location, fueled in part by the growth of e-commerce in the United States, has resulted in more truck traffic on the region’s highways and more demand for trailer storage sites. Recognizing this growing demand, Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services advertises its fully prepared sites as being available for lease for month-to-month trailer storage. Mericle calls these prepared lots ReadyToGo!™ Sites and, by extension, those which it has made available for tractor trailer storage, ReadyToGo!™ Trailer Storage Sites.

One unexpected benefit of the ReadyToGo!™ Program has been Mericle’s ability to provide industries with overflow trailer storage, especially during seasonal peaks. Mericle leases these sites on a per trailer, month-to-month basis to help their tenants and other businesses when they need extra spots, especially during their peak seasons.

“We’ve helped numerous companies by allowing them to park on our fully graded lots on a month to month basis,” said Robert Mericle. “They had difficulty finding suitable lots close to their facilities so we were able to provide them with lifelines. We’ll continue to make our ReadyToGo! Sites available for trailer storage until such time that we decide to build on them.”

Some of the firms which have leased Mericle sites for temporary trailer storage include Home Depot USA, Inc., BBU (Bimbo Bakeries), FedEx Ground, Michaels Stores, Schneider Resources, Inc., Peco Pallet, Inc., Steelcase, Inc., United Parcel Service, E.S. Kluft & Company, J.B. Hunt Transport, and Amazon.com. Many of these firms are also tenants in Mericle buildings.

The region has experienced significant growth and is projected to continue on this growth trajectory in years to come. In its October 2017 report, Greater Philadelphia Marketflash, the commercial real estate firm CBRE touted Pennsylvania’s I-78/ I-81 Corridor as a hotspot for industrial growth. In the report, CBRE’s Head of Industrial & Logistics Research David Egan was quoted as saying about the corridor, “I don’t know of another place in the world that has gone from a submarket to a global hub in eight years.”

About Mericle Construction, Inc.

Mericle Construction, Inc. is a vertically-integrated company with more than 250 in-house professionals with expertise in all aspects of commercial real estate development and construction. The Mericle team includes licensed architects, land planners, professional engineers, surveyors, licensed electricians, plumbers, carpenters, certified public accountants, in-house legal counsel, leasing and marketing professionals, licensed brokers, property managers, and more. Mericle Construction, Inc. has provided commercial real estate solutions to several hundred companies along Pennsylvania’s I-78/I-81 Corridor. For more information, visit www.mericle.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2018

For More Information Contact:
Jim Cummings
Vice President Marketing
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services
570-823-1100
jcummings@mericle.com

Mericle Breaks Ground for New Spec Building

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services has begun construction on a 403,000 square foot speculative industrial building at 575-595 Research Drive in the CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East, Pittston Township, Pennsylvania.

The new 310’ x 1,300’ facility can be expanded to 511,500 square feet and is located just a few minutes from I-81 and I-476. The building will be ready for tenants by the spring of 2019.

Mericle President Robert Mericle said he decided to construct the building because

Northeastern Pennsylvania’s strategic location is continuing to generate demand for large industrial spaces. “More than 51 million people live within 200 miles of NEPA,” said Mericle. Industries want to be here to quickly reach the consumption zones in the Northeast U.S.”

Mericle said the building has been designed to attract bulk industrial, e-commerce fulfillment, and manufacturing firms. He said key features include 38’2” ceiling clear height, 7” reinforced concrete floors, 50’ x 50’ column spacing, 52 loading doors, and LED lighting.

He said there is on-site parking for 247 vehicles with room for up to 241 additional spaces. Also, the lot allows on-site storage for up to 137 trailers.

Mericle said CenterPoint’s location is ideal for companies seeking to ship their products to an area stretching from Maine to Virginia and west to Ohio. “CenterPoint’s entrances are less than one mile from two major interstates and less than 10 minutes from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport,” he said. There are multiple major trucking firms residing within a 15-minute drive and Fed Ex and UPS are in the immediate vicinity.”

Mericle added that CenterPoint’s location, less than 15 minutes from Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, enhances labor draw for park tenants. More than 470,000 people live within 20 miles of the park, he said.

He said Mericle will subdivide the building and customize space to meet tenants’ exact needs.

About Mericle Construction, Inc.

Mericle Construction, Inc. is a vertically-integrated company with more than 250 in-house professionals with expertise in all aspects of commercial real estate development and construction. The Mericle team includes licensed architects, land planners, professional engineers, surveyors, licensed electricians, plumbers, carpenters, certified public accountants, in-house legal counsel, leasing and marketing professionals, licensed brokers, property managers, and more. Mericle Construction, Inc. has provided commercial real estate solutions to several hundred companies along Pennsylvania’s I-78/I-81 Corridor. For more information, visit www.mericle.com.

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Written by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services

Hundreds of local high school seniors recently had a chance to rub elbows with Northeastern Pennsylvania employers seeking to fill open positions.

Seniors from Pittston Area High School, Wyoming Area Secondary Center, Wilkes-Barre Area Career & Technical Center and West Side Career & Technology Center had one-on-one meetings with more than 20 employers at the inaugural CenterPoint Job Fair for High School Seniors held at 159 CenterPoint Boulevard on May 3rd.

The event was organized by The Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, PA CareerLink® Luzerne County, the Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Investment Board, and Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services. The job fair was held in a Mericle flex building and was organized to help graduating high school seniors learn about local employment opportunities.

Participating employers informed the students about the skills that are required to fill a wide variety of job openings. Some of the positions available at the job fair were inside sales, call center/customer service reps, night auditor, forklift operator, equipment technician, quality control auditors, CNA training program, and entry-level construction.

While many of the students plan to attend college, others plan to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation.

Mericle President Rob Mericle said companies throughout the United States are experiencing difficulty recruiting and retaining employees. “We were glad to contribute to the job fair because we think it is important that high school seniors, whether or not they plan to attend college, are aware of the skills they need to thrive in today’s workplace. We look forward to hosting similar job fairs in the future.”

About Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services is a vertically integrated company with more than 250 in-house professionals with expertise in all aspects of commercial real estate development and construction. The Mericle team includes licensed architects, land planners, professional engineers, surveyors, licensed electricians, plumbers, carpenters, certified public accountants, in-house legal counsel, leasing and marketing professionals, licensed brokers, property managers, and more. Mericle has provided commercial real estate solutions to several hundred companies along Pennsylvania’s I-78/I-81 Corridor. For more information, visit www.mericle.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2018

For More Information Contact:
Jim Cummings
Vice President Marketing
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services
570-823-1100
jcummings@mericle.com

Mericle Construction, Inc. Receives Top Honor from Butler Manufacturing™

Wilkes-Barre, PA, March 22, 2018 — Mericle Construction Inc., a builder of industrial and office space headquartered in Plains Township, Pennsylvania near Wilkes-Barre, has been named the North American Volume Builder of the Year by Butler Manufacturing™. This award celebrates the Butler Builder® that completes the most sales of Butler buildings during the calendar year.

The award was presented to Mericle President Robert Mericle, Chief Operating Officer Lew Sebia, Senior Vice President Bryan McManus, and Vice President of Construction Bob Gavlick during March ceremonies at the 2018 Butler Builder® Sales Meeting held in Kansas City, Missouri.

“We are honored and humbled to win this prestigious award,” said Robert Mericle. “This is the top award handed out by Butler Manufacturing™ and is a credit our tremendous team of more than 250 skilled professionals who work very hard every day to develop quality real estate and recruit tenants that create and retain jobs in our area.”

Founded in Wilkes-Barre by Robert Mericle, Mericle Construction, Inc. has been a Butler Builder since 1987. The firm has developed more than 22 million square feet of industrial, flex, office, and medical space in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Mericle has provided space to several hundred firms including 40 Fortune 1000 companies. Mericle’s largest project is CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park in Jenkins Township and Pittston Township. More than 5,400 people work in the park in more than 8 million square feet of space.

About Mericle Construction, Inc.
Mericle Construction, Inc. is a vertically-integrated company with more than 250 in-house professionals with expertise in all aspects of commercial real estate development and construction. The Mericle team includes licensed architects, land planners, professional engineers, surveyors, licensed electricians, plumbers, carpenters, certified public accountants, in-house legal counsel, leasing and marketing professionals, licensed brokers, property managers, and more. Mericle Construction, Inc. has provided commercial real estate solutions to several hundred companies along Pennsylvania’s I-78/I-81 Corridor. For more information, visit www.mericle.com.

About Butler Manufacturing™
Butler Manufacturing™ provides a comprehensive combination of design-build construction solutions and innovative building technology to the nonresidential market. Every Butler® building solution is backed by unrivaled research and testing, ensuring that Butler building systems perform to the highest standards. Through a network of more than 1,400 Butler Builder® dealers worldwide and corporate accounts services, Butler addresses the demand for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient design in community, commercial and industrial buildings. Butler is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and is a division of BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. For more information, visit www.butlermfg.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2018
For More Information Contact:
Jim Cummings
Vice President Marketing
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services

Velky Brands, LLC a Houston based national e-commerce retailer, has expanded in Pennsylvania by opening a fulfillment center in 80,880 square feet leased from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services at 275 CenterPoint Boulevard in CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park East.

An affiliate of Velky Brands, Corporate Support and Fulfillment, LLC will use the space to distribute products for two of Velky’s recognized internet brands, RTIC Coolers and Cheap Cheap Moving Boxes.com.

RTIC Coolers is the leading online direct-to-consumer retailer of premium roto-molded coolers, soft-sided coolers, and stainless-steel drinkware and has more than 1.9 million Facebook followers. The company recently had the #1 best seller in Amazon’s 60+ million home and kitchen product category. Velky’s Cheap Cheap Moving Boxes.com brand is the largest direct-to-consumer retailer of moving boxes and moving supplies in the U.S. and has been growing more than 40 percent annually.

Velky Brands, LLC was founded by twin brothers John and Jim Jacobsen and employs more than 120 people. The company is based in the Houston suburb of Cypress, Texas and operates fulfilment centers in Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Fresno, and now CenterPoint. Velky Brands, LLC provides free one to two-day shipping on all orders of their Internet brands received by 6 p.m.

“Velky's e-commerce business continues to grow, and with it the demand for increased distribution and fulfillment operations,” said Jim M. Jacobsen, Co-CEO of Velky Brands, LLC. “Our new Pennsylvania facility will be a key factor in the growth of rticcoolers.com and cheapcheapmovingboxes.com, and we are pleased to be able to invest resources and create jobs in Greater Pittston."

Mericle Vice President Bob Besecker coordinated the real estate transaction. Besecker said Mericle finds Velky Brands’ rapid growth very appealing. “We think we are a good fit for the company,” said Besecker. “We have just the type and size of space Velky needs today and perhaps more importantly, we have space within our CenterPoint portfolio to accommodate the company’s future needs.”

Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michelle Mikitish said Velky Brands’ decision further solidifies CenterPoint as a prime location for companies specializing in e-commerce. “CenterPoint’s immediate interstate access, its close proximity to FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service, and Mericle’s speculative building program will no doubt continue to attract companies like Velky Brands well into the future,” said Mikitish.    

CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park was developed by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services. The park is home to 47 tenants that together employ more than 5,300 people.

About Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services is a privately-owned developer of industrial, office, flex, and medical space throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. The company has developed more than 22 million square feet locally and an estimated 14,500 people work in its buildings throughout Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park, Mericle’s largest development, is home to 47 tenants, which together employ more than 5,400 people. Learn more at www.mericle.com

Posted on December 19, 2017 at 2:22 pm.
Written by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services Cintas Corporation, one of the first tenants in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park, is expanding its National Accounts Receivable Center for their Fire Protection Division. Due to the expansion, Cintas has relocated its offices to a flex building developed by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services located at 339 Enterprise Way in Pittston Township.

“Cintas is pleased to be a part of the Northeastern Pennsylvania business community,” said Maria Scagliotti, Director of the Cintas National Accounts Fire Center. “With the expansion of our National Accounts Receivable Center, Cintas will continue to provide job opportunities for area residents while providing high-level service to our customers.”

The Cintas Fire National Accounts Receivable Center is responsible for contacting existing customers to obtain payments for services rendered. Since 2011, the National Accounts Receivable Center has created 50 new jobs for the area. With continued growth over the next five to seven years, the center is projected to hire an additional 65 employee-partners which will more than double the current size of the center.

Mericle Vice President Bill Jones coordinated the real estate transaction along with commercial real estate firm CBRE. He said the Cintas brand is recognized worldwide and its investment in CenterPoint further solidifies the park as one of the premier business destinations in Pennsylvania. “Cintas’ decision to first locate in CenterPoint and now expand here speaks volumes about the park, the quality of the region’s workforce, and the pro-business attitude in Pittston Township,” he said. “We enjoyed customizing our flex space to the company’s exact needs and we look forward to having Cintas as our tenant for many more years.”

Michelle Mikitish, Executive Director of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, congratulated Cintas on its expansion and praised the company for its support of the chamber and its programs. “Cintas is a great friend to the Greater Pittston business community,” she said. “The company’s local leadership is committed to helping our area grow.”

About Cintas Corporation:

Cintas Corporation helps more than one million businesses of all types and sizes get READY™ to open their doors with confidence every day by providing a wide range of products and services that enhance our customers’ image and help keep their facilities and employees clean, safe and looking their best. With products and services including uniforms, mats, mops, restroom supplies, first aid and safety products, fire extinguishers and testing, and safety and compliance training, Cintas helps customers get Ready for the Workday®. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Nasdaq-100 Index.

About Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services is a privately-owned developer of industrial, office, flex, and medical space throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. The company has developed more than 20 million square feet locally and an estimated 14,500 people work in its buildings throughout Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park, Mericle’s largest development, is home to 45 tenants, which together employ more than 5,300 people.

Posted on December 11, 2017 at 11:40 am.
Written by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services

More than 77 locations participated in this year’s Mericle + Marine Corps Toys for Tots Challenge organized by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services to support the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s annual Toys for Tots campaign.

For 20 years, Mericle has donated warehouse space to the Toys for Tots campaign. In 2013, Mericle heard the Marine Corps when it said it needed more toys to meet the growing demand for holiday gifts for disadvantaged families throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. Mericle invited its tenants to help by collecting toys and other gifts at their places of business.

Since then, the Mericle + Marine Corps Toys for Tots Challenge has grown from participation by 16 tenants contributing 17 cartons of toys to this year’s record of 77 participating locations filling 137 cartons.

In addition to coordinating the Toys for Tots toy drive, Mericle also hosted the Semper Fly Dodgeball Tournament at Sky Zone in November. More than 100 members of the Marine Corps and employees of Mericle and its tenants participated in the annual event to raise money and awareness for Toys for Tots.

About Mericle

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services is Northeastern Pennsylvania’s largest full-service commercial real estate company. Since 1985, the company has developed more than 20 million square feet of space in the region. Approximately 14,500 people work in buildings developed by Mericle.

About the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a non-profit organization authorized by the United States Marine Corps to provide fundraising and other necessary support for the annual United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Toys for Tots provides joy and a message of hope to less fortunate children through the gift of a new toy or book during the Christmas holiday season. For more information, visit toysfortots.org.

Founded by Robert K. Mericle, Mericle Construction Inc. self-performs virtually all aspects of development and construction, using its own in-house personnel, Mericle Construction is better able to control costs and fast track delivery schedules to meet its clients’ needs. It fashions itself as a throwback to the “master builder” of old when experienced craftsmen self-performed all aspects of the construction process.

Posted on November 30, 2017 at 6:23 pm.
Written by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services

More than 100 people were on hand at Sky Zone Pittston in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park West to face off on the court for glow-in-the-dark dodgeball. The “Semper Fly” event was organized by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services to support the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s annual Toys for Tots campaign.

The event included participation by 15 teams, comprised of members of the Marine Corps and employees of Mericle and its tenants.

For 20 years, Mericle has donated warehouse space to the Toys for Tots campaign. In 2013, Mericle heard the Marine Corps when it said it needed more toys to meet the growing demand for holiday gifts for disadvantaged families throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. Mericle invited its tenants to help by collecting toys and other gifts at their places of business.

Since then, the Mericle + Marine Corps Toys for Tots Challenge has grown from participation by 16 tenants contributing 17 cartons of toys to 67 companies filling 124 cartons of toys.

As a Mericle tenant, Sky Zone hosted the event at its facility in CenterPoint West. Throughout the month of November, Sky Zone will also offer a $5 discount on a 60-minute Open Jump ticket to those customers who bring in a new, unwrapped toy, game, stocking stuffer, or book.

About Mericle

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services is Northeastern Pennsylvania’s largest full-service commercial real estate company. Since 1985, the company has developed more than 20 million square feet of space in the region. Approximately 14,500 people work in buildings developed by Mericle.

About the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a non-profit organization authorized by the United States Marine Corps to provide fundraising and other necessary support for the annual United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Toys for Tots provides joy and a message of hope to less fortunate children through the gift of a new toy or book during the Christmas holiday season. For more information, visit toysfortots.org.

Posted on October 25, 2017 at 11:07 am.

Written by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services

Banko Beverage, one of the oldest family-owned wholesale beer distributors in Pennsylvania, has relocated its Northeastern Pennsylvania division, Banko North, to a flex building developed by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services at 1 Alberigi Drive in the Jessup Small Business Center, Jessup Borough.

Founded in 1933 and grown to industry prominence by Frank Banko Jr., who was the father of current CEO Mary Ellen Racz, Banko’s operational headquarters is located just a short drive down the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Under Ms. Racz’s leadership, Banko has earned many awards, including the Miller Coors Presidents Award, which is presented only to the most distinguished distributors in a region.

As part of the Banko family of companies, Banko North proudly distributes products from some of the finest breweries, including Miller, Yuengling, Guinness, Heineken, Pabst, and Genesee.

Banko acquired Banko North in 2003 to expand its distribution footprint and to avail itself to strategic opportunities in the Northeast.

Ms. Racz said, “It has been, and very much continues to be, Banko’s interest to maintain a strong physical presence in the Northeast and we were thrilled with the opportunity to partner with Mericle on this project. This facility helps to address our capacity challenges at our previous location and cement our commitment to the Northeast.”

“Banko Beverage has been a long standing, growing employer in Northeastern Pennsylvania. We congratulate them on their expansion into the Jessup Small Business Center and for their commitment to growth and investment in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Bob Durkin, president, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.

The real estate transaction was coordinated by Mericle Vice President Bob Besecker and Mericle Senior Sales Associate Dave Daris. Besecker said the new location will give Banko better highway accessibility to its regional clients and will help the company operate more efficiently. He said the lease with Banko leaves just over 24,000 square feet available in the building for other tenants.

Founded by Robert K. Mericle, Mericle Construction Inc. self-performs virtually all aspects of development and construction, using its own in-house personnel, Mericle Construction is better able to control costs and fast track delivery schedules to meet its clients’ needs. It fashions itself as a throwback to the “master builder” of old when experienced craftsmen self-performed all aspects of the construction process.

Apollo Flow Controls will consolidate Northeast U.S. distribution operations for three of its affiliates into a building recently constructed by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East, Jenkins Township.

Part of Aalberts Industries of Langbroek, Netherlands, Apollo Flow Controls produces and sells the most complete line of flow control products in the commercial and industrial markets today. The company has operations across the U.S. with manufacturing in North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, and Tennessee.

The project will consolidate distribution operations for Apollo Valves, Elkhart Products Corporation and LASCO Fittings, Inc., which will distribute products from a 232,500 square foot building constructed on speculation by Mericle at 500 Keystone Avenue. LASCO Fittings has been a tenant of Mericle’s in the Hanover Industrial Estates since 2003.

Local Service Center Operations Manager Jack Novitski said being located in Northeastern Pennsylvania will make it possible for the companies to get their products to northeast customers within one business day.

“Our proximity to our customers, our dedicated workers, and the region’s excellent trucking firms will combine to help us deliver our full line of flow serve products quickly and efficiently,” he said. “When Apollo Flow Controls decided to consolidate distribution operations, LASCO’s prior success in Northeastern Pennsylvania did not go unnoticed,” he said.

Novitski said Apollo will employ approximately 30 people in the building once the full product lines of the three companies are ready for distribution. “We think it’s likely that in the near future, we will add similar products to complement our current lines of products used in the Northeast market,” he said.

Mericle Vice President Bob Besecker coordinated the real estate transaction along with Cushman & Wakefield Executive Director Gerry Blinebury and Senior Director Leah Balerno of the firm’s Harrisburg and Philadelphia’s offices and Britt Casey of the firm’s Rosemont, Illinois office.

Mericle constructed the building on speculation on 22.72 acres immediately adjacent to Interstate 81. The building features 30’ to 36’4” ceiling clear heights, 26 loading doors, and energy-efficient utilities. The building is approximately one mile from Interstate 81 and Interstate 476.

Besecker said the project is another example of the importance of having a wide variety of space available when companies show interest in Northeastern Pennsylvania. “There was an aggressive occupancy deadline set by the company for this project,” said Besecker. “Fortunately, our construction team was far enough along on the building that we were able to fast track the remaining work and meet the company’s schedule.”

Besecker said Mericle started construction on the speculative building last October on one of the company’s ReadyToGo! Sites. The site had been fully prepared for future construction well in advance of this project Besecker said.

Pat Stella, President of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, said the decision by Apollo Flow Controls further validates the Pittston area as premier location for the world’s top companies. “We’ve seen more than 40 companies move into CenterPoint in just the past 10 years,” she said. “There is no doubt that Greater Pittston’s strategic location, highly productive workforce, and affordable business costs are combining with Mericle’s speculative development program to attract jobs and investment to our area.”

Founded by Robert K. Mericle, Mericle Construction Inc. self-performs virtually all aspects of development and construction, using its own in-house personnel, Mericle Construction is better able to control costs and fast track delivery schedules to meet its clients’ needs. It fashions itself as a throwback to the “master builder” of old when experienced craftsmen self-performed all aspects of the construction process.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 6, 2017

For More Information Contact:
Jim Cummings
Vice President Marketing
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services
570.823.1100
jcummings@mericle.com

Steel Rising on 520,000 Square Foot Mericle Industrial Building

Pittston Township, PA – Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services has begun constructing a 520,000 square foot industrial building on speculation in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East in Pittston Township, Pennsylvania.

Steel erection is underway on the 104 acre site at 460 Research Drive in the Phase IIB section of the park. The 520’ x 1000’ building can be expanded to 780,000 square feet and will be ready for tenants by mid-2017.

CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park is less than one mile from I-81 and I-476.

Key building features will include 37’1” to 42’6” ceiling clear heights, 69 cross-docked loading doors, a 7” thick concrete floor, energy-efficient lighting and heating, 4000 amps of power, an ESFR fire protection system, and room on site to park more than 200 trailers. The building is located in a LERTA tax abatement zone. Real estate taxes on improvements will be 100% abated for 10 years.

The building is being constructed on a Mericle ReadyToGo!™ Site, one of dozens Mericle has completed in Northeastern Pennsylvania. For its ReadyToGo! Sites, Mericle clears, grades, and compacts the sites, installs all utilities, and secures all necessary permits well in advance of building construction.

The building will be the 4th largest in CenterPoint. Only buildings occupied by Lowe’s, Kimberly Clark and Corning are larger. There are 43 tenants in CenterPoint who together employ approximately 5,200 people. The new building is the 31st to be constructed in the park in the past 10 years.

CenterPoint is located less than 10 minutes from Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, which makes it easy for companies to attract and retain labor. Other well-known industrial tenants in the park include The Home Depot, Neiman Marcus, Men’s Wearhouse, and Cintas.

For more information about the new building, please visit www.mericlereadytogo.com/460-480ResearchDrive/.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 23, 2016

For More Information Contact:
Jim Cummings
Vice President Marketing
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services
570.823.1100
jcummings@mericle.com

Mericle Acquires Former Walmart Building in Pittston Township

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services has purchased the vacant former Walmart store at 1201 Oak Street in Pittston Township. The acquisition was announced by company president Robert Mericle who said the company’s in-house design and business development teams have prepared plans to convert the building into a multi-tenant office and medical complex.

The approximately 125,000 square foot single-story building sits on 23.86 acres near the entrance to Mericle’s CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park West. Walmart vacated the building when it constructed its nearby retail center along Route 315 in Pittston Township.

Mericle said preliminary plans call for breaking the building into as many as seven spaces ranging in size from 14,000 square feet to 22,000 square feet. He said the building will be gutted and new windows and a center courtyard will be added to flood the space with natural light. A new façade will also be constructed. Mericle said the property has room for almost 1,000 parking spaces.

“The site offers most of the same advantages of CenterPoint” added Mericle. “These include immediate access to Interstates 81 and 476, a large nearby workforce, quick access to Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, and Scranton, and close proximity to hundreds of amenities.”

Mericle said he expects the property to appeal to financial services, customer service, help desk, and healthcare companies. He said its central location will be attractive to firms seeking a single location to serve the entire Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2016

For More Information Contact:
Jim Cummings
Vice President Marketing
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services
570.823.1100
jcummings@mericle.com

Lesjöfors to Open U.S. Manufacturing Headquarters in CenterPoint East

Lesjöfors Springs America, Inc., an industry leader in the design and manufacture of custom-engineered flat mechanical power springs and spring assemblies, will open its U.S. manufacturing headquarters in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East, Jenkins Township.

The company has leased 61,656 square feet of space in the industrial building at 250 Research Drive recently constructed on speculation by Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services.

Lesjöfors Springs America’s capabilities include a wide variety of spring manufacturing. The springs are used in industrial hose reels, fall safety equipment, outdoor power equipment, elevator door closures, and many other specialized applications.

The company is part of Lesjöfors AB, a Sweden-based international manufacturer of industrial springs, wire and flat strip components. Lesjöfors AB is a subsidiary of Beijer Alma AB and operates from 21 manufacturing units in 10 countries.

Lesjöfors Springs America, Inc. will relocate its current manufacturing operation and all of its employees from the Ivy Industrial Park near Waverly, PA to the new CenterPoint location.

CEO, Brandy Davies said, “We needed more space and it was important for us to stay in the area and retain our skilled workforce. We chose CenterPoint because of its central location and close proximity to all of the major interstate highways in the area. We have doubled our square footage, allowing us the opportunity to optimize and expand our power spring operation. The space will also house the first distribution warehouse for the Lesjofors Automotive business in the US, servicing the North American market.”

The real estate transaction was coordinated by Mericle Vice President Bob Besecker. He said the project gives Lesjöfors Springs America the room they need to grow in the region.

“Our CenterPoint building gives Lesjöfors about twice the space they had in Ivy Industrial Park,” Besecker said. “Being able to retain these manufacturing jobs with the potential to add more is definitely a win for the region.”

Besecker said his firm recently constructed the building, 279,000 square feet in total, on a Mericle ReadyToGo!™Site. QuietFlex Manufacturing also recently moved into the building.

“We are seeing an uptick in requests for space from manufacturers,” Besecker said. He listed Lesjöfors, QuietFlex, Greiner Packaging and Itoh Denki as manufacturing firms that have recently occupied Mericle space in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Michelle Mikitish congratulated Lesjöfors Springs America on the expansion and praised the company for keeping its U.S. manufacturing headquarters in Northeastern Pennsylvania. “We know the competition between states and communities for manufacturing jobs is intense,” she said. “We should take pride in the fact that after examining all of its options, Lesjöfors decided to grow its business in our area.”

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Kelly Services®, a global leader in providing workforce solutions, has opened a new regional office in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East in Jenkins Township. The company has leased 4,120 square feet of space from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services at 124 CenterPoint Boulevard.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the facility on July 28 in cooperation with the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce.

The firm offers a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services including recruitment, human resource management, vendor management, and outplacement services on a global basis.

Additionally, Kelly Services provides world-class staffing on a temporary, temp-to-hire and permanent placement basis. Kelly employees can be found working in traditional office positions as well as in finance, healthcare, engineering, law, education, accounting, information technology, science, creative services, and light industrial.

Michelle Nichols, the company’s senior district manager for the northeast region said, “Our new office located in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park sits near the border of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties allowing us the opportunity to serve our customers and employees from a more strategic location. We have experienced tremendous growth in our professional services area and provide comprehensive staffing solutions to our partner school districts across multiple counties. Our team has grown from three staff members to more than 10 employees, and business development remains steady.”

A key component of Kelly’s operations in the new CenterPoint office is Kelly Educational Staffing® (KES®), a specialty service which identifies, screens and places substitute teachers in local school districts.

Each school year, KES® fills more than two million classrooms nationally with qualified substitute teachers and paraprofessionals who provide a continued learning environment for students when permanent teachers must be away from the classroom. As the largest provider of substitute staff in the United States, KES has more than 40,800 active substitute educators in its talent pool and works with more than 6,175 schools.

Michelle Mikitish, executive vice president of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, said Kelly Services sets a high bar for other companies in the staffing industry. “Kelly Services is synonymous with workforce solutions,” she said. “CenterPoint’s central location will no doubt make it easier for Kelly Services to provide its wide array of services to area school districts and private employers.”

The real estate transaction was coordinated by Mericle Vice Presidents Jim Hilsher and Al Guari and Daum Commercial Real Estate Services Executive Vice President Danielle Knudson of Newport Beach, California.

Hilsher said Kelly Services has become the 40^th tenant in CenterPoint.

Kelly Services® was established in 1946 by William Russell Kelly, founder of the temporary staffing industry. Since then, the company has evolved from the widely-recognized “Kelly Girl” brand to become a leader in workforce solutions.

Today, Kelly® has a role in managing employment opportunities for more than 1 million workers around the globe by employing 550,000 of these individuals directly with the remaining workers engaged through its talent supply chain network of supplier partners.

For more information, including the broad range of available employment opportunities, visit kellyservices.com.

Quietflex, a manufacturer of flexible duct for the HVAC industry and fiberglass blanket applications for the automotive, natural gas and construction industries, has expanded its manufacturing operation within CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on July 13 at the company’s new location at 220 Research Drive in Jenkins Township, Luzerne County.

Since 2008, the company had been located in 80,880 square feet in a Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services-developed and owned building at 285 CenterPoint Boulevard in CenterPoint East. Quietflex has expanded into 108,671 square feet in the 279,000 square foot industrial building on Research Drive recently constructed on speculation by Mericle.

Headquartered in Houston, Quietflex was founded in 1976 to meet the market demand for high-quality, affordable, flexible duct. The company is a subsidiary of Daikin North America LLC, the largest HVAC and refrigerant manufacturer in the world.

In 1997, Quietflex pioneered the use and manufacturing of various fiberglass products, creating greater efficiency levels for end-users. The fiberglass material used in QuietFlex’s innovative products can also be found in the automotive industry, underground tank insulation, various HVAC applications, etc. The company sells flex duct products to customers throughout the United States. Customers range in size from multi-billion dollar corporations to smaller, entrepreneurial sole proprietors.

In addition to its Houston headquarters, where it operates a 400,000 square foot manufacturing plant, Quietflex also has facilities in Phoenix, Arizona and Groveland, Florida.

Mericle President Robert Mericle said one of the reasons his company began constructing the building on Research Drive was to keep pace with an increase in inquiries from local and out-of-area manufacturing companies seeking space.

“There’s been a noticeable increase in calls from manufacturers,” Mericle said. “We want to make sure we have the type of space they need so we decided to construct the Research Drive facility on speculation. We are thrilled that Quietflex has decided to be an anchor in our new building. They’ve been a great tenant.”

Mericle recently constructed a new manufacturing and headquarters facility for long-time tenant Itoh Denki in Hanover Crossings. In 2014, Austrian packaging company Greiner Packaging International opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant in a Mericle industrial building in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park West, Pittston Township.

Mericle Vice President Jim Hilsher coordinated the Quietflex lease transaction with Mike Zerbe of Colliers International of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania and Andy Iverson and Ross James of Jackson Cooksey, Houston, Texas.

Hilsher said it is not uncommon for Mericle to relocate companies within its own portfolio. “Because we are always constructing new buildings on speculation, we are ready to accommodate tenants that need more space,” he said. We know our tenants’ needs, which makes it easy for us to quickly move them from one Mericle building to another.”

After hosting hundreds of thousands of customers since its opening in a multi-tenant flex building in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East in 2014, Sky Zone Scranton has made the decision to construct its own building one mile away in CenterPoint West.

Construction has begun on Sky Zone’s 24,000 square foot facility on Enterprise Way in Pittston Township. The new building is expected to have its grand opening on October 1.

Sky Zone is the world’s first indoor trampoline park. Sky Zone Scranton at 525 Keystone Avenue in CenterPoint East offers open jump, a SkySlam court, SkyRobics fitness classes, Ultimate Dodgeball and the Foam Zone.

“We are grateful for the terrific response we have had from the community since we opened in September 2014 as we continue to be NEPA’s premiere destination for awesome, healthy fun,” said Sky Zone Scranton General Manager Jeff Bowne. “The growth we have experienced has exceeded our expectations and we are excited to move into a stand-alone building that is larger than the space we currently occupy. The location will provide great visibility, abundant parking and ease of access from the bypass, Route 315 and Interstate 81.”

Bowne said the new building will allow Sky Zone Scranton to continue to provide its core offerings with two dodgeball courts, a Foam Zone, a SkySlam Court, and a large main trampoline area, but added that several new features are in the offing. “The new facility will provide ample space for us to provide exciting new jumping innovations and amenities that guests of all ages will enjoy,” Bowne said. “While we don’t want to let out too many surprises, we will be outfitting the new building with an ultra violet lighting system to allow for glow jumping”.

Bowne said some new jobs will be created because of the project. “We are proud to employ approximately 70 folks from the area and we will be holding a job fair closer to our opening as we will be increasing our workforce so we can continue to provide a fantastic guest experience,” he said.

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services developed and owns the flex building at 525 Keystone Avenue and is constructing Sky Zone’s new building in CenterPoint West. Mericle President Rob Mericle congratulated Sky Zone on its decision to stay within CenterPoint.

“Sky Zone has enjoyed tremendous success in CenterPoint and has become one of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s preeminent family entertainment venues,” Mericle said. “We’re thrilled that Sky Zone has determined that CenterPoint is the best place to grow its business.”

Mericle added that the visibility of the site chosen by Sky Zone should boost the company’s marketing efforts. “The site for Sky Zone’s building hugs Interstate 81,” he said. “Tens of thousands of vehicles pass the site every day. The new building will really stand out.”

“This is great news,” said Michelle Mikitish, executive vice president of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce. “Sky Zone has been a wonderful addition to the region’s quality of life and we are very happy that the company has chosen to expand in Pittston Township.”

Mikitish added that Greater Pittston, specifically CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park, has become a preferred I-81 corridor location for a diverse array of companies. “From manufacturers, to distribution centers, to healthcare providers, to entertainment venues, more and more businesses have determined that CenterPoint is the place to be,” she said.

Sky Zone was named “America's Most Promising Companies List” in Forbes for 2015, 2014, 2013, #2 on Franchise Times’s list of "Smartest-growing Brands" for 2015, and #15 of 100 in LA Business Journal’s “Fastest-growing Private Companies” for 2014.

Sky Zone is the creation of entrepreneur Rick Platt, who originally intended for the trampoline courts to be used as part of a new sport with professional athletes. In 2004, Platt spent $2 million to build a 17,000-square-foot trampoline arena in Las Vegas (then known as SkyMania Fun Center) and to hire athletes for the sport, which would have included rotating hoops and mid-air acrobatics.

Sky Zone, as a sport, failed. However, local skateboarders soon showed an interest in playing in the arena. Rick charged $8 per person and Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park— the world’s first all-trampoline, walled, playing courts, designed by top engineers, welders, and carpenters— was born.

WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE: WNS), an international firm with global headquarters in Mumbai, India and with US headquarters in Jersey City, NJ, has announced plans to create approximately 300 inbound, customer service and sales positions over the next five years at its local offices in Hanover Township, Luzerne County.

The company leases flex-office space from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services at 1065 Hanover Street in Hanover Industrial Estates where it employs 72 people.

WNS is a global Business Process Management (BPM) leader and the positions will serve the travel industry on behalf of several large clients.

Mericle Vice President Bob Besecker has been assisting WNS with its space needs.

“This is great news for area residents seeking employment in an office setting,” said Besecker. “We are happy to be able to be able to provide the type of space WNS needs to grow in our area.”

WNS offers business value to 200+ global clients by combining operational excellence with deep domain expertise in key industry verticals including Travel, Insurance, Banking and Financial Services, Manufacturing, Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods, Shipping and Logistics, Healthcare and Utilities. WNS delivers an entire spectrum of business process management services such as finance and accounting, customer care, technology solutions, research and analytics and industry specific back office and front office processes.

As of June 30, 2015, WNS had 29,672 professionals across 37 delivery centers worldwide including China, Costa Rica, India, Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and the United States. For more information, visit www.wns.com

Women’s Distribution Services (WDS), a storage and distribution company headquartered in Lake Wylie, South Carolina, has leased 88,140 square feet of industrial space from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services in Humboldt Industrial Park, Hazle Township, Luzerne County. The space includes 21,910 square feet Mericle is adding to the building to accommodate the company’s growth. The project was announced by Mericle President and CEO Robert Mericle.

WDS will use the space at 575 Oak Ridge Road to provide warehousing, distribution, and inventory management services to its customers.

“WDS is very excited about expanding its storage and distribution hub in Hazleton,” said company chief operating officer Shawn Bush. “I foresee the added capacity to increase product depths offered and to expand our concentration to a wider area in the Northeast.”

Mericle Vice President Jim Hilsher coordinated the real estate transaction along with Steve Cole from the real estate brokerage firm NAI Mertz of Plains Township. Hilsher said the company began operations in the building in August. He said the expansion is set to be finished by the first quarter of 2016.

“We are glad we had workable space in close proximity to WDS,” said Hilsher. The project will help the company retain and create jobs and provide for future growth.”

WDS turned to Mericle for more space after outgrowing its current facility in Humboldt Industrial Park.

The company serves clients in the food processing, medical, and technology industries with 22 locations across the United States and Canada. Numerous Fortune 500 companies are WDS customers.

The company offers in-house supply chain manufacturing and engineering processes that help customers increase productivity and efficiency. WDS also offers process improvement solutions and audit compliance. To learn more about the company, visit http://staging.womends.com/about-us/.

CAN DO President Kevin O’Donnell said the agency is excited to have WDS located in Humboldt Industrial Park and recognized the important role Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services has played in the growth of the industrial park. “Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services has been a great partner

over the years in helping to bring jobs and new opportunities to Greater Hazleton,” he said. “They have played a role in many of the large projects that have taken place here over the years,” O’Donnell said.

Mericle has developed 12 buildings totaling more than 4.3 million square feet in Humboldt Industrial Park. Mericle’s tenants and clients in Humboldt include Amazon.com, Michael’s Handcrafts, Econoco, Nature’s Bounty, Freedom Corrugated, E&B Giftware, Tech Packaging, American Environmental Outfitters, and Simmons. More than 13,400 people work in the approximately 18 million square feet of commercial space Mericle has developed in Northeastern Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.mericle.com.

Itoh Denki USA, a developer of motorized rollers and components, has broken ground on a new U.S. sales and manufacturing headquarters on an 18.81 acre parcel in the Hanover Crossings Business Park, Hanover Township.

The company expects to move into the 46,000 square foot facility on Great Valley Boulevard in the first quarter of 2016. Itoh Denki USA will relocate from smaller space it leases from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services on Stewart Road in Hanover Industrial Estates. Mericle is also constructing the new building.

The project will retain 21 jobs and Itoh Denki USA expects to create 8 to 10 additional jobs over the next few years.

“Our U.S. factory manufacturers the Itoh Power Moller products for the North and South American markets,” said Richard Kosik, President of Itoh Denki USA. “We are very pleased that Itoh Denki Japan approved the land purchase and factory construction for Hanover Crossings. This location provides the ease of access for the international air cargo shipments of components into the New York City airports, in addition to using the New York area Ports for our ocean freight. Interstates 81 and 80 provide quick deliveries to our customers who are mostly located in the Northeast US.”

“Working with Mericle Commercial we were able to locate a premier building site very near our current location,” added Kosik. “This will allow us to retain our current workforce, which is important since many workers average over 10 years with the company”.

Itoh Denki USA was founded in 1996 in order to meet the growing demand for motorized conveyor rollers from U.S. businesses. Itoh Denki USA is a division of Itoh Denki Co., Ltd. of Kasai, Japan.

Itoh Denki Co., Ltd. was founded in Japan in 1946. The company started out as a small shop repairing conventional motors and soldering tools and then expanded into the design and sale of its own electric motors. In 1975, Itoh Denki Co., Ltd. developed the motorized conveyor roller. It consisted of a standard conveyor roller tube with a company-developed electric motor and gear set inside. These first products were AC powered. Throughout the years the company continued to manufacture AC powered rollers but also added a more economical and powerful 24V DC powered product line named the Power Moller 24®.

This history of R&D and manufacturing has provided Itoh Denki USA the foundation to build a 70% market share.

“The 24v DC Power Moller is a safe, quiet and energy savings alternative to traditional conveyor technologies,” said Kosik. “Because of these features, we have gained acceptance in the latest high tech distribution and automation systems. With recent advances in our controllers, the Itoh Power Moller is now being directly interfaced with upper level control networks. This new factory will give us a 50% increase in production capacity which will allow us to meet the continuing trend toward robotics and automation.”

Mericle Vice President Jim Hilsher is coordinating the expansion project. Hilsher has worked with Itoh Denki since 1996 when the company first became a tenant in the Mericle flex building at 155 Stewart Road. He said the company expanded several times within the building and has finally reached the point where it needs to move into its own facility.

Hilsher said Mericle began site work on the parcel in June as part of the company’s ReadyToGo!™ Program, an initiative to fully prepare sites in advance of building construction. While site work was underway, Mericle and Itoh Denki reached agreement on the construction of the new facility.

Hilsher thanked the Hanover Township Commissioners for their cooperation in providing all of the approvals necessary to keep the project on schedule.

“This expansion is great news for the company and Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Wico van Genderen, CEO of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. “The fact that an international company of Itoh Denki’s stature opened its U.S. headquarters in Hanover Township and continues to grow, speaks volumes about this area’s viability as a world class manufacturing location. This area is a great place to do business and we are hoping that more global manufacturing companies follow Itoh Denki’s lead.”

This will be the 27^th building Mericle has developed in Hanover Crossings Business Park and the adjacent Hanover Industrial Estates. Mericle’s buildings in the two parks total more than 2.6 million square feet and are home to more than 2,500 workers.

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services has begun constructing a 279,000 square foot industrial building on speculation at 220-300 Research Drive in CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East, Jenkins Township, Luzerne County.

The project was announced by Mericle President Robert Mericle who said the decision to construct the building was influenced, in part, by a recent increase in inquiries from manufacturing companies.

“We are encouraged by the uptick in calls from local and out-of-area manufacturers seeking to expand in our area,” Mericle said. “We decided to construct the building to ensure that we have an ample supply of the type of space they are seeking.”

Mericle said manufacturers typically seek buildings with strong power, energy efficient lighting and heating, wide column spacing, modern loading, and quick highway access. “We designed the building to meet all of these criteria,” Mericle said.

The building will be the 25th constructed in the park since 2007 and will bring the total square feet in CenterPoint East and West to almost 6.3 million. The 38 tenants in the park together employ approximately 4,500 people.

Mericle said crews from Mericle Construction have completed site work and installed the building’s foundations and steel erection has begun. He said the building will be ready for tenants by spring, 2016.

He said the building can be subdivided to house up to four tenants and he expects there to be interest from a variety of manufacturing and distribution companies. He estimates that 125 to 200 people will work in the building when it is fully occupied.

In 2014 Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services provided industrial space in CenterPoint West to Greiner Packaging International, one of Europe’s leaders in the manufacturing of premium packaging. Last week, Mericle announced the start of construction of a 46,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Hanover Crossings for Japanese firm Itoh Denki.

Robert Mericle said the site for the new spec building had been fully prepared in advance as part of his company’s ReadyToGo!™ Program. Through the program, Mericle Construction is clearing, grading and compacting, and obtaining all permits and approvals, for 90 sites in 11 local business parks. To date, work has been completed on 40 ReadyToGo!™ Sites.

Construction is well underway on an estimated $51.4 million project, which will improve access to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport and several local business parks.

PennDOT began construction in mid-2013 and work is expected to last through 2015.

Part of the project calls for the construction of a .85-mile access road from the existing airport entrance off I-81, over I-476, and connecting to Commerce Boulevard in Grimes Industrial Park, giving trucks better access to the interstate.

Adjacent parks such as O’Hara Industrial Park and Mericle’s fast-growing CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park will also benefit from the project. Upon completion, the three parks will have two very convenient access points to I-81.

“Having a wide variety of real estate offerings is critical to recruiting companies and creating and retaining jobs,” said Mericle Vice President of Marketing Jim Cummings. “Companies often call us because they’ve found an available property within our portfolio that they think will work for them. In most cases however, they need to be convinced of two things before they’re willing to move into a Mericle building – how quickly can they access the interstate system and can they attract quality workers there.”

“Companies like CenterPoint and Grimes Industrial Park because the parks are in the middle of the labor market and are equidistant to Scranton and Wilkes-Barre,” Cummings said. “More than 470,000 people live within 20 miles, which really helps companies draw employees.”

“We need to make sure we don’t become victims of our own success, however,” he said. “Highway access to the business parks at Exit 175 of I-81 has been excellent to date, which has led to major investments by dozens of companies. We estimate that 9,000 people work off of Exit 175 including about 4,500 in CenterPoint alone. The new $51 million road project will go a long way to ensuring that highway access stays excellent long into the future, which will no doubt lead to the creation of thousands of additional jobs.”

TruBridge, a Mobile, Alabama based company that provides business, consulting, and IT services, has leased 12,394 square feet within the Schuylkill Mall, in Frackville, Pennsylvania. The former retail space is being converted to offices so that TruBridge can provide support to several healthcare clients.

The project was announced by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett who said TruBridge plans to invest more than $270,000 at the new site and anticipates creating more than 100 jobs over the next three years.

Lease negotiations were coordinated by Julia Namutka, Sales and Leasing Agent for Mericle Commercial Real Estate Group, Inc., Wilkes-Barre. She thanked Michael Pearlstein of mall owner Empire Schuylkill L.P. for working hard to complete the transaction. Renovations are underway and the space will be ready for occupancy in early 2015.

“Companies such as TruBridge continue to see the benefits of bringing their businesses to Pennsylvania,” Governor Corbett said. “More than 100 new jobs are coming to Schuylkill County and I am pleased to welcome TruBridge to the commonwealth’s growing business community.”

The company received a funding proposal from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development that includes up to $306,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits.

“We’re excited to have this expansion take place in Schuylkill County,” said Chris Fowler, President of TruBridge. “This move will allow us to not only help further stimulate the economy in Pennsylvania, but will also allow us to better meet the business needs of community healthcare organizations in this region.”

Mericle’s Namutka, who serves as the leasing agent for the Schuylkill Mall, praised the team effort that helped bring TruBridge to Schuylkill County. “Empire Schuylkill L.P., the Governor’s Action Team, and the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO), all played key roles in making this project happen,” she said.

Namutka said Frank Zukas and Brian Hansbury of SEDCO introduced the idea of moving into the Mall to TruBridge executives. “Frank and Brian did a fantastic job,” she said. “They provided excellent service to TruBridge and we thank them for thinking of the Mall during TruBridge’s site search.”

Zukas, SEDCO’s executive director, said the company was referred through Schuylkill Medical Center. Zukas said the two hospitals are clients of the company that provides third-part calling associated with insurance billing.

“We are thrilled with TruBridge’s decision to locate its service center in our community,” said John Boyer, Chairman of the SEDCO Board of Directors. “It’s a testament to our great workforce and ideal business climate. SEDCO thanks the Pennsylvania CareerLink and Governor’s Action Team for their assistance in recruiting TruBridge to Schuylkill County.”

Namutka said changing consumer shopping habits are forcing mall developers across the U.S.to think outside of the box when filling their vacant spaces. “Online retailing combined with next day and even same day product deliveries are having an impact on the traditional bricks and mortar retail model,” she said. “Even Black Friday sales are being impacted. We expect to continue to see non-traditional uses for mall properties all across the country.”

TruBridge helps community healthcare organizations succeed on their path to performance. The company is focused exclusively on providing business, consulting and managed IT services. TruBridge brings years of expertise in delivering effective solutions created for the unique challenges faced by community healthcare organizations.

For more information on TruBridge, visit www.trubridge.com.

One of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing suppliers of dancewear is expanding its distribution operation in Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services’ Cross Valley West Professional Building located at 180 Welles Street in Forty Fort, Luzerne County.

Discount Dance Supply is expanding from 79,685 square feet to 189,357 square feet to accommodate the company’s growth on the east coast.

The company employs 90 workers in the building and expects to hire an additional 20 employees due to the expansion.

Discount Dance Supply expects the expansion to grow its market share, provide better service to its customers, and increase sales.

Discount Dance Supply was formed in 1973 as Hill’s Capezio Dance Shop to serve all the dancewear needs of Orange County, California. Ted and Linda Hill purchased a small store in Orange’s Town and Country shopping center, and their store prospered over the years to become one of the largest Capezio dealers in California. In 1992, after opening additional stores in Southern California, the company opened its mail order division to provide dancewear nationwide under the name Discount Dance Supply. Today, Discount Dance Supply is the largest supplier of dancewear in the country.

The company’s e-commerce division generates thousands of daily shipments to customers around the globe. Brian Hill, the founder’s son and CEO said the company is excited to be expanding its distribution in Forty Fort and believes this expansion, “gives us a strategic business advantage in the dancewear industry.”

Mericle Vice President Jim Hilsher coordinated the project. He said the Discount Dance Supply project is the latest example of the growth of E-Commerce fulfillment in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He said 18 of the top E-commerce companies have fulfillment centers in the region including Neiman Marcus, J.P. Boden, Amazon.com, American Eagle Outfitters, CVS Caremark, BabyAge.com, and Webgistix/Rakuten.

“With the evolution of online retailing and the push for ever-shorter delivery windows, E-commerce companies are seeking areas where they can establish strategically located and cost-efficient fulfillment operations,“ Hilsher said. “Northeastern Pennsylvania fits that bill.”

Hilsher said the region’s combination of immediate interstate access, close proximity to the east coast’s consumption zones, availability of overnight delivery companies, affordable business costs, a great workforce, and an ample supply of industrial space and sites, are combining to draw E-commerce companies.

For more information, visit www.discountdance.com and www.mericle.com.

Most entrepreneurs look to the future when starting a new business. However, when Robert K. Mericle founded Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services in 1985, he looked to the past to find the road map that would help his development business grow.

Rob Mericle created Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services as a vertically-integrated company with in-house professionals with expertise in virtually all aspects of commercial real estate development and construction. By self performing virtually all aspects of a project, using its own in-house personnel, Mericle Commercial Real Estate is better able to control costs and fast track delivery schedules to meet its clients’ needs.

“We fashion Mericle as a throwback to the ‘master builder’ of old when experienced craftsmen self-performed all aspects of the construction processes,” said Mericle Chief Operating Officer Lew Sebia. “We’ve consistently proven our ability to build quality investment grade commercial space at low costs by maintaining an experienced staff that, similar to a manufacturing process, has been able to perfect and fine tune the efficiency of its delivery process. The result has been extremely fast delivery of quality product at very competitive rates.”

The Mericle team includes licensed architects, land planners, professional engineers, surveyors, licensed electricians, plumbers, carpenters, certified public accountants, in-house legal counsel, leasing and marketing professionals, licensed brokers, property managers and so on.

Mericle Construction even has its own land excavation division, the largest bulk excavation operation in Northeastern Pennsylvania, with more than $20 million worth of owned heavy equipment and an entire team of dedicated professionals that self performs all of Mericle’s site work from leveling building pads to crushing stone for pad development to making all of the topsoil for the sites.

Since 1985, Mericle Commercial has developed more than 18 million square feet of industrial, office, and flex space. Today, that space houses more than 13,400 workers. Mericle has consistently, throughout its history, developed inventory space and then leased that inventory space to users identified by its marketing and leasing teams through a deep network of relationships with brokers, site consultants and end users.

Because of its own in-house resources, led by a marketing and leasing team with more than 100 years of combined real estate and economic development experience, Mericle Commercial has always been the leader in securing quality tenants to fill the inventory space that it constructs. It has consistently maintained the stability of its portfolio by attracting and retaining quality tenants.

“We are very proud of the fact that we have never lost an existing tenant to a competitor in our core market,” said Sebia. “Our ability to attract and retain quality tenants for our portfolio has been the catalyst for Mericle’s growth for more than a quarter century and will lead us into a successful future.”

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Northeastern Pennsylvania native, Robert K. Mericle, had a vision of creating an industrial park with convenient access to all of the major commercial hubs of the Northeast. In 2005, Mericle’s vision became a reality.

Robert Mericle created CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park in 2005. Since then, CenterPoint has grown at a tremendous pace. Mericle has developed 6 million square feet of industrial and flex space on the park that houses 39 companies and 4,500 jobs. Mericle’s CenterPoint has solidified Northeastern Pennsylvania as a distribution and industrial hotspot along Interstate 81, dubbed the “I-81 Corridor.”

Mericle’s CenterPoint is home to companies such as Lowe’s, Home Depot, Kimberly Clark, Corning Life Sciences, Men’s Warehouse, Benco Dental, Neiman Marcus, Greiner Packaging, United Sporting Companies, Fed-Ex Ground, and more.

“We are pleased with the number of prominent companies that have moved into CenterPoint,” said Mericle Vice President Jim Cummings. “We built CenterPoint in an ideal location for distribution and industrial operations. It is located in the center of the Boston/Washington Corridor, at the intersection of Interstates 81 and 476. CenterPoint is a two hour drive from both New York City and Philadelphia, which is a huge advantage to our tenants serving the Northeast.”

Many companies located within CenterPoint serve from Maine to Virginia and west to Ohio. For one company, British clothier Boden, their CenterPoint location is their only US distribution center, processing and shipping their customer’s orders from east to west coast. Boden searched locations in many states before choosing to base their U.S. operations along the I-81 Corridor, specifically Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Robert Mericle is a trendsetter. Since CenterPoint’s inception in 2005, the I-81 Corridor has quickly become an industrial mecca. In the time since Mericle first broke ground at CenterPoint, more than 15 million square feet, or about 20% of the total Class A and Class B bulk industrial space in the entire market, has been built.

Mericle, the largest private developer of industrial real estate along the I-81 Corridor, has developed more than 18 million square feet since 1985. An estimated 13,400 people work in the millions of square feet developed by Mericle.

Location is the most important aspect of real estate. Northeastern Pennsylvania, where Mericle’s properties are located, offers a prime location for businesses looking to serve the Northeast, East Coast, or the entire country. A close second, when deciding where to locate an industrial operation, is the quality and quantity of workforce in the region.

Northeastern Pennsylvania has a readily available, highly productive workforce that has long been known for its work ethic.

“Northeastern Pennsylvania is full of hardworking, dedicated people,” said Cummings. “I have heard countless stories from our tenants about the exceptional experiences they have had with the Northeastern Pennsylvania workforce. In fact, many managers have told me that they have never met harder working employees than their employees in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”

The “I-81 Corridor” is quickly becoming one of the nation’s focal points for industrial and distribution operations. The region has a lot to offer, including its easily accessible location and strong workforce. Mericle is further solidifying the region’s position by continuously building industrial space, creating new jobs, and attracting national and international companies to move to the I-81 Corridor.

For more information about Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services and CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park, visit www.mericle.com.

During the “worst recession since the Great Depression,” most commercial real estate developers stopped developing buildings on speculation. Not Robert K. Mericle.

Since mid-2008, Robert Mericle’s company, Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services, has constructed 15 buildings on speculation along Northeastern Pennsylvania’s I-81 Corridor. These new buildings have ranged from just under 25,000 square feet to more than 400,000 square feet and have included bulk industrial, flex, and office space.

Mericle plans to begin construction on more spec buildings shortly.

Robert Mericle founded Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 1985 and has grown the company to more than 200 employees. Mericle has developed more than 18 million square feet in Northeastern Pennsylvania, most of it on speculation. More than 13,400 people work in Mericle-developed facilities.

Robert Mericle’s belief in his home area as a premier location for new businesses has paid dividends. Since mid- 2008, Mericle’s company has provided new homes for 87 firms in Northeastern Pennsylvania. These companies are occupying 6.5 million square feet and are creating and retaining more than 6,800 jobs with a combined annual payroll of close to $250 million.

Among the companies that have moved into Mericle spec buildings since mid-2008 are Amazon.com, Bimbo Bakeries, FedEx Ground, Home Depot, Corning Life Sciences, Benco Dental, United Sporting Companies, Cintas, Geisinger, Henry Schein, Neiman Marcus, and Pella Products.

“We have tremendous confidence in the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Mericle Vice President Jim Cummings. “They are among the most productive people in the United States and define the term ‘work ethic.’ When you combine our great people with our exceptional highway system and Mericle’s modern buildings, you have a winning combination that reduces our risk of building on speculation.”

Once a company leases space in a building developed by Mericle, they tend to stay. Mericle employees provide around the clock property management services to make sure tenants’ needs are responded to quickly and efficiently.

Mericle buildings can be found along the highways that converge in Northeastern Pennsylvania. For example, Mericle buildings in Humboldt Industrial Park near Hazleton provide immediate access to both Interstates 81 and 80, the “Crossroads of the East” while Mericle buildings in CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park near Pittston are less than one mile from both I-81 and I-476.

Since 1985, Mericle has provided commercial real estate solutions to 36 Fortune 500 firms.