US grocer BJ’s Wholesale Club has revealed that initial projections, on which the scope of its new 500,000 sq ft distribution center in Jacksonville, Florida was determined, were wrong and that greater regional demand has already led to an expansion of the plans for the site.


The facility was designed in order to support BJ’s regional distribution operations. In two phases, the company now intends to expand the warehouse currently under construction by 1.5m sq ft, thus increasing the regional capacity by 200%.


The first phase of the US$60m expansion programme is expected to begin actual construction in mid 2003 and be completed by 2004, with the second phase to follow in late 2004/early 2005.