The newly-acquired distribution centre in Duncan.

Accosys Inc, the parent company of forklift parts and accessories distributor Systems Material Handling Co (SMH), has bought Raynor Manufacturing Co's former manufacturing and distribution facility in Duncan, South Carolina, for USD6.6 million.

SMH vice president Frank Carter says the 198,000 square foot- (18,395 square metre) former garage-door manufacturing and distribution facility is bigger than the Olathe, Kansas-headquartered company's present need and will be partially leased to another industrial user.

"We selected the Spartanburg and Greenville, South Carolina area due to its superior coverage for 'one day ground service' throughout a key portion of the Southeast," says Carter.

He explains that where possible, SMH prefers to own rather than lease facilities as it has done for its Kansas headquarters; Grayslake, Illinois offices; Mira Loma, California warehouse and Mississauga, Canada office.

The company plans to use 80,000 square feet (7,432 square metres) of the facility and lease the other half to a manufacturer or other industrial user.

The USD6.6 million sale price includes 23 acres (93,078 square metres) surrounding the building at 175 Spartangreen Boulevard in Duncan, Spartanburg County. The land fronts the I-85, a major interstate highway between Charlotte, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia.

Carter will not reveal how much SMH is investing in the new facility but says it intends to have it ready as a distribution centre by end of November 2007.

"We have already hired a majority of the staff and are in the process of training them and making preparations like outfitting the facility and stocking it with TotalSource parts."

SMH is the primary operating entity for Belgium-based TVH Group in the US. It employs around 390 people in the US, Canada and Mexico and boasts 165,000 stocking numbers and over 2,000,000 part numbers for over 70 materials handling vehicle brands.