Pennsylvania Governor Corbett Speaks During PetSmart Distribution Center Groundbreaking

BETHEL, Pa., Oct. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett spoke today at the groundbreaking ceremony for a future PetSmart distribution center in Bethel, Berks County, which will create hundreds of new jobs for Pennsylvanians.

Partnering with the state, PetSmart will build an 870,000 square foot distribution center that will serve 260 retail locations in 11 states as well as eastern Canada. The distribution center will be operational by 2014.

"This new distribution center will add 500 new jobs to the Pennsylvania PetSmart family," Corbett said. "That's 500 new jobs to add to the 2,000 jobs PetSmart already provides in Pennsylvania."

PetSmart operates 51 stores in Pennsylvania, employs nearly 2,000 Pennsylvanians and does business with 11 Pennsylvania-based suppliers of pets, pet food and other pet-related goods.

"PetSmart is thrilled to come to Berks County with our new state-of-the-art distribution center,'' Eddie Burt, senior vice president of supply chain for PetSmart said. "This project not only signifies new jobs for Pennsylvanians, it also reinforces our strong partnership with the state."

The Governor's Action Team invested in this endeavor through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

"I want a job for every Pennsylvanian who wants to work," Corbett said. "That's why the Governor's Action Team wasted no time when PetSmart came to us with this project. We invested in this facility, we invested in job training and we invested in the future of Pennsylvania workers."

"State government has had a tradition of being an adversary to business, as if somehow the desire to make a profit is some kind of moral failing. But we need to approach the state's role as one of partner. Companies employ our citizens and profit is what creates new jobs," Corbett said.

The governor was joined at the groundbreaking ceremony by business groups, local officials and PetSmart executives.

Media contact: Eric Shirk, 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor