COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF., (May 13, 2013) – MCS Industries, the U.S. market leader for wall and poster frames, announced its relocation from Visalia, CA to the County of San Bernardino, CA.

Following an exhaustive search, including almost 100 competing sites, MCS is relocating from its former 86,000 square feet of space in Visalia, CA, to 115,000 square feet of space in an existing building located at 11089 Tacoma in the City of Rancho Cucamonga, with an option to expand into another 100,000 square feet of space. The firm will begin directing inbound ocean freight to the new location starting this month with complete move in by July 2013. MCS will use the new facility as a distribution center encompassing receiving, inspection, warehousing, and shipping operations to major retailers.

MCS is converting the metal halide lighting in the existing building to energy efficient T5 lighting with motion controls and adding security features such as high definition cameras and badge access systems.  The firm will also install high-pile racking to store up to 8,000 pallets of finished product. The Rancho Cucamonga facility will handle MCS’ core distribution business for the western half of the US.

Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Easton, Pennsylvania, MCS is the premier full-line supplier of tabletop frames, albums and scrapbooks, mirrors, wall décor and art-print products. MCS’ depth of experience and broad product line has enabled the firm to become the supplier of choice to North America’s largest retail chains serving the mass market, hobby and craft, office products, photo and specialty channels.

The firm plans to hire its core staffing early on including managers, logistics personnel, QA and inventory control.  MCS will eventually hire on 15 full time associates for its industrial site. All told, MCS will employ a total of 20 full time employees in the County, with plans to increase up to 50 people during peak retail seasons, specifically during “Back to School” and “Black Friday” promotional events.

“The greatest advantage to operating in the County of San Bernardino is the location.  MCS is committed to its customers. With this move we can reposition our distribution center to align more closely with our customer’s transportation lanes. It’s a major benefit for both parties,” said Ed Miller, director of logistics, MCS Industries.

According to Miller, the Inland Empire is one of the top logistics sites in the nation. The County location made sense especially since MCS’ customers are big box retailers who all have operations within the Inland Empire.

“The impressive core of an available and talented workforce is also a significant advantage.  When MCS posted ads for available positions, the response was overwhelming.  Unlike a remote location like Visalia, I did not have to search high and low to find the talent to serve as the foundation for our newest facility,” Miller added.

 Another reason for MCS’ move is the proximity to the Port of Los Angeles from a Rancho Cucamonga location. “Trucking costs fluctuate with the rise of fuel so to dray ocean containers 350 miles to Visalia is expensive. This move made both economic and workforce sense for us. Plus we gained from the County’s proactive commitment to our business and its growth,” Miller said.

“The County is once again pleased to welcome a strong employer to the region. MCS is looking to grow and we will ensure the company is provided with quality candidates for its job opportunities,” said Kelly Reenders, economic development agency administrator, County of San Bernardino.

“We’re glad that MCS discovered the bottom line benefits to locating in the County in order to leverage its existing client relationships in Southern California. The County of San Bernardino continues to build on its roster of high profile retailers and Fortune 500 firms that recognize the long list of benefits that can be gained here,” Reenders added.

About the County of San Bernardino: Located at the heart of Southern California, an economy of 22 million people, the County of San Bernardino is the largest county in the United States. Its vast borders stretch from the greater Los Angeles area to the Nevada border and the Colorado River encompassing a total area of 20,160 square miles. Comprised of 24 cities, the County of San Bernardino encompasses more than two million residents with a workforce exceeding 900,000. Its assets include an innovation corridor of close to two dozen colleges and universities supporting a strong, diverse workforce along with an unparalleled collection of roadways, runways and railways that lead to regional, national and international business centers. One of its transportation assets is the Ontario International Airport featuring the western hub for UPS. Visit www.SBCountyAdvantage.com.