To: All media
For Immediate Release
For additional information, please contact Precision Design at 570-455-3533

(Hazle Township, PA – March 7, 2008) – Officials from AutoZone, the number one auto parts retailer in America which employs more than 45,000 people in the U.S. and Mexico, officially announced today that the company is opening a 600,000-square foot distribution center in CAN DO’s Humboldt Industrial Park in late May.
Construction of the new AutoZone distribution center in Humboldt North began in June of 2007. Until today’s announcement, the project was known throughout the area only as “Project Pioneer.”

AutoZone is expected to employ about 400 people at its local facility when fully operational. The company plans to initially hire about 250 people by the time it opens in May.

“The increasing scope of our business requires that we enhance our supply chain capabilities,” said Bill Graves, senior vice president of supply chain customer satisfaction. “AutoZone’s new facility in Hazle Township will bring even more efficiency to the process of delivering the right part at the right price to our retail and commercial customers.”

Through its site selection firm, The Walker Company of Atlanta, Georgia, AutoZone considered dozens of communities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland before choosing Greater Hazleton for the site of the new distribution center, according to John Warden, an executive vice president with The Walker Company.

Employment applications for the new facility will be accepted at CareerLink, 75 N. Laurel St. in Hazleton, or by visiting www.autozone.com and clicking on “Careers.” Job functions will include material handling, receiving, stocking and order selecting. Mechanics, tractor-trailer mechanics, truck drivers and managers are also sought.
CAN DO officials said many organizations assisted in helping the economic development agency land this project.

“First, the Governor’s Action Team played an important role with bringing significant state financial incentives to the table. Next, the Hazleton Area School District, Luzerne County and Hazle Township joined together to approve the land in Humboldt North for LERTA tax status, since this parcel isn’t in a Keystone Opportunity Zone,” said Kevin O’Donnell, CAN DO’s president.

“The LERTA approval was key in our negotiations since Hazle Township was up against many other communities that were offering tax-free land through the Keystone Opportunity Zone program,” O’Donnell said.

“Playing an equally important role was the industrial and educational community of Greater Hazleton. Without even knowing who ‘Project Pioneer’ was, several of our park tenants took time out of their busy schedules to meet with officials from the prospective company and share information about Greater Hazleton’s workforce. As usual, the quality of our area’s workforce played a major role in AutoZone’s ultimate decision to choose Humboldt Industrial Park. And leaders of local schools and colleges were more than willing to meet with the officials to talk about the educational opportunities here in Greater Hazleton,” he said.

“We also want to thank CareerLink, the Manufacturers and Employers Association and the Chamber of Commerce for their assistance,” O’Donnell stated.

CAN DO Chairman of the Board Thomas Sandrock welcomed Greater Hazleton’s newest employer and thanked O’Donnell and the entire CAN DO staff for its persistence in fighting for this project. “Our marketing department spent countless hours coordinating all of the meetings and information this company sought during the site selection process. Before joining the CAN DO board, I had no idea how much hard work goes into courting a new industrial tenant. I think everyone who is involved in this process has an appreciation for the amount of work that goes into bringing new jobs to the area.”

AutoZone is a seller of auto and light truck parts, chemicals and accessories and has more than 4,000 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 84 additional stores in Mexico.

AutoZone, originally known as Auto Shack, opened its first store in 1979 in Forrest City, AR. In 1987, the company changed its name to AutoZone and in 1991 began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AZO.

In 1995, the company opened its 1,000th store in Louisville, Kentucky and then in 1998, opened its first store in Mexico. Today, AutoZone operates nearly 4,000 stores throughout the U.S. and Mexico.

AutoZone first made the Fortune 500 list in 1999 and has improved its ranking each year since.

The company also sells automotive diagnostic and repair software through ALLDATA, diagnostic and repair information through alldatadiy.com and auto and light truck parts and accessories through AutoZone.com.