Car parts distributor PACCAR is eying the former LSC Communications plant at 1375 Harrisburg Pike in Lancaster city for distribution centers, according to documents filed with the city.
The company, a global maker of truck parts and trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF brands, did not respond to inquiries from LNP|LancasterOnline. LSC Communications was the successor to phone book printing company R.R. Donnelley.
PACCAR’s interest in the property was revealed in its October request to the city’s zoning officer for an opinion on whether a distribution center was allowed on part of the parcel, which is located in an area zoned central manufacturing. The zoning officer ruled the distribution center is allowed. According to a legal advertisement, there was a 30-day period in which the decision could be challenged. There’s no public record of a challenge and the period has passed. The city did not respond an LNP inquiry about a challenge.
PACCAR said in the request that it wants to buy the 57-acre LSC facility and an adjacent parcel to the north, located in Manheim Township, to serve as a parking lot for the warehouse.
PACCAR is proposing two distribution centers for aftermarket parts for medium and heavy-duty trucks, buses and trailers on the former LSC property. As of Thursday, county records show LSC still owns the property.
It is not clear if PACCAR will expand into the former LSC plant or move from its current location at 3001 Industry Drive in East Hempfield Township where it has an approximately 132,000 square foot facility, which opened in 1982. It is not clear how many people are employed there.
CHAD UMBLE | Staff WriterThe LSC Communications city site has a 826,000-square-foot warehouse and a 6,000-square-foot outbuilding, according to county assessment records.The plant was opened in 1972 on the former site of the Lancaster Fairgrounds and twin Brookside swimming pools, next to Long’s Park. Its main business was printing catalogs. It once printed phone directories, but that work was phased out in 2015.
LSC announced the closure of its two Lancaster County facilities in January, ending jobs there for about 600 employees. Its other site at 216 Greenfield Road has not been sold, according to county records.
PACCAR’s growth
About a decade ago, PACCAR spent about $4.7 million to expand its East Hempfield warehouse by 58,000 square feet, including six truck docks.
Worldwide, PACCAR Parts’ 18 distribution centers total 3.3 million square feet.
In its October report to investors, PACCAR, which trades on the NASDAQ as PCAR, said it expects 7% to 8% growth in its parts division in the fourth quarter. Its parts segment achieved pretax profit of $412.3 million in the third quarter of 2023, compared to $373.6 million earned in the third quarter of 2022. The company also said it has begun construction of a new, 240,000 square-foot PACCAR parts distribution center in Massbach, Germany, which will open in 2024.
The company has invested $7.6 billion in new and expanded facilities, innovative products and new technologies during the past decade, it said in its report to investors, with capital investments estimated to be in a range of $650 million to $675 million this year.
“PACCAR is increasing its investment in fuel efficient diesel and electric powertrain technologies, autonomous systems, connected vehicle services, and next-generation manufacturing and parts distribution capabilities,” said Harrie Schippers, president and chief financial officer in the report.
