KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Hallmark Cards broke ground on a major expansion of its distribution operations in Liberty on Wednesday.
An 850,000 square foot expansion of the Liberty Distribution Center will go in, less than one mile from the original site, which helps the Kansas City-based company ship across North America, according to a release from Hallmark.
The facility won't just expand operations, but help the company decrease its environmental impact, according to the release.
"This will reduce Hallmark’s environmental impact by reducing transportation needs — which will also mean using one million fewer cardboard boxes annually for outbound shipping," the release said.
The facility is expected to open in 2023 with more than 1,200 full time employees and 150 seasonal workers.
“This expansion is an incredible milestone for our business, and we are excited about the potential this unlocks for us in the years to come,” Scott Collignon, Hallmark’s vice president of logistics, said. “We will create new job opportunities as well as new capabilities to meet the expectations of our customers who continue to shop for our products in-stores and online.”
Hallmark, the Opus Group, the City of Liberty and the Missouri Department of Economic Development all collaborated to make the center happen.
"Liberty has been home to the Hallmark Distribution Center for nearly 50 years. In those five decades, Hallmark has provided thousands of good jobs while making numerous contributions to improve the quality of life in our community," Liberty's Mayor, Lyndell Brenton, said.
