OGDEN — A leading manufacturer of ready-to-assemble furniture has relocated its western e-commerce distribution center to Utah, having partnered with a third-party logistics provider with warehouses at Business Depot Ogden.

The Archbold, Ohio-based Sauder Woodworking Co. — which traces its roots back to 1934 when founder Erie Sauder started a woodworking business in his barn — has tapped Kenco to handle its regional distribution in an effort to broaden its two-day shipping reach.

The partnership was announced in March.

Sauder’s regional distribution center previously was housed in Jurupa Valley, California. Matthew Peterson, Sauder’s executive vice president of supply chain, told the Standard-Examiner that working with Kenco will allow the company to get its product to more customers, sooner.

“Ogden, geographically, gives us a better delivery service level to the western United States than Southern California,” Peterson said. “We have two distribution centers in the east — one in the southeast and one here in Ohio. With our third one in Southern California, we were able to provide two-day delivery service to about 92% of the U.S. population. Moving gets us to 98%.”

Peterson also cited operating costs and Sauder’s changing business model as factors in the decision to move its western e-commerce distribution to Ogden. There was a level of philosophical alignment between his company and Kenco as well.

“(Kenco) has demonstrated just exceptional capability, expertise and technology to support our business,” Peterson said. “The other thing I will tell you about Kenco is, for us, we’re a third-generation, family-owned and operated company, and Kenco’s values very much aligned with ours. That was important to us.”

Said David Caines, chief operating officer at Kenco, in a release: “Growing your e-commerce business requires purpose-built strategies to keep up with demand, and Kenco offers both the expertise and infrastructure to bring those strategies to life.

“We’re excited Sauder chose our Ogden, Utah facility as the distribution point for moving their ready-to-assemble furniture across the Western U.S.”

Although Sauder makes direct-to-consumer sales via its website, the majority of its ready-to-assemble products are sold through large retailers like Wayfair, Amazon and Walmart.com.

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