Logistics company debuts new North American headquarters in Cobb

Jun. 25—Less than a year after the announcement that it would add 500 new jobs and invest $59 million into a new North American headquarters in Cobb County, Dutch logistics firm Vanderlande cut the ribbon on its new facility Friday.

The new HQ, roughly 150,000 square feet in size, is the centerpiece of the company's 27-acre campus off Chastain Meadows Parkway, in the Town Center area.

"For more than 23 years we've called Cobb County the headquarters of our North American business, which includes our significant engineering, research and development, manufacturing and corporate operations," said Nick Porter, president of Airports and Parcel Solutions, North America at Vanderlande, in an announcement. "The incredible team we have assembled has played an important role in our dramatic growth in North America and the many transformative innovations introduced to the industries and customers we serve."

The new facility will serve almost 1,000 employees and includes amenities such as a fitness center, a full-service cafeteria and green space and walking trails.

Vanderlande said the building is Leed GOLD certified, boasting a solar panel array that offsets more than 25% of its energy usage, rainwater capture systems, efficient heating and cooling, and electric vehicle charging stations.

Projects to build a separate, larger innovation center, a parking deck and an additional office building on the campus are also already underway, the firm said.

Vanderlande produces logistic automation systems in the warehousing, airport and parcel sectors, including baggage handling systems and parcel-sorting systems. The company was founded in 1949 and employs more than 9,000 people worldwide, and is owned by Japanese conglomerate Toyota Industries.

"Our new headquarters marks an exciting new chapter for the company as demand for the systems and expertise we provide to our customers continues to increase," said Sean Wallingford, president of Warehouse Solutions, North America at Vanderlande. "We are incredibly grateful to be part of Atlanta's innovation economy and greatly appreciate the support we've received from the office of Governor Brian P. Kemp, the Cobb Chamber, the Town Center Community Improvement District, and so many others. With this campus, we look forward to making an even greater contribution in the metro Atlanta area."