Empire Bolt & Screw Inc., a Spokane-based distributor of threaded products, standard fasteners, and industrial goods, plans to open a new warehouse distribution facility in Summerville, South Carolina.

It is the first time in the company’s 51-year history that it has expanded its physical presence to include an additional location. 

Ron Stanley, president and CEO of Empire Bolt & Screw, says the company has hired two people to staff the new 6,000-square-foot facility and plans to hire another within six months.

“It is a strategically good move for growth,” says Stanley of the South Carolina facility.

The new warehouse was established under the direction Jennifer Strum, Empire Bolt’s chief operations officer.

Empire Bolt & Screw’s Spokane operation is located at 1501 E. Trent, where it employs 17 people.

Stanley declines to share revenue figures but says it has been trending positively for the last couple of years, and he expects the same this year.

Empire Bolt & Screw was founded in 1972 by Ron’s father, Larry Stanley, and other family members. In addition to the East Coast, Empire Bolt also has customers internationally in places like Greece and Mexico, says Ron Stanley.

The company began to search for a second location about four months ago to serve its East Coast customers.

“After receiving requests from various customers needing more localized inventory, we listened and started the process of setting up a distribution center in South Carolina,” Stanley says.