One day before releasing its 2023 fourth quarter financial results, MRO supplies distribution giant Grainger shared plans for a major new distribution center near Houston that is projected to open in 2026.

The planned facility will span 1.2 million square feet in Hockley, TX. Dubbed as Grainger’s “Houston Texas Distribution Center,” the project will provide Grainger with additional capacity to continue delivering next-day complete orders to customers, the company said in a Feb. 1 news release.

Grainger — No. 1 on MDM’s 2023 Top Industrial Distributors List — plans to break ground this spring.

“Our customers want the right product, in the right place, in the right quantity, at the right time,” said Rob Reynolds, Grainger Senior Vice President, Branch and DC Operations. “Greater Houston is an ideal location because it’s geographically close to current and potential customers, and it sits in the second fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States.”

The company anticipates the new facility will employ approximately 400 team members within a year of opening in 2026.

Once completed, Grainger’s new Houston DC is expected to house more than 250,000 industrial supply items, such as hand and power tools, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, fluid power solutions, lighting, power transmission equipment and motors.

The building will be constructed on a vacant 108-acre parcel of land in Hockley, about 37 miles northwest of Houston in Harris County. Upon opening, it will be one of Grainger’s largest U.S. facilities.

This DC is just one of the the company’s major construction projects currently underway. A 525,000-square-foot bulk warehouse in Pineville, NC is slated to open later this year and Grainger said a 535,000-square-foot distribution center in Gresham, OR is on track to open next year.

Grainger already operates more than 45 locations in the state of Texas, including six branches within the city of Houston, plus a 374,000-square-foot distribution center and 441,000-square-foot bulk warehouse both outside of Dallas.

The property will be developed by Hines, a global real estate investment, development and property manager.

Grainger will host its Grainger Show customer event over Feb. 11-13 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.