Hopkins Distribution comes of age, doubles its space

As Hopkins Distribution Co.

wraps up its move into 220,000 square feet of additional warehouse space in Reno's South Meadows, the company will have expanded its space 16- fold since 1993.

And most remarkably, the biggest share of that growth came during the last two years as the family-owned company leased 205,000 square feet from DP Partners in 2004 and followed up with the 220,000-square-foot lease from DP Partners beginning in February.

With the expanded facility, Hopkins can handle more than 28,000 pallets of products for its clients.

Not bad for a third-party logistics company that began in a 26,000-square-foot warehouse a dozen years ago.

"We finally came of age," says Nancy Hopkins, the company's chief financial officer.

Her husband, Robert, is the president and information systems guru of Hopkins Distribution.

The reason that Hopkins Distribution began growing quickly after years of quiet growth, she says, is the combination of industry- leading information technology with a highly personalized approach to customer service.

Typically, Hopkins Distribution handles the entire logistics operation warehousing, orderfilling, transportation for its customers.

It's a business that often grows fastest during recessions as its clients look around for ways to save costs and decide that specialized logistics companies can provide the service less expensively.

"We've heard it described as a bit like sending your toddler off to kindergarten for the first time,"Nancy Hopkins says.

Clients worry as they entrust their inventory and distribution to an outsider.

"We don't consider ourselves a vendor," Hopkins says."We try to get into our clients' heads and figure out how we can emulate their belief systems."

That means the company often takes on clients who require intensive work extensive repackaging, for instance, or special labeling programs.

Nancy Hopkins noted the company is careful in its selection of clients.

For instance, it looks to balance their seasonal peaks.

If one client is a heavy user of logistics services during the summer, Hopkins Distribution looks for another client who is equally busy during the winter.

It's also careful, she says, to select clients whose values match those of Hopkins Distribution.

"Otherwise, those accounts will grind you down on price," she says."Or they may have a set of ethics that just don't fit with yours."

Those ethical considerations, she says, play an important part in ensuring that the company and its 50 employees stay true to their mission.

"We're focused," she says."But it's not all about the almighty dollar.We want to have a good time."

Since its inception, the focus of Hopkins Distribution has been regional distribution to the West.

But now, Nancy Hopkins says, the company is looking to expand to the East Coast.