Exel Inc., a contract logistics company, leased a 180,456-square-foot distribution center in Sparks on the basis of a deal with a single pharmaceutical company.
But Exel expects to open the newly opened facility to other pharmaceutical and healthcare companies in 2012, creating a shared-used facility.
The building that the company leased from ProLogis at 1802 Brierley Way previously was occupied by Pfizer Animal Health.
Exel's life sciences sector employs about 30 in northern Nevada.
Volker Schulz, senior director of customer development for Exel, said the Sparks facility provides warehousing and distribution services to wholesale and retail distribution centers across the United States.
The northern Nevada facility handles over-the-counter healthcare products such as ibuprofen and cough and cold medicines. Exel didn't disclose the identity of its client at Sparks.
Schulz said additional clients at the center might include biopharma or specialty pharmaceutical companies.
Exel chose the Sparks location because of its proximity to major Western markets, Schulz said.
"Employee continuity and the retention of knowledge capital was another key element in the decision," he said.
Based at Westerville, Ohio, Exel operates more than 440 supply chain management sites with 27,500 employees in the United States and Canada. It's owned by Deutsche Post DHL, a German company that ranks among the largest logistics companies in the world.
Dave Simonsen, J. Michael Hoeck and Dan Oster of NAI Alliance in Reno represented Exel Inc. in its lease.
