A nationwide supplier of flooring, countertop, wall tile and materials for outdoor spaces like patios plans to invest $61.6 million to establish its East Coast distribution facility in Suffolk, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday.
California-based M S International Inc. estimates the 548,000-square-foot building at 2821 Holland Road will employ 80 workers. MSI operates a showroom at 3760 E. Virginia Beach Blvd. in Norfolk and supplies retailers throughout Hampton Roads.
“This new hub distribution center will dramatically improve our long-term distribution capabilities across the mid-Atlantic and Midwest,” MSI President Rup Shah said in a news release. “In addition, we are very impressed with The Port of Virginia and its continued investments to insure a smooth flow of goods.”
Virginia successfully competed with Georgia, New Jersey and South Carolina, state officials said. Youngkin approved a $225,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to help with the project.
MSI will be a significant importer, so the investments in the port’s terminals will help the company grow its volumes without concern, said Stephen A. Edwards, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. The company imports more than 70,000 containers per year of quartz, tile, natural stone, luxury vinyl tile and glass products from 37 countries and maintains over 40 showrooms and distribution centers across the U.S. and Canada.
MSI has more than 3,000 employees worldwide, including more than 60 in Virginia.