Gateway said it plans to open a new U.S. manufacturing facility in 2006 that will enhance its responsiveness to growing customer demands in the business, education and government sectors.
The new plant will assemble configure-to-order (CTO) desktops, notebooks and servers according to customer specifications, as well as provide custom imaging services and government compliance certification. Gateway executives are in discussions with potential partners in advance of finalizing a decision on operating the plant as a company-owned facility or as a joint venture.
"In addition to quality, low total cost of ownership and responsiveness, our professional, education and government customers value predictability and localized service, and this new facility will significantly enhance our ability to meet their needs, thereby improving sharply the attractiveness of our products to this important sector," said Wayne Inouye, Gateway president and CEO. "Based on our long-time experience in this area, we believe this approach to U.S. manufacturing will allow the company to move forward with maximum efficiency at a reasoned level of investment."
The company said the new facility, scheduled to open at a site yet to be determined, will employ nearly 300 people in its first year of operation and could scale significantly in the coming years, Inouye said.
Gateway officials are in discussions with state and local economic development officials on site locations and have targeted areas that offer superior in-bound and out-bound logistics and proximity to supplier warehouses. Gateway expects to select a location during the fourth quarter of the year, the company noted in a release.
© 2005 Wireless News
