Frampton Construction is expanding Le Creuset of America’s operations with a 300,000-square-foot distribution center in Hampton County, SC.
EARLY BRANCH, S.C. (November 8, 2024) — Frampton Construction Company, a full-service firm providing planning and design support, preconstruction, and construction services, will expand Le Creuset of America’s (LCOA) footprint in South Carolina, building a new 300,000-square-foot distribution facility in Hampton County.
The project includes space for bulk and direct-to-consumer distribution, general storage and a two-story designated office space with amenities that prioritize employee wellness.
“Le Creuset is globally recognized for its quality and craftsmanship. The owner’s directive to the design-build team was to deliver a facility that improved efficiency. Our final design achieves the best of both worlds, integrating their distinctive brand with operational excellence,” said Frampton Construction President and Chief Executive Officer Chad Frampton.
Located on 62 acres of land on Bob Gifford Boulevard, the new build-to-suit facility will consolidate LCOA’s operations, which are currently spread across various storage warehouses, streamlining distribution. The new facility will be located near the company’s existing US distribution headquarters in Early Branch, which employs approximately 150 – 200 staff and is projected to create an additional 30 jobs.
The concrete tilt wall building will include approximately 22,000 square feet of office space, while the project’s fulfillment portion accommodates a conveying system, racking, and pack stations. An interior glass system allows office staff to oversee these operations.
The design for Le Creuset’s operations center draws inspiration directly from the iconic brand, down to the flame-orange Dutch ovens used for bathroom sinks. The primary entrance includes 2,180 square feet of storefront, with the brand’s high-end, brightly colored cookware on display. As Hampton County’s second-largest employer, LCOA and the design-build team also prioritized safety and workforce wellness spaces in developing the building’s layout. Employees will have access to various amenities, including a locker room, kitchen/breakroom, an outdoor patio area with a grill, and a stone walking path surrounding a pond on the property.
“Each aspect of their business, from administration to distribution, sales, and logistics, has a distinct area of the building that is their ‘neighborhood,’” says John Pendergrass, project architect, McMillan Pazdan Smith. “Visitors are greeted by an impressive two-story lobby with views into the distribution warehouse as a reminder of the primary work that goes on here, while physical and digital displays of the Le Creuset products and branding fill the public area.”
The design-build team provided preliminary site layouts, geotechnical borings, and wetlands mapping to identify and mitigate potential site development risks. They designed an optimized layout to meet LCOA’s current operational needs while accommodating future growth. The final product will have the ability to function as a cross-dock distribution center if needed, with space for a 120,000-square-foot facility expansion and the structural components to support future solar panel installation.
Construction is expected to be completed in December 2025.
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