Van Meter expands warehouse space in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — Van Meter Inc. is expanding its warehouse space in Cedar Rapids by another 60,000 square feet.

The electrical distributor bought the former Speedeezz Indoor Karting facility adjacent to Van Meter’s central distribution center at 850 32nd Ave. SW.

The purchase expands the company’s warehouse space in Cedar Rapids to approximately 350,000 square feet with room for continued growth, the company said in a news release.

“We've grown significantly in recent years, and we’re prepared to continue growing across our territory and keep evolving how we serve our customers,” Nate Jensema, Van Meter’s chief operating officer, said

Jensema said the expansion allows Van Meter to further invest in on-hand inventory and offer its customers more services, such as order staging, material kitting, customized wire solutions and enclosure modification.

“A tight labor market has customers looking to us for much more than products,” Jensema said. “More than parts, we want to be a distribution partner that can adapt and grow with them.”

Van Meter was named to the 2023 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America.

In addition to its Cedar Rapids headquarters, Van Meter has 24 other locations in seven states in the Midwest. It is a 100 percent employee-owned company and the 15th-largest electrical distributor in the United States.

Nearly 250 of its 850-plus employee-owners work in Cedar Rapids.