Beam To Open 600,000 Sq. Ft. Distribution Center In Frankfort Regional Area To Accommodate Continued Business Growth

FRANKFORT, Ky., Aug. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Beam Inc. (NYSE: BEAM), a leading global premium spirits company, today announced that it plans to partner with a third-party logistics provider in the establishment of a new 600,000 square foot state-of-the-art distribution center in the Frankfort regional area of Kentucky.

The new center, expected to open in the first quarter of 2015, will be operated exclusively on behalf of Beam's extensive portfolio of brands and will be fully owned and operated by a third-party distribution and logistics provider who will be named in early 2014.

Upon completion, the center is expected to employ an estimated 60 individuals. The center will be built from the ground-up in the Frankfort vicinity to be in close proximity to Beam's Frankfort facility, which currently bottles more than 12 million of the approximate 21 million cases Beam produces each year in the Commonwealth. The distribution facility will help to optimize Beam's supply chain in Kentucky, while serving as a permanent warehousing solution for Beam's finished case goods from Frankfort before they are shipped to the distributors and other partners for sale in the U.S. and throughout the world.

"The Bourbon industry is not only a staple – but also a driver – of our economy in Kentucky, and once again Beam is proving that it's the leader in that growth," said Governor Steve Beshear. "Business growth equals jobs, and that's exactly what Beam continues to bring to our families throughout our Commonwealth."

"In the past five years, Beam's volume at Frankfort has more than doubled, and two-thirds of Beam's annual global volume is produced out of our plants in Kentucky," said David Hunter, vice president global manufacturing for Beam. "By having a third-party logistics provider operate this new distribution center for us, we will be able to focus on our core competency of making the best spirits in the world and best meet the growing distribution needs of our business. We couldn't be more pleased to show once again that we're growing for the future in Kentucky."

"Kentucky is the Bourbon capital of the world, and Beam is one of the leaders helping to keep the industry strong," Senator Mitch McConnell said. "Today's announcement is great news for our economy. Beam's expansion will help create jobs and I applaud them for their continued commitment to helping Kentucky grow."

This announcement is the latest in Beam's long history of business investments in the Commonwealth. On July 15, Beam opened its new Global Business Services Center, reflecting a $2.7 million investment that has brought more than 30 professional jobs to Louisville. Last fall, Beam celebrated the grand opening of the Jim Beam American Stillhouse visitors' experience and Global Innovation Center, a combined multi-year investment of $30 million, in Clermont, Ky. Beam currently employs more than 875 people throughout the Commonwealth in Louisville, its Global Innovation Center in Clermont and at its manufacturing plants in Loretto, Frankfort, Clermont and Boston.

About Beam Inc.

As one of the world's leading premium spirits companies, Beam is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including Jim Beam Bourbon, Maker's Mark Bourbon, Sauza Tequila, Pinnacle Vodka, Canadian Club Whisky, Courvoisier Cognac, Teacher's Scotch Whisky, Skinnygirl Cocktails, Cruzan Rum, Hornitos Tequila, Knob Creek Bourbon, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, Larios Gin, Whisky DYC and DeKuyper Cordials.  Beam is focused on delivering superior performance with its unique combination of scale with agility and a strategy of Creating Famous Brands, Building Winning Markets and Fueling Our Growth. Beam and its 3,400 passionate associates worldwide generated 2012 sales of $2.5 billion (excluding excise taxes), volume of 38 million 9-liter equivalent cases and some of the industry's fastest growing innovations. 

Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BEAM and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI World Index.  For more information on Beam, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

© 2013 Beam Inc., Deerfield, IL

SOURCE Beam Inc.