[Johnny Ryall]

Medtronic Unveils $65 million Distribution Expansion
TOM WILEMON | The Daily News

Executives of Medtronic Inc. celebrated a $65 million expansion of its distribution center Tuesday morning that will allow the medical device company to ship additional products.

The Medtronic Distribution and Logistics Campus at 4340 Swinnea Road encompasses 22 acres and two buildings. The company purchased the property from Weston Co. then built or expanded existing buildings.

Eventually, Medtronic expects to have more than 260 people working at the facility. The Minneapolis-based company already employs 1,500 people in Memphis.

Rob Varner, senior director of U.S. distribution operations for Medtronic, said devices from divisions other than the Memphis-based Spinal & Biologics Business division will be shipped from the city, which he called “one of the crown jewels” in the company’s distribution network.

“Now, Medtronic has a strategy for all the business units to take advantage of this location,” Varner said. “That’s why we expanded the location.”