Health care giant Medline is preparing to move its current operations from Waywayanda to its new 1.3 million-square-foot manufacturing/distribution center in Orange County. The company is more than doubling its footprint and anticipates significantly adding to its current 340-member workforce when the new site becomes fully operational early in 2022.
Medline had originally applied for a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) from the town of Montgomery”™s Industrial Development Agency but later withdrew that application.
The impetus that prompted Medline to challenge the original $35.4 million assessment may have been a group of private equity investors who bought into the company earlier this year.
If it is successful in its quest to lower its taxes, the Valley Central School District would see a drastic reduction in its share — a possibility that has prompted the district to join with the town of Montgomery in its legal quest to keep the original assessment in place.
The $120 million medical-grade facility is expected to bring $15.6 million in annual revenue to the town of Montgomery when fully operational; it is also anticipated to boost foot traffic for local businesses to the tune of $2 million annually.
Medline has 50 distribution centers worldwide and did more than $17.5 billion in business in 2020. Owned by the Mills family ”“ an ancestor founded the company, based in Chicago suburb Northfield, during the Industrial Revolution — it has recently sold a significant interest to a group of private equity firms, which includes Blackstone.
The Mills family remains Medline”™s largest single shareholder, and Charles Mills continues as the company”™s CEO.
Medline employs more than 28,000 people worldwide. Its new Montgomery facility expects to add an additional 250 employees to its current workforce of 350 and recently held a job fair to attract new hires.
