Penguin Random House plans major expansion in Crawfordsville
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New York-based book publisher Penguin Random House is investing up to $50 million to expand its distribution and fulfillment center in Crawfordsville, the city announced Monday.
The company plans to add 650,000 square feet of space that will allow the facility to double its annual shipments of physical print books.
The project will bring the facility’s total footprint to approximately 1.5 million square feet. Penguin Random House currently employs 900 people in Crawfordsville, but no new jobs are currently planned with the expansion.
The company is seeking $5.6 million in tax incentives from the city for the project. The Crawfordsville City Council is expected to vote on the incentives at its May 13 meeting.
“Penguin Random House has continued to grow in Crawfordsville and has become a strong partner in our success,” Mayor Todd Barton said in a news release. “This new investment in their Crawfordsville operations further solidifies their position as an industry leader and as a premier employer in our region. We greatly appreciate their ongoing confidence in this community, and look forward to working alongside them to ensure the success of this new expansion.”
Construction on the expansion is slated to begin late this summer, with completion set for the end of 2026.
Penguin Random House acquired the Crawfordsville facility in 2001 and has made a $33.4 million investment in 2014 that led to 310 new jobs.
The Crawfordsville facility is one of four U.S. supply-chain book hubs for the company, which also include two in Maryland and another in Nevada. The company employs some 10,000 people around the world.