With a nod to the past while building for the future, BendPak has named its monumental new Alabama development the Donald R. Henthorn Industrial Complex in honor of its late founder. Phase 1 of construction, including a new logistics and distribution center, is complete.

The complex is situated on 33 acres near BendPak’s existing East Coast campus in Mobile County. The California-based manufacturer said its growing Southeast operations position the company to effectively serve customers across Eastern North America.

“This industrial complex reflects my husband’s lifelong optimism and his faith in the power of hard work, innovation and quality manufacturing,” said Ginger Henthorn, BendPak principal. “Our family is incredibly proud of this development. It was one of the last major projects Don worked on, and we are honored to memorialize his legacy by putting his name on it.”

Don Henthorn’s Legacy

Don Henthorn founded BendPak in 1965 and directed its evolution from a small machine shop into the premier supplier of car lifts, automotive service equipment, and specialty consumer products.

Today, the BendPak Inc. umbrella includes iconic brands such as Ranger, Autostacker, QuickJack, Cool Boss, APEX, JackPak, MaxJax, and Ergochair.

Although Henthorn transitioned day-to-day management to the current leadership team in 2022, he remained a constant presence as chairman emeritus, coaching the team daily until his passing in 2024.

Designed to Meet Evolving Customer Needs

“BendPak prioritizes investment in the agile, automated infrastructure necessary to secure a resilient future,” said Jeff Kritzer, BendPak president and CEO. “The Donald R. Henthorn Industrial Complex represents a bold bet on the enduring strength of the American economy and our unwavering dedication to ensuring our customers thrive, no matter how the market may shift.”

Due to its massive size, the Donald R. Henthorn Industrial Complex is being built in phases. Phase 1 included extensive site preparations and construction of a 261,600-square-foot logistics and distribution center.

This state-of-the-art building integrates product distribution, warehousing, and quality control with critical customer-facing functions, including sales and service. BendPak said that by streamlining supply chain and distribution operations, the facility significantly improves product availability and fulfillment speed, with many in-stock products able to ship the same day, directly enhancing the overall customer experience.

In addition to expansive warehouse and office space, the facility features a dedicated showroom outfitted with the latest equipment from across BendPak’s brands. It will serve as a premier destination for customer visits, product demonstrations, training, and special events.

Designed for peak operational performance, the center incorporates advanced material handling systems and safety-focused layouts that are optimized for maximum efficiency.

To ensure employee comfort, it is outfitted with 24 of BendPak’s own Cool Boss CB20HVLS high-volume, low-speed ceiling fans to maintain a consistent comfortable environment throughout the warehouse. Every aspect of the site was engineered with future growth in mind, allowing BendPak to scale the facility seamlessly as necessary.