Pittsburgh International Airport is amassing quite a collection of Fortune 500 partners.

On Thursday, PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) officially cut the ribbon on a brand-new distribution center just north of PIT’s airfield, just a few hundred feet from the corporate headquarters of Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Counting Wabtec’s space at the airport’s Neighborhood 91 advanced manufacturing campus, three of America’s largest corporations have planted stakes in PIT’s commercial real estate, contributing to strong growth in the airport economic corridor and in Western Pennsylvania as a whole.

“This is a commitment that we’re making to the market, a commitment that we’re making to our employees, and a commitment to our customers,” said Richard Glover, PBNA’s North Division president, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The new facility is 150,000 square feet with another 32,000 available for expansion and can accommodate up to 300 employees. With 600 to 700 different products in the warehouse, the center will ship up to 10 million cases of beverages each year.

PepsiCo’s new 150,000 square-foot facility near PIT is expected to ship up to 10 million cases of beverages each year. (Photo by Matt Neistein)

Pepsi has maintained a presence in the region for 65 years, most recently at a distribution facility in McKees Rocks, outside Pittsburgh. All the employees from that facility have been moved to the building at PIT.

That history is evident in a display inside the warehouse honoring all local employees who have been with PepsiCo for at least 25 years; the most veteran staffer began in 1976.

The new building was constructed in conjunction with development firm Al. Neyer LLC, which leases the parcel from the airport authority and has worked on other projects in the same area, including the Krystal Biotech production facility.

“The opportunity to provide a building solution for a company like Pepsi was exciting for our team,” said Brandon Snyder, vice president, Pittsburgh market leader at Al. Neyer. “We began this building on a speculative basis but engaged with Pepsi early enough that we were able to pivot and deliver a build-to-suit facility to meet their needs.

“We’re proud to have a strong household brand like Pepsi here in the airport corridor.”

According to Pepsi, the new location was selected for efficiency and its proximity to highway infrastructure that will improve access and delivery routes.

“At PepsiCo Beverages North America, we’re proud to invest and build for the future, across the North Division. With this new facility, we have upgraded our operation, providing a better experience for our team,” Glover said. “We look forward to future growth and strengthening our relationships within this market.”