Fresenius Medical Care Opens Its Largest Distribution Center on East Coast in Knoxville

Knoxville, Tenn. – Nov. 24, 2020 – – Fresenius Medical Care, the world’s leading provider of products and services for people with chronic kidney failure, has opened its largest distribution center on the East Coast in Knoxville, Tennessee. The distribution center will help ensure a reliable, flexible product supply to support the increasing numbers of people with kidney failure who are choosing home dialysis. 

The new 611,000 square foot distribution center, located at 5304 E. Governor John Sevier Highway, will allow for future growth of the company’s nearby manufacturing plant which produces peritoneal dialysis solution and other supplies for home and clinical dialysis. The distribution center will support the production and distribution of DELFLEX^® peritoneal dialysis solutions in Biofine^®, an innovative bag material, that has recently been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The distribution center will also support the production of its bibag On-line Dry Bicarbonate Concentrate. 

“We’re excited to open the doors of our new distribution center, growing our presence in the Knoxville community,” said April Armstrong, Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations, Knoxville Plant at Fresenius Medical Care. ”We are thrilled to ramp up production of peritoneal dialysis solution and other supplies for home and clinical dialysis, to ensure that people living with kidney disease have access to the products they need for treatment.” 

The distribution center will serve multiple purposes, including storing raw materials, as well as operating as a manufacturing resupply center and quality inspection lab for the Knoxville plant. This new distribution center will also help the company initiate more efficient processes for distributing dialysis products, that will eventually become a model for the rest of the country. The center uses a technologically-advanced pallet racking design system and more efficient solutions that improve productivity within a smaller operational footprint. 

“This distribution center serves as an important resource for the supply chain and manufacturing facility nearby,” said Scott Lang, Senior Director of Warehouse and Distribution for Global Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply at Fresenius Medical Care. “Significant effort went toward finding innovative ways to add more storage while using a smaller footprint. It is great to expand operations in Knoxville, and we look forward to continuing to be a good neighbor in the community.”

“Knox County is a great place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs. “We are thrilled that companies the caliber of Fresenius Medical Care choose to locate operations here and take advantage of our strong and capable workforce.” 

“TVA and Knoxville Utilities Board congratulate Fresenius Medical Care on its decision to expand operations in Knoxville,” said TVA Senior Vice President of Economic Development John Bradley. “Helping to foster job creation and investment is fundamental to TVA’s mission of service, and we are proud to partner with the Knoxville Chamber and the Development Corporation of Knox County to further that mission and support companies, like Fresenius Medical Care, in their continued business success in the Valley.” 

“The Knoxville Chamber team is committed, in partnership with the City of Knoxville and Knox County, to driving regional economic prosperity through the expansion of businesses that already operate in our region,” said Doug Lawyer, Vice President of economic development for the Knoxville Chamber. “We are pleased that through their manufacturing operations, Fresenius Medical Care recognized the advantages of doing business here. We are proud to support their continued growth in our community.” 

In an effort to employ talented veterans, the Knoxville distribution center has partnered with Heroes MAKE America, an organization that builds connection between the military community and the manufacturing industry. The collaboration will allow veterans to gaining meaning employment that matches their unique skillset. 

For more information about potential job opportunities at the Knoxville plant and warehouse, please visit jobs.fmcna.com. 

About Fresenius Medical Care
Fresenius Medical Care is the world’s leading provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases of which around 3.5 million patients worldwide regularly undergo dialysis treatment. Through its network of 4,036 dialysis clinics, Fresenius Medical Care provides dialysis treatments for 347,683 patients around the globe. Fresenius Medical Care is also the leading provider of dialysis products such as dialysis machines or dialyzers. Along with the core business, the company focuses on expanding the range of related medical services in the field of Care Coordination. Fresenius Medical Care is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FME) and on the New York Stock Exchange (FMS).