Lenovo celebrated the grand opening of its first fulfillment center in the United States today. The company is positioning this opening as an economic investment and job creation opportunity in the North Carolina community of Whitsett. This new location is a firm investment in expanding U.S. operations.

The newly built facility is set to employ 160 people initially, cost $10 million to build and will serve Lenovo’s customers throughout North America. Work done at this facility will include light product assembly, custom imaging and other product configurations; distribution services, logistics and additional value-added services.

"I am delighted to welcome Lenovo to the Greensboro area," said Dan Lynch, president of the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, in a Thursday statement. "A leading global PC maker, Lenovo is already playing a key part in our strategy to grow jobs locally in the fast-growing technology sector."

Executive headquarters are located nearby in Morrisville, North Carolina. Earlier this year, Lenovo entered the fast-growing worldwide consumer PC market, introducing a new brand of notebook PC, the IdeaPad. The company also recently introduced the ThinkPad X300, the lightest ThinkPad ever made.

Just last month, the company beefed up its desktop PC lineup with an environmental focus by launching its “greenest” PC ever: the M57/M57P Eco.

"Lenovo is committed to North Carolina, and we are pleased to be bringing jobs and economic investment to Guilford County," said Gerry Smith, senior vice president, Global Supply Chain, Lenovo, in Thursday’s statement. "Our new fulfillment center will help us enhance our competitiveness, help us deliver products to our customers in North America faster, and help us address a growing local demand for customized Lenovo products."

This new fulfillment center announcement is positioned as extending Lenovo’s global manufacturing footprint to four continents and five countries. Beyond building a new manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico, to support the Americas market, Lenovo has invested in other vital markets worldwide including: Shanghai, China; India and Poland.

Lenovo has dedicated its resources to building the world’s best engineered personal computers. The company’s business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction, in addition to a focus on investment in emerging markets.

The company’s establishment of a fulfillment center in North Carolina marks significant investment for a U.S. destination. The first for the company, this commitment to building value in the U.S. will help to advance the company’s position and garner it additional market opportunities beyond its current status.