Cencora has announced plans to invest USD 1 billion through 2030 to strengthen and expand its pharmaceutical distribution network in the United States. The investment will include the development of a new national distribution centre in Ohio and expansions in Alabama and California.

The company said the initiative is part of its commitment to building a more resilient pharmaceutical supply chain and ensuring reliable patient access to medicines nationwide.

“Healthcare providers rely on us to provide efficient access to the medications their patients need, and we’re able to deliver on that promise because of the robust distribution infrastructure and operations we’ve built through decades of investment,” said Bob Mauch, President & CEO of Cencora.  

“This investment underscores our commitment to and role in building a resilient pharmaceutical supply chain and in ensuring patients across the United States have timely and reliable access to prescribed medications, where and when they need them,” he added.

The new 530,000-square-foot distribution facility in Harrison, Ohio, is expected to be fully operational by spring 2027. Equipped with advanced automation technologies — including robotic handling systems, artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous mobile robots — the faciity will significantly boost Cencora’s storage capacity and throughput to meet growing demand.

On the West Coast, Cencora plans to open a 430,000-square-foot distribution centre in Fontana, California, nearly double the size of its existing site. The facility, slated for completion by fall 2026, will feature similar high-tech automation and advanced technology solutions. 

To support the rising demand for specialty pharmaceuticals, Cencora is also expanding its distribution centre in Dothan, Alabama — one of three facilities in its network dedicated to specialty medicines. The project, expected to be completed by fall 2026, will increase the facility’s refrigerated storage capacity by 500 percent and frozen storage capacity by 200 percent.

Rich Tremonte, Executive Vice President and President, US Pharmaceuticals and Animal Health at Cencora, said, “As demand continues to grow and more specialty pharmaceuticals reach the market, the investments we’re making today will strengthen our ability to support our customers’ current and future needs, enabling them to continue delivering high-quality patient care in their communities.”  

Cencora ships more than five million medications and healthcare products to tens of thousands of healthcare providers every day through its network of distribution centres in the United States.