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Location: Riverside Technology Park Frederick, MD 301.620.2616 www.fastenal.com

Fastenal

Many companies are known for one particular product. Fastenal, on the other hand, is best known for offering a multitude of common and custom supplies for OEMs (original equipment manufactur- ers), MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) and construction projects.

Fastenal has two types of competition, according to Kellen LaBelle, district manager. One is catalog houses, and the other is small supply stores. “We’re the best of both worlds,” LaBelle said. “We have many locations and put ourselves close to our cus- tomers, but, at the same time, we have over 1 million types of products that we sell.” There are approximately 2,700 Fastenal branches across the United States and Canada. Fastenal, which has had a presence in Frederick, Maryland, for nearly 12 years, relocated its offices across the street to St. John Properties’ Riverside Technology Park in May. The new location provides more room for store operations and serves as a more convenient transfer point for distribution. “Our North Carolina distribution and Pennsylvania distribution centers meet at the Frederick location to cross-dock product,” LaBelle

explained. “This location was specifically intriguing to me because it offers four sets of bay doors.”

In addition to having more space, LaBelle cited past interac- tions with St. John Properties as a reason for choosing one of the company’s business parks. “I have pre-existing leases with St. John already with some of my other store locations, and we have seemed to develop a good working relationship together,” LaBelle stated. “They understand what our needs are as far as buildings and properties are concerned, so, when my current lease was set to expire, it just made sense to move my property to one of theirs.” LaBelle manages 10 Fastenal locations, and he is currently seeking a third lease with St. John Properties. “The reason I like St. John is because they understand our needs as an organization, and they’re willing to bend over backwards to do what they can to make it work for us.”

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