BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (BRAIN) — Quality Bicycle Products' Minnesota Distribution Center resumed operations Wednesday following a trash compactor fire that forced it to close two weeks ago.
QBP minimized the impact of the service disruption by fulfilling orders from distribution centers in Pennsylvania, Denver and Reno, Nevada, as well as its Canadian centers in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Toronto.
"We're back!" said Rich Tauer, QBP president. "Our Minnesota DC is taking orders and shipping products like normal, thanks to 11 days of professional cleaning and inspection. We just had the air inside the building tested, and it's now cleaner than the air in the 2,500-acre natural park reserve that borders our property."
The Minnesota distribution center halted shipping Jan. 16 after the fire in a trash compactor connected to the building. No one was injured, but inventory and shipping materials were exposed to smoke. Because the fire was outside the building, the sprinkler system was not activated and there was no water damage.
"Our supplier and retail partners have been absolutely gracious in their response to the situation," Tauer said. "They understood why we shut down DC operations to sanitize the Minnesota facility, and they were patient while we tested our products and packing materials to ensure the highest standards of cleanliness before resuming operations. We're fortunate to have such great partners."
