Drive Medical continues to invest in long-term growth and customer experience with the transition to a new company-operated distribution center on the West Coast, in Perris, CA. Designed to increase capacity, speed fulfillment, and better serve customers, the new facility represents more than just added square footage—it marks a return to hands-on operations, a reconnection with Drive’s culture, and a strategic step toward future growth. We spoke with SVP, North American Operations Mark LaVacca, who was heavily involved in management of this project from the beginning, about this enormous undertaking.
After operating within a third-party logistics (3PL) model for the past four years, Drive is once again running its own distribution center. For Mark LaVacca, who has spent 19 years with Drive and led the project, this shift was especially meaningful. Said LaVacca, “Returning to operating our own facility was important to us, as it allows us to strengthen operational controls and better serve our customers.”
The new distribution center is approximately 50,000 square feet larger than the previous facility and can store roughly 18,000 pallets—an increase of 5,000–6,000 pallets of additional capacity. This expanded footprint allows Drive to stock more key inventory closer to customers, particularly across the West Coast, which is why LaVacca notes, “We designed this building with our customers in mind,” adding, “The ability to process orders more quickly is a big win for our customers.”
With more space and all-new racking and equipment, the facility enables faster order processing, reduced handling time, and improved speed from pick to pack to ship.
While the office space was already in place, the warehouse layout was carefully planned by a cross-functional team using lessons learned from Drive’s other distribution centers across the country. Every detail—from travel paths and forklift charging stations to KPI displays and associate entrances—was intentionally designed to improve workflow and safety. Drive also continues to leverage its existing SAP Warehouse Management systems, ensuring consistency across facilities and a seamless experience for customers.
The project began nearly a year ago with site selection and planning and accelerated over the past six to nine months. Inventory transfers began in mid-December, and by January the team had started shipping orders from the new facility as part of training and system validation. The inventory transfer was completed on February 4th.
Fortunately the transition has caused minimal disruption to customers thanks to the new location being just eight miles from the previous facility—which was intentional. Says LaVacca, “We wanted to stay close so customers would see very little impact—just better service.”
Beyond immediate benefits, the new distribution center positions Drive for long-term growth. The additional space provides flexibility for organic expansion and the ability to support future acquisitions as the business continues to scale.
Perhaps the most powerful outcome of the expansion has been the reaffirmation of Drive’s culture. LaVacca noted that several former Drive associates rejoined the company as soon as the new facility was announced, adding that, “The passion people had to come back to Drive was honestly one of the most surprising—and rewarding—parts of this project.” Returning team members include Auddesey Rodriguez, now Operations Manager, Tony Villalobos as Receiving Lead, and Patty Gonzales, who is supporting Shipping Administration.
The return of long-tenured associates—some with more than 15 years of history at the company—underscores the strength of Drive’s mission and values. Says LaVacca, “The culture, the mission, and the importance of serving our customers—that’s why people came back.”
As the new West Coast distribution center comes fully online, Drive Medical remains focused on what matters most: supporting customers with reliable service, faster fulfillment, and a team that’s deeply invested in doing things the right way.