Makita U.S.A. representatives are joined by construction and development executives and the Mayor for the ceremonial groundbreaking of a new state-of-the-art distribution, training and service center in Hall County, Ga. Photo: Makita U.S.A.

Japan-owned tool manufacturer Makita U.S.A. broke ground officially April 21 on an 80-acre site in Hall County that it purchased earlier this year. 

The longtime corporate citizen of Gwinnett County, where Makita has a factory and training center, announced that it would look just up the road to Hall for a new 600,000-square-foot distribution center, which will also have sales and training operations, customer service resources and a Factory Service Center. 

The site also has room for a subsequent 800,000-square-foot facility. That could be for manufacturing, though the company has not said whether it would build a new plant or consolidate its Buford operations, which sit about a mile away from the new site. 

A news release announcing the groundbreaking was light on details around the investment, which has been shrouded in mystery since the news first broke that the site was being considered by a global manufacturer. The company has not said publicly how much capital will be invested in the site or how many jobs will be created.