Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED) recently moved one block west from 310 Thompson Blvd., to 101 Winchester, more than doubling in size.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house was held for CED, Inc., by Economic Development Sedalia-Pettis County (EDPSC) Friday morning.

Ethan Henson, store manager, said the expansion has allowed the company to handle the projects that EDSPC has been bringing to town and the general growth in Sedalia.
Henson said CED has been working with Quest Diagnostics, refurbishing the old East Bing's grocery store building on East Broadway, to name one of many current projects under way. “We're staging all the material for those folks, and it's been a blessing,” Henson said of Jessica Craig's team ongoing assistance at EDSPC.

CED went from about 7,000 square feet to over 17,000 square feet, and including the surrounding pipe yards and exterior space, that figures increases to nearly 19,000 square feet.

“It's much more efficient,” Henson commented. “We went from handling a piece of material five times to get it to a customer, to twice, so it's been great.”

What first appears to the untrained eye to be a retail store, is actually a “point-of-purchase” area for contractors. “We have a lot of inventory. But this is where the contractors can touch and feel the tools, and we have the big screens to keep them entertained while we pull their order,” Henson explained. “That worked out great.” Henson has been with the company for 25 years in outside sales, and became profit center manager three years ago.

Plans call for the hiring of additional people. “We're actually looking for a new sales team to work the northern part of our territory, up towards Glasgow and Concordia. “We're still looking for good folks.”

Craig said CED plans to invest about $1 million in new growth and hire between seven and 10 new employees.

“We're excited for a company that is not only growing and re-investing in the community, but also retaining the 10 existing employees they currently have,” Craig said, adding that CED/ Phillips is celebrating its 56th year in business in Sedalia.

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