Sears, the nation’s third largest retailer, will establish a new distribution center in Lackawanna County, Pa., that will add 200 jobs and inject $6.2 million into the region’s economy.

The 200 positions to be added over the next three years are on top of the 20,000 Pennsylvanians already employed by the company. A significant number of truck driving positions will be created indirectly to support operations at the new distribution facility.

Sears will lease a 1 million square foot, build-to-suit distribution facility from First Industrial Realty Trust, which will support its stores in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. The company expects to be fully operational by this fall.

“We are very excited about this new facility, which will serve as a vital link in ensuring that merchandise arrives at our stores and to our customers in an efficient and effective fashion,” said Aylwin Lewis, president and CEO of Sears Holdings Corp. “We’d like to thank Governor Rendell, the Governor’s Action Team, the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, and the Department of Community and Economic Development for their commitment to this project and for their partnership.”

With the help of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, DCED offered the company $90,000 in Customized Job Training funds to help train its new employees.

Sears’ new distribution facility will also be located in a Keystone Opportunity Zone, a state-designated area that provides certain tax abatements through 2013 in order to attract new economic development.

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