COVID supply, job delays push Falasca to build Vineland warehouse

The Vineland Planning Board on Wednesday night approved a warehouse construction proposal for Falasca Mechanical at its fabrication building property here at the corner of Gallagher Drive and North Mill Road in the Industrial Park. Photo: April 12, 2023.
The Vineland Planning Board on Wednesday night approved a warehouse construction proposal for Falasca Mechanical at its fabrication building property here at the corner of Gallagher Drive and North Mill Road in the Industrial Park. Photo: April 12, 2023.

VINELAND — A local building contractor says excessive equipment inventories due to COVID disrupting the supply chain, as well as job start schedules, is pushing it to construct a warehouse in the North Vineland Industrial Park.

Falasca Mechanical is adding an 11,740-square-foot warehouse at its fabrication facility at the corner of Gallagher Drive and North Mill Road. The Planning Board quickly approved the proposal at its April 12 meeting.

President Daniel Falasca Jr. told members an overflow of equipment has forced him to rent large amounts of storage space off-site. The company also is making maximum use of more than 20 storage trailers kept on-site.

“As I said before, when COVID hit, a lot of the jobs I was supposed to have done last summer, lead times on equipment …. went from normally eight to 10 weeks to now 16 to 24 weeks,” Falasca said. “So, a lot of the jobs that came out a little later, they actually had to push til the next summer."

Falasca said the equipment ranges from plumbing fixtures to bulky rooftop cooling and heating units.

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Daniel Falasca Jr., president of Falasca Mechanical, talks Wednesday night to Vineland Planning Board members about a proposed warehouse. The warehouse was approved for his fabrication facility at Gallagher Drive and North Mill Road. Left: attorney Peter Chacanias. PHOTO: April 12, 2023.
Daniel Falasca Jr., president of Falasca Mechanical, talks Wednesday night to Vineland Planning Board members about a proposed warehouse. The warehouse was approved for his fabrication facility at Gallagher Drive and North Mill Road. Left: attorney Peter Chacanias. PHOTO: April 12, 2023.

“So, all that equipment is sitting there,” Falasca said. “And then, you know, you have this summer’s work coming. And it’s just double.”

Falasca said the warehouse also should provide enough room to retire the storage trailers.

Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey more than 30 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.

Have a tip? Reach out at jsmith@thedailyjournal.com. Help support local journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Vineland OKs Falasca Mechanical warehouse to deal with COVID delays