A Los Angeles-based boat-products wholesaler, Diversified Marine Products, plans to open a Northwest distribution center at the Spokane Business & Industrial Park.


Separately, two other companies, Tukwila, Wash.-based hardwood-flooring distributor Kelly-Goodwin Co. and Lewiston, Idaho-based machine shop Precision Machine & Supply Inc., have made moves in the big industrial park.


Dean Stuart, director of marketing at Crown West Realty LLC, which operates the park, says Diversified Marine has leased 14,000 square feet of floor space in the park and plans to open its distribution center here next month.


Doug Knecht, Diversified Marines chief financial officer, says the center will employ eight and handle distribution for Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and possibly part of Utah.


He says Diversified Marine, founded in 1952, decided to open the operation here because its sales to Northwest customers have grown substantially in recent years, and the company needed to be able to ship products to its Inland Northwest customers more quickly.


Stuart says one of the other recently signed tenants, Kelly-Goodwin Co., has leased about 17,000 square feet of floor space at the park and plans to move its Spokane branch there this spring from 10020 E. Montgomery.


In a third transaction, Precision Machine has leased about 20,000 square feet of floor space at the park and has moved there from a similarly sized space elsewhere in the park.