FCA has started work on a $12.2-million Mopar parts distribution center in Winchester, Va., to expand parts availability for customers, including fleets, in that area, FCA has announced.

The 400,000-square-foot facility will handle more than 50,000 part numbers, service more than 200 FCA dealers, and ship 9.2 million parts per year. It will create more than 70 jobs and include two shifts on a 27-acre footprint.

"The opening of the Virginia PDC will significantly increase our dealer network strength in this important and growing market, improving customer service by delivering faster and more efficiently parts and accessories to dealerships," said Pietro Gorlier, head of parts and service for FCA Global. "This helps us to achieve our mission at Mopar of supporting our customers with the products they need to promptly maintain, repair or personalize their vehicles."

The facility is expected to assist with uptime for fleets by bringing needed parts closer to the market, according to FCA.

The center will be one of 22 FCA parts distribition centers in North America when it's completed in the fourth quarter of 2016.