Last week, Brightstar unveiled a comprehensive rebrand to represent its transformation from a mobile phone distributor to complete tech protection and support provider. Now operating under the name Likewize, the company aims to painlessly resolve any and every tech disruption, which includes lost, stolen, damaged, or malfunctioning devices.

CEO Rod Millar described the new look as embodying the team’s expansion over the past decade. He feels the now-Likewize team has been the industry’s best-kept secret—”and now that’s all about to change.”

The rebrand announcement came on the heels of the company investing some $1 billion in systems and services. That included the acquisitions of LucidCX and WeFix, a move that added tech support and mobile repair solutions to Likewize’s portfolio.

To continue that momentum—and fuel its expanded capabilities and approach to the evolving tech industry—Likewize is now broadening its stake in its home base.

Likewize announced today that it was investing $100 million in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The company plans to take a three-pronged approach to the expenditure: create 500 local jobs, relocate its global headquarters to Southlake, and open a state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Flower Mound.

According to Likewize, its new HQ will help it to “reimagine the future of technology.” That means assisting big-name brands, telcos, and banks in resolving problems across insurance, warranty, repairs, trade-ins, recycling, and premium tech support.  

“This announcement about strengthening our commitment to this region comes hot on the heels of our rebrand to Likewize,” Millar said in a statement. “Due to the company changing fundamentally, we knew it was necessary to change the brand to accurately reflect this profound shift. Likewize offers a much a stronger sense of our identity and what we want to accomplish.” 

A high-tech facility in Flower Mound

The now fully commissioned advanced fulfillment center will be highly automated, helping Likewize to “keep pace with its ongoing growth.”

The team expects the 275,000-square-foot facility, which will serve as Likewize’s global supply chain center of excellence, to enhance the overall customer experience and optimize its footprint across the country. Operations will directly support all U.S. customers.

“Investing in this new high-tech facility in Dallas, rather than retrofitting an existing facility, allows us to rethink how we operate, while enabling us to deploy best-in-class automation and technology,” Millar said. “This will allow us to drive new capabilities, improve efficiencies, and strategically plan to meet our future growth.”

The 500 jobs Likewize plans to create will be housed in the fulfillment center. That should allow the company to annual process 42 million devices, it said.

Additional products and services offered at the facility will include: tech protection, such as insurance and extended warranty; tech repair in store or at home; renewal, to make tech “affordable for all”; and on-demand tech expertise and customer support.

The facility will also partner with global automation and technology providers to “deliver unmatched speed and quality.” That’s despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, according to Millar.

“We’re imagining where our customers and our business will need to be in the future and executing now to ensure success,” he said. “We know this new facility will continue our tradition of service excellence and help us best meet the needs of our U.S. customers.” 

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