The following development organizations are recipients of Expansion Solutions Magazine’s 2011 Awards of Excellence in the *** Warehouse/Distribution*** industry category. These awards recognize organizations who have demonstrated exceptional progress and potential in the development of their areas -- by successfully recruiting, retaining and growing businesses. The winners below are listed in alphabetical order and are reflective of our top 5 selections.
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High Point Economic Development Corporation
High Point, NC
www.highpointedc.com
High Point is a globally-connected city of more than 106,000 residents, located alongside Greensboro and Winston-Salem in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad – the nation’s 37th largest metro area with a population of 1.6 million.
High Point’s strategic location and transportation assets make it easy for a company to distribute products to the majority of the US population.
Ralph Lauren Corp. has taken advantage of those assets. In 2011, the company opened its third major High Point distribution center. The company has had distribution operations in High Point for more than 20 years.
Also in 2011, FedEx Ground opened a “super hub” sorting facility just north of the city, which will be served by High Point utilities. That complements the FedEx Mid-Atlantic air hub that opened in 2009 at Piedmont Triad International Airport, which is located less than one mile from High Point.
High Point is halfway between Miami and Boston; halfway between Atlanta and Washington; and halfway between Charlotte and the Research Triangle. It is in the geographic center of North Carolina and its region.
• Four interstate highways serve High Point.
• A third runway opened at Piedmont Triad International Airport in 2010. The airport is served by seven air cargo
companies.
• The region boasts a deep-water-port inland terminal along with passenger and freight rail service.
• More than 100 trucking companies serve the region with more than 60 local terminals.
Lubbock Economic Development Alliance
Lubbock, TX
www.lubbockeda.org
Whether one is traveling inside the city or venturing beyond, the Lubbock area’s transportation infrastructure is quick and accessible. Major locations in the city can be accessed easily with Loop 289 or the Marsha Sharp Freeway, which connects the main thoroughfares in all directions. Lubbock is located between two major east-west interstates, IH-20 and IH-40, and is connected to them via IH-27.
The Ports-To-Plains Corridor is a planned four-lane highway that will allow companies to access less congested ports of entry into Mexico. It will be constructed from the Mexico border through West Texas and into Denver. A coalition of over 70 organizations representing cities, counties, economic development corporations, chambers of commerce, and the private sector has assembled to promote and support implementation of the Corridor.
There are 26 truck freight carriers located in Lubbock . These include both inter- and intra-state services. Lubbock has developed into a regional warehousing and distribution center due to its excellent location and interstate highway connections.
The Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB) is the regional airport that sees more annual enplanements and bases a greater number of aircraft on the airport than any other West Texas airport with the exception of its neighbor 340 miles to the south-west, El Paso. Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport is located 7 miles north of Lubbock's central business district on 3,000 acres of property adjacent to I-27. The airport operates a 220,000 square-foot passenger terminal building and has three runways. Air traffic control services include a 24-hour FAA control tower and a full range of instrumental approaches.
Lubbock is served via the airport by three major airlines: Southwest, American Eagle, and Continental Express. These carriers enplane an average of 650,000 passengers annually. The Airport also serves as the regional air-freight terminal for Fed-Ex, DHL, and UPS. LBB is a U.S. Customs International Port of Entry with a resident U.S. Customs Port Director, allowing it to function internationally. Oversize and heavy lift air cargo operations have been carried out as a part of the air services the Lubbock International Airport offers the community.
One of the nation’s largest railway systems, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, and one short-line railroad link the city to the metropolitan areas of the central and western United States.
The Lubbock Rail Port, located on over 526 acres, only a few miles north of the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, provides companies with convenient access to the airport and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) rail system. Mexico-based Molinos Anahuac (MACSA) currently has their flour mill and laboratory in the Lubbock Rail Port. With the recently acquired 200 additional acres and the $15 million U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Grant to extend additional rail into the Park, the Rail Port is soon to have more activity in its future.
Mercedes Economic Development Corporation
Mercedes, TX
www.investinmercedes.com
Geographically centered in the Rio Grande Valley, the City of Mercedes is part of the fastest growing MSA in Texas and at the crossroads of international commerce with 9 international bridges within 40 miles. Positioned on US Expressway 83, Mercedes provides quick access to U.S. Highway 77 and U.S. Highway 281 (proposed I-69 Corridor and Trans Texas Corridor). U.S. Highway 281 and U.S. Highway 77 connect Mercedes with I-37 and I-35. The proposed I-69 corridor will extend from Mexico City to Canada. These routes support the Mercedes Industrial Zones as the ideal locations for distribution and logistics and as the gateway for NAFTA. In addition, the Rio Grande Valley Switching Company services the Mercedes Industrial Zones and collaborates with the Union Pacific Railroad to transport goods and materials to destination points throughout the United States. Only 39 miles from Mercedes, the Port of Brownsville provides a 42 foot deep channel for transportation by sea. Cargo can also be transported by air via Fed Ex, BAX Global, DHL, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta Airlines or Continental Airlines located at any of the 3 international airports in the Mercedes area.
One of the key components of Mercedes’ strategy for future growth is to continue to respond to the changing demands of the manufacturing sector. Mercedes offers a large young workforce, established and experienced industries and a great availability of land. These elements provide any manufacturer or distribution center with the necessary resources to expand along the Texas-Mexico border, serving the maquiladora industry and U.S. consumer market. Excellent thoroughfares combined with Mercedes’ proximity to various international ports of entry are undoubtedly the reason that Mercedes is considered the definitive location for business. With recent improvements and expansion of U.S. Expressway 83, truck shipments will certainly see improved travel times and facilitate a firm’s ability to monitor production and product distribution efficiently.
Corporation for the Economic Development of Midlothian
Midlothian, TX
www.midlothian.tx.us
Midlothian is ideally located in northwest Ellis county just minutes from Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, and DFW International Airport. The city’s residents enjoy the small-town atmosphere; yet have all the amenities of the DFW Metroplex readily available. Midlothian is quickly becoming a community of choice for both businesses and families because of its ideal location, excellent transportation corridors, progressive business attitude, and hometown feeling. Midlothian is a growing community with a low crime rate, excellent schools, great neighborhoods, and an enhanced quality of life.
With an ever increasing population, Midlothian is a community that is planning for the future with a new Comprehensive Plan, Envision 2025, which will manage the city’s growth in way that will preserve small town values yet allow for continued community and economic development.
For decades, Midlothian has been known for its industrial manufacturing base, particularly in Portland cement. In recent years, Midlothian’s economy has diversified to include two NYSE corporate headquarters and a sundry of other commercial and retail concerns. The commercial development on the east side of the city will continue the diversification of the Midlothian economic base.
Commercial development is also happening along the new US 287 Bypass. The newly constructed Midlothian Conference Center and Senior Activity Center are located on the bypass and are neighbors to Navarro College - Midlothian campus. Baylor Family Medical Center at Ellis County and the Midlothian ISD multi-purpose stadium are located on the bypass.
While the commercial sector continues to grow and diversify the economy in Midlothian, the industrial sector has also experience significant development. In addition to the manufacturing of Portland cement, Midlothian is also home to three distribution centers, an automobile processing center, an electric generation company, several steel enterprises, and many other manufacturing companies. Midlothian’s three major industrial areas are The US Highway 67 Corridor, The Auto Park (FTZ 113), and RailPort.
Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance
Lake Charles, LA
www.allianceswla.org
Today’s opportunities in wholesale trade, warehousing, transportation, and distribution employment lie in the effective provision of land, buildings, multi-modal shipment and distribution systems, and the management of product supply-chains through the design of advanced software products. Development of strong capacity in managing the transport of goods can serve to attract production/manufacturing firms looking to cluster around airports and ports that can provide competitive time-to-market and cost advantages. This target also offers tremendous opportunities to support international-trade development plans for the region.
Due to its key geographical advantages, Southwest Louisiana is a Gulf Coast player in the wholesale, warehousing, and distribution of goods. A Supply Chain Management target cluster is recommended based heavily on geographic competitiveness factors and its position as a critical center for oil and gas and LNG processing in the U.S.
There have been several infrastructure improvement projects that have been recently completed and there are several planned that will improve the region’s airports, ports, and highways. This includes planned efforts to establish Beauregard Regional Airport as a Louisiana Mega-site.
