Mississippi is rapidly becoming well known to companies with shipping needs as an ideal location to set up operations, as evidenced by the state’s burgeoning warehousing and distribution industry.
Located in one of the fastest-growing regions of the U.S. and within a day’s drive of many of the nation’s top business centers, Mississippi boasts a well-integrated transportation system that allows companies quick, convenient access to both domestic and international consumers. The state’s divided four-lane highways, six interstates, 14 federal highways, access to 25,000 miles of rail, numerous airports, three navigable waterways and 15 ports – two of which are deepwater ports on the Gulf of Mexico – allow companies to excel in distributing goods to both domestic and international consumers.
Amazon is one of many industry leaders taking advantage of a Mississippi location – several Mississippi locations, in fact. In 2018, Amazon announced the location of its first fulfillment center in the state in Marshall County in North Mississippi, a strategic move in the company’s ongoing efforts to grow its distribution network. Amazon chose to locate in a 554,000-square-foot facility in Panattoni Development’s Gateway Global Logistics Center, which is conveniently located near I-269 and other key transportation options. The company created 850 jobs to support its first Mississippi operation.
In 2019, Amazon announced the location of its second Mississippi fulfillment center in Olive Branch, also in North Mississippi, as well as the creation of 500 more jobs for the region’s talented workforce. Located in a one-million-square-foot facility in Olive Branch’s Legacy Park, the fulfillment center’s associates ship large items, including such items as sports equipment, patio furniture and bicycles.
While Amazon’s multiple Mississippi locations have put the state on industry leaders’ radars, a number of other well-known companies also have recently opened distribution facilities in the state.
In June 2020, Associated Wholesale Grocers announced plans to expand in North Mississippi by constructing a 918,000-square-foot automated distribution facility in Hernando – a $300 million corporate investment that is creating approximately 80 jobs. AWG is the nation’s largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving more than 1,100 member companies and more than 3,000 locations throughout 28 states.
In 2019, O’Reilly Auto Parts announced the location of a distribution hub in Horn Lake, a project that created 380 jobs in the DeSoto County community. The company retrofitted a 580,000-square-foot facility, located in the DeSoto 55 Logistics Center, to house its distribution operations.
Also in 2019, Corelle Brands celebrated the opening of the company’s 786,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Marshall County. The company is a leading American manufacturer and marketer of iconic houseware brands such as Corelle®, Pyrex®, Instant Pot®, SnapWare® and CorningWare®. The new, fully-integrated facility serves as the sole site for Corelle Brands’ plastic manufacturing and the distribution center for many North American customers. Corelle Brands created 400 jobs in connection with the new facility.
Healthcare company Medline Industries, Inc., announced in August 2019 the company was locating distribution operations in Southaven, a $46 million corporate investment that is bringing 450 jobs to North Mississippi. According to the company, the Southaven location provides ideal attributes that will enable Medline to accommodate its growth, including convenient access to the Southeastern U.S. market, a talented local workforce and a good quality of life. Medline is the largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies and products, providing more than 350,000 products to hospitals, extended-care facilities, surgery centers, home care dealers and agencies, and physician offices.
These companies join the ranks of Toshiba America Business Solutions, Milwaukee Tool, Post, Hearthside Food Solutions/Kellogg’s, Chiquita Brand International and so many more that have located state-of-the-art distribution operations in Mississippi. In addition to its extraordinary transportation network, ideal location in the U.S., being located within a day’s drive of 100 million 
consumers and pipeline of skilled workers, Mississippi has a multitude of other attributes that enable distribution companies to achieve long-term success in the state. The Mississippi Development Authority offers a strong incentives portfolio, which includes the Free Port Warehouse Exemption and other tax exemptions specifically tailored to companies with distribution centers in the state, to best meet the needs of companies seeking to locate or expand in Mississippi.
Call the Locate Mississippi team today at 1-800-360-3323 or go to mississippi.org to join the growing list of distributors that call Mississippi home.
