Business Facilities - December 2008 - (Page D6)

The Port of Greater Baton Rouge is the furthest inland deep-water port in the U.S., ranked 10th in the nation by cargo volume. fabrication, welding, and outdoor power equipment technology. Important trends in the logistics industry are higher customer expectations and the subsequent growth in demand for more services. The Baton Rouge MSA’s logistics workforce has a high level of computing and technology skills, allowing it to respond effectively to new and expanding applications and devices found in daily logistics operations. signed a lease to move into the SealyAshland Distribution Center in Gonzales, LA. Kellogg’s has chosen to lease 75,000 square feet of space and is consolidating its local warehouse space. The Baton Rouge Area Chamber, in partnership with the Ascension Economic Development Council (AEDC), worked diligently to locate Kellogg’s new Southern Regional Distribution Center, which will be used to distribute cereal, cookies and snacks to retail stores in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The center will create approximately 30 jobs and the company is investing $500,000. The logistics industry comprises 9% of the total number of establishments, representing over 140 companies and approximately 20,020 jobs. Water transportation, pipeline transportation, and support activities for transportation are particularly robust in the Baton Rouge region. This specialized capability stems from pipeline transportation of refined products, support activities for rail transportation, marine cargo handling, and navigational services to shipping. More than 50 freight carriers service the area including SAIA Motor Freight Line, Roadway Express, Red Ball, Consolidated, Jones Truck Lines, and Yellow Freight Lines. Current employers in the wareD-6 house and distribution industry rated the following positions as having “satisfactory to good availability:” forklift operators, machine operators, administrative assistants, accountants, and office and accounting clerks. There are two truck-driving schools located in Baton Rouge— the Diesel Driving Academy and Coastal College Truck Driving School. The Coastal College Truck Driving School also has a second location just across the regional border. There are six technical schools in the region, offering training in the following disciplines: diesel-powered equipment technology, electromechanical technology, industrial instrumentation technology, industrial maintenance technology, machine tool technology, ship-fitter Joplin, MO: Logistics Advantage Near the Nation’s Largest Retailer With Wal-Mart’s headquarters in nearby Bentonville, AK (just 45 miles away), Joplin is well positioned geographically to serve as a distribution center for suppliers who have a directive to provide just-in-time deliveries. Joplin is located within two hours of six of Wal-Mart centers, which gives the region a logistics advantage for supplying the WalMart system, the largest retailer in the United States. Joplin has an excellent location for distribution based on the population within 150 and 250 miles. A market of 5.2 million people can be reached within a 150-mile radius of the Joplin area. Among its competitors within that radius, Joplin’s population is the largest. The population in the local market has as much of an influence on distribution costs as the overall population within the distribution radius, as it is far cheaper to distribute to local customers than to customers that are at least two hours from the distribution center. The Joplin Metro area’s position for serving national markets is nearly as advantageous as Chicago or Kansas City. Interstates 40 and 44 (east-west) and US Highway 71 (north-south) connect to every region in the country. Four airports within 110 miles serve the region, providing commercial and cargo new distribution center in Jackson will meet our current distribution needs and accomodate our growth over the next five years. —Tim Belk, CEO and chairman of Belk “ We expect that our ” A S P E C I A L A D V E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N O F B U S I N E S S FA C I L I T I E S A N D S U P P LY C H A I N M A N A G E M E N T PHOTO CREDIT: BATON ROUGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Business Facilities - December 2008

Business Facilities - December 2008 Contents First Word Snapshots Corporate Moves: North Carolina Gold Award: New Engine for Growth in Virginia Silver Award: Tennessee Gets the Big Prize Bronze Award: Enrichment in Idaho Falls Honorable Mentions International Reach From America's Heartland Supply Chain Priorities Metro Spotlight: Greenville/ Spartanburg, SC The Magnolia State Has It All A Real Estate Mega-Merger State of the Year Ask the Expert Advertiser Index

Business Facilities - December 2008

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