Logistics & Distribution

The Logistics and Distribution cluster includes freight carriers (sea, air, rail, and trucking), warehousing, materials handling, and logistics, and is closely connected to the economic cycle. The industry is a complex network of freight-forwarders, shipping companies, and logistics consultants. Third-party logistics firms (3PL) combine a variety of services that touch most aspects of the distribution process: warehousing, pick-and-pack of goods, and the distribution to and from warehouses.

The Lowcountry Opportunity:

Opportunities for the Logistics and Distribution category in the Lowcountry are improving every day. Several developing factors will bring advantages to our region in this business category:

  1. The Savannah port is expected to be deepened sooner than other ports in the southeast. This is expected to bring more large-ship container traffic into the region as more containers are re-routed through the Panama Canal to eastern ports.
  2. A new developer, StratfordLand, purchased 5,000 acres in south Jasper County to create RiverPort. This development will be mixed use, with a clear focus on industrial and warehouse development. Sites are already being marketed to industrial brokers across the country. Additional enhancements will make this development client-ready and world class, including new roadway improvements, waterline extensions to the site, and an active rail spur.
  3. Developing the I-95 corridor through the Lowcountry Region has been identified by local leadership as a top priority for job creation.
  4. Savannah is currently exploring the opportunity to create a World Trade Center. This would be an important supplement and selling point to the region’s logistics industry.
  5. The Lowcountry’s position within the Southeast’s aerospace corridor, location between two major East Coast ports, and F35 prospects translate to aerospace and aviation component opportunities. Suppliers will be interested in the region’s geographic position and proximity to OEMs and top tier suppliers. This emerging target is included as a niche within the Logistics and Distribution cluster because component parts can easily be shipped into the Lowcountry for storage, assembly and quick transport.

The Lowcountry has already been successful in recruiting distribution to the region in recent years. BeGreen, a manufacturer and distributor of biodegradable and compostible packaging, chose a Lowcountry location, which brought 175 jobs and repurposed an existing building. During an interview, the company’s executive highlighted the region’s competitive costs of real estate and utilities. The company noted that the involvement and professionalism of Alliance staff and leadership was very positive to their site selection process.

Logistics and Distribution Niche Targets:

  • Warehousing Facilities
  • Military Vehicle Components
  • Aircraft / Aerospace
  • Components and Training
  • Logistics Management

Emerging Opportunities:

  • Logistics-Related Back Office and IT