The Polaris company has chosen the Port of Savannah as its export gateway in the U.S.

American-made products Polaris exports via Savannah range from off-Road vehicles, to motorcycles, electric vehicles, military vehicles and snowmobiles. Even Polaris-branded parts, garments and accessories flow through Savannah.

The ATV maker chose Savannah because the port meshed perfectly with the company’s supply chain needs, according to Megan Fox, international customer excellence and logistics manager at Polaris Industries.

“Our goal was to more strategically position ourselves to support our east-bound export business,” Fox said. “We narrowed-in on the Southeast due to its proximity from our Huntsville, Alabama, production facility, and ultimately were drawn to Savannah due to its reputation, volume, and commitment to growth.”

Fox said Garden City Terminal’s efficient container flow in-and-out of the terminal has been extremely beneficial.

“We are able to maximize our shipments during peak seasonality and avoid unnecessary down-time when product is available,” she said.

Polaris will move approximately 1,000 twenty-foot equivalent container units through the Port of Savannah in its first year using the port.

“We have seen our European and Latin-American markets grow over the last year, but of course volume is dependent on market fluctuations and logistics strategies within Polaris as a whole,” she explained.

The company’s top export markets via Savannah include Europe, India, Central America, South America, and Brazil.

“We export directly to both distributors (independent business owners) and our Polaris-owned international subsidiaries,” Fox said. “Our customers vary widely by market, but are a mix of both commercial and recreational users.”