For the calendar year to date through April, the Appalachian Regional Port has handled 9,902 containers by rail, compared to 4,495 for the first four months of the previous year, for growth of 120 percent.
Inland terminal supports logistics, economic development
The Georgia Ports Authority’s Appalachian Regional Port wrapped up a strong April, moving 790 containers in the last week of the month to bring the April total to 2,400 lifts.
“Much of the growth occurring at the ARP is the result of more shipping lines designating the inland terminal as an official container yard,” said Wesley Barrell, GPA regional manager of strategic operations, who oversees the facility. “That designation opens up the opportunity to more efficiently serve customers in this region by rail, reducing truck traffic from the coast, and avoiding the limitations on driver hours imposed by new federal regulations.”
For the calendar year to date through April, the ARP has handled 9,902 containers by rail, compared to 4,495 for the first four months of the previous year, for growth of 120 percent.
“These numbers show the ARP is fulfilling its dual missions of driving greater efficiency into the supply chain, and encouraging economic development in Northwest Georgia,” said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. “Working in cooperation with our partners at CSX and the shipping lines, the inland terminal provides a cost-effective option for manufacturers’ imports, and a convenient pick-up and drop-off spot for empty containers.”
Major customers for the ARP include Komatsu and Volkswagen, Bridgestone Americas, food and fiber merchants Louis Dreyfus, multiple floor covering companies, and GE-Haier Electric. GE Appliances’ $32 million logistics center in Murray County, Ga., serves as a distribution hub, supplying nine appliance plants and providing work for 50 direct employees.
New business is also expected with a recent announcement by manufacturer Huali Floors. The company intends to establish its first U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in Murray County, creating 315 new jobs and investing more than $27 million in an existing facility.
“We are excited to welcome Huali Floors to Murray County,” said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. “It’s a testament to Georgia’s logistics network and readily available workforce when an innovative company like Huali Floors chooses Georgia to establish their first U.S. manufacturing operation. I congratulate the hardworking Georgians in Murray County on this exciting news, and I am confident Huali will find success in the Peach State.”
