Valdosta-based Outsource Logistics has moved into the Savannah market with the opening this month of a new warehouse strategically located less than two miles from Interstate 95 and six miles from Georgia Ports’ Garden City Terminal.
Starting with 150,000 square feet at the Pooler Distribution Complex on Old Louisville Road — with plans to expand within the year — Outsource will offer a range of distribution services, including long- and short-term term warehousing, container trans-loading and order fulfillment, as well as drayage to and from the port.
A multi-client, 3PL operation, the business was founded in 2000 with a small warehouse and one delivery van. Today, Outsource Logistics has grown to be a leader in supply chain solutions in the Southeast, with three separate divisions, 70-plus employees and assets that include fleets of tractor-trailers and delivery vans.
Outsource Logistics currently operates between 750,000 and one million square feet of modern warehouse space with locations in Valdosta, Tifton and, now, Savannah.
“With the Savannah market
area experiencing phenomenal growth, our entry into this market with an experienced logistics team positions us nicely to serve our client base,” said Lee Smith, who co-owns the company with Paul Everett.
“We are excited to be a part of the Savannah logistics community and want to thank our partners and the people of Savannah for being so helpful in our new venture,” he said.
Smith said he has worked with Savannah Economic Development Authority, Georgia Ports Authority and others, including Ralph Maggioni of the Savannah Maritime Association.
“Everyone in Savannah has been very helpful and welcoming,” he said.
The company’s newest location is directly tied to the growth of the port, Smith said.
“Our customer base in south Georgia brings in a lot of product and ships out through the Port of Savannah, as well as the ports in Charleston and Jacksonville,” he said. “By bringing our operations to the Savannah port, we expect many of those companies to bring additional business through the port of Savannah instead of other ports.
“We are looking for new business and adding a new service offering to our current customers.”
With overnight delivery to eight states, Outsource boasts such heavy-hitting clients as Nestle, Georgia-Pacific and Lowe’s.
Outsource is the third company to establish or grow a presence here since the beginning of the year. OA Logistics and Kimball-NMidwest announced distribution centers in February and March, respectively.
The Savannah area industrial vacancy rate has dropped from nearly 9 percent in the first quarter of 2014 to 5.2 percent in the first quarter of this year, according to David Sink of Colliers International Savannah.
It a statistic that doesn’t surprise Trip Tollison, president and CEO of the Savannah Economic Development Authority.
“As Savannah’s port logistics business continues to grow, there will be more and more demand for reliable, experienced third party logistics companies in the Savannah region,” Tollison said.
“Leading logistics companies like Outsource Logistics are a welcome addition to our region.”
Senior business writer Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for Savannah Morning News and Savannahnow. Reach her at 912-652-0324 or mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.
Following are the ships expected to call on Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City and Ocean terminals this week. Schedules are supplied by GPA and are subject to change.
TERMINAL VESSEL ETA
GCT MAERSK PITTSBURGH Today
GCT MSC ALESSIA Today
GCT CMA CGM LA SCALA Today
GCT TALASSA Today
GCT NYK REMUS Today
GCT MAERSK KAWASAKI Today
OT GRANDE GUINEA Today
GCT EVER DIADEM Saturday
GCT EVER DELIGHT Saturday
GCT CMA CGM CENDRILLON Saturday
GCT MAERSK SANA Saturday
GCT MAERSK KARLSKRONA Saturday
GCT YM MODERATION Saturday
GCT ROSSINI Saturday
GCT CMA CGM MATISSE Sunday
GCT HANJIN DALLAS Sunday
GCT APL LATVIA Sunday
GCT NYK FURANO Sunday
GCT MSC BRIANNA Sunday
GCT MAERSK KINLOSS Monday
GCT SEALAND WASHINGTON Monday
GCT BEAR HUNTER Monday
GCT NEVZAT KALKAVAN Monday
GCT MOL EXPRESS Monday
GCT CLASSICA Monday
OT TALISMAN Monday
GCT NYK DIANA Tuesday
GCT HANJIN SHENZHEN Tuesday
GCT KOBE EXPRESS Tuesday
GCT ZIM CONSTANZA Tuesday
GCT DALIAN EXPRESS Tuesday
GCT MSC LUDOVICA Tuesday
GCT ZIM BARCELONA Tuesday
OT BAHRI JAZAN Tuesday
OT TORINO Tuesday
GCT HAPPY DYNAMIC Wednesday
GCT HS PARIS Wednesday
GCT SHIPPAN ISLAND Wednesday
GCT HANJIN MARSEILLES Wednesday
OT TONSBERG Wednesday
OT OCCITAN BARSAC Wednesday
GCT MSC SAO PAULO Thursday
GCT MSC SILVANA Thursday
GCT MOL MARVEL Thursday
GCT MAERSK WINNIPEG Thursday
GCT GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE Thursday
GCT PHILADELPHIA EXPRESS Thursday