MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Two global businesses held ribbon cuttings at the South Alabama Logistics Park in Theodore Wednesday afternoon.
The company Simpson Strong-Tie now has a warehouse and distribution facility at the park and Veyer offers logistic solutions.
That makes a total of five businesses currently operating in the park.
President of the Mobile Chamber of Commerce Bradley Byrne explained how Mobile’s expanding port is tied to what happens at South Alabama Logistics Park, known as SALP.
“As that container port expands, it creates demand for this warehouse base,” said Byrne. “So you’re going to see warehouse after warehouse after warehouse here and in other places and it’s that whole logistics component in our economy expands.”
Central Vice President for Veyer Logistics Ryan Patten said he is thrilled to open this new location, given what Mobile has to offer.
“Veyer looks at price, proximity, and people and Mobile checked the box on all three of those,” said Patten. “We love that it’s growing, we love all the investment being made by the local government, by the Chamber of Commerce into the business parks and into logistics.”
Territory Sales Manager for Simpson Cheryl Zafiris said she has been dreaming of this day for a while.
“It’s a dream long realized,” she said. “We’ve always known that we wanted to be next day to some local customers that we were two day to and so this new warehouse gives us that ability.”
Both Patten and Zafiris agreed the location is more than ideal.
SALP is located near the Port of Mobile, two interstates, two airports, a few rail lines and inland waterways.
County Commissioner Randall Dueitt said he is eager for more job opportunities it could bring to his district.
“I think the local kids around here are excited to have local jobs so they don’t have to work out of town, they don’t have to be away from their family, so I think the community’s been very receptive of this project,” he said.
A private sector partner has had a major role in this project coming to fruition and he said he’s not done yet.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Phillip Burton with Burton Property Group said they will be starting construction on a new 185,0000-square-foot facility within the park soon.