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The Port of Baltimore
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May/June 2014
449,200-square-foot facility in the White
Marsh/Middle River area to consolidate
the company’s office and warehouse
operations. Construction is expected to be
completed this summer.
Then, of course, there was the recent
news that Amazon will be opening a one-
million-square-foot fulfillment center on the
former site of the General Motors assembly
plant in southeast Baltimore later this
year. The Seattle-based online retail giant
expects that more than 1,000 full-time jobs
will be created at the center, which will not
only be located near the Port, but will also
enjoy immediate access to I-95 and I-895,
as well as rail service by CSX and Norfolk
Southern.
At the time of the announcement,
Governor Martin O’Malley commented,
“Companies are taking note of the
investments we’re making in transportation
infrastructure and workforce development,
and they’re creating jobs here. We know
Amazon’s decision was based on a solid
business plan, and we look forward to
IKEA likewise stays well-informed
through the MPA. “The contact and
services that the MPA has provided have
always been effective and positive,” Fish
noted. “We’ve spent a great deal of time
in learning about [each other’s] needs …
to result in an outcome that is beneficial to
us both. It’s a great partnership.”
Cargo on the Move
J
ust like the technology being
put into use at each distribution
center, the DC landscape
continues to evolve.
Restoration Hardware opened
its North East facility just two years ago,
and last year, Starbucks made Baltimore
its East Coast hub to supply the coffee
company’s York, Pa., roasting facility.
Meanwhile, Reliable Churchill, LLLP, the
largest wine and spirits distributorship in
Maryland, is building a state-of-the-art,
IKEA, the home
furnishings giant,
handles 1.75 million
pallets annually
at its 1.7 million-
square-foot facility
in Perryville, Md.
and also allows us to cut down on our
delivery time from the Port,” noted Patrick
Craig, Vice President, Distribution, for Fila
USA, Inc.
Operating with features such as high-
speed sortation and narrow aisle storage,
the facility has 292,000 square feet of
space on the floor, 42 feet of clear height
and 80,000 square feet at the mezzanine
level for sortation equipment.
Another major distribution center
in the area is operated by DELSEY, the
French luggage manufacturer that has its
U.S. headquarters in Hanover, Md. From
its 186,000-square-foot facility, which
capitalizes on extended height racking
and short product flow, DELSEY is able to
take advantage of centralized distribution
in the mid-Atlantic region and easy access
to Interstate 95.
DELSEY also benefits from a “very good
relationship” with the MPA. “Port officials
are very informative, which helps us make
educated business decisions,” said Dan
Hercher, DELSEY’s U.S. Supply Chain
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF IKEA
