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7/28/2019 Bistate Ecodev Digital 1011
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SPECIALADVERTISINGSUPPLEMENT
Illinois-MissouriBi-state Region
October 2011 Inbound Logistics 1
A central lcatin, ell-
develpedtransprtatin
inrastructure, emerging
trade cnnectins ith
Asia and Suth America,
and unied visin r
ecnmic develpment
have made the bi-state
metrplitan area
arund St. Luis a glbal
intermdal crssrads.
Lgisics
Cener fAenin
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ILLINOIS
RIVER
MISSISSIPPI
RIVER
MISSOURI
RIVER
CALHOUN
JERSEY
MACOUPIN
MADISON
BOND
ST. CLAIR
CLINTON
LINCOLN
WARREN
ST. CHARLES
FRANKLIN
ST. LOUIS
COUNTY
JEFFERSON
WASHINGTON
MONROE
Hazelwood
St. Louis
ST. CLAIR
MADISON
BOND
CLINTON
ST. LOUIS
COUNTY
CALHOUN
JERSEY
MACOUPIN
COLN
ST. CHARLES
64
255
55
70
44
55
40
50
70
64
67
61
40
St. Louis
MidAmericaAirport
Lambert-St. LouisAirport
AmericasCentral Port
MO
IL
MO
IL
BI-STATE REGIoN TRANSPoRTATIoN INfRASTRUCTURE
BI-STATE REGIoN
Illinois-Missouri Bi-state Region Logistics center of Attention
2 Inbound Logistics October 2011
The St. Luis regin has alays been a center attentin. Its lcatin dn
river rm the Mississippi Rivers cnfuence ith bth the Illinis and
Missuri made the city an imprtant nexus r rntier traders. It as the pint
departure r the Leis and Clar expeditin. At ne time during the late
19th century, St. Luis as the urth-largest city in the cuntry.
Te Gateway Arch, completed in 1965,was built to mark the citys role in U.S.Maniest Destiny, the spirit o 19th-cen-tury westward expansion. It became and
remains a center o attention or touristsand marketers alike.
oday, the arch also sy mbolizes syn-ergy and business expansion. It begins attwo separate loci, then joins as one at itsapex a representation that demonstrateshow the areas economic developmentprospects are buttressed by collaborationbetween public and private sector inter-ests on both sides o the Mississippi River,in Illinois and Missouri.
Consisting o 15 counties that are col-
lectively home to more than 2.8 millionpeople, the St. Louis metro areas ootprint
extends into both states. Te MississippiRiver plays a big role in area economicdevelopment activity. Its one asset thatmany U.S. cities dont have. And it has
become a trigger or greater collaborationbetween interests on both sides o its banks.
wo excellent examples o this cooper-ation are the new bridge that will span theMississippi River, unded by both statesand the ederal government, and the
joint planning that went into creating thenew south harbor at Americas CentralPort, ormerly ri-City Port District,in Madison County, Ill., says AlanJ. Dunstan, chairman o the MadisonCounty board.
Leaders in Madison County andthroughout Illinois and Missouri
understand the Mississippi Rivers impor-tance to our areas vitality, he adds. Wecontinually work together to maximizethe rivers viability as one o the key, suc-
cessul elements to our areas position as atransportation and distribution hub.
PowERING CoLLABoRATIoN
Such bilateral cooperation and visionhas been stewarded by the area utility,Ameren Corporation. With operationalbases in both Illinois and Missouri, thepower company generates a net capac-ity o 16,600 megawatts o electricity andserves 2.4 million electric customers andnearly one million natural gas customers.
Ameren operates one nuclear acility,three hydroelectric plants, and more than
Prie LcainThe St. Luis metrplitan regin, hich extends acrss the
Mississippi River int Illinis, basts a netr interstates,
t airprts, and an inland prt, prviding a ealth intermdal
shipping ptins.
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Selected business costs
from 18% to 27% below
the national average costs
for Distribution Centers.
[email protected]/EcDev 800-981-9409
Take advantage of:
A regional customer base o nearly 78 million.
Unsurpassed inrastructure: Class 1 rail, intermodal, air, interstatesand river.
A location positioned to beneft rom shits in international
transportation lanes.
Tremendous community resources, transportation assets and
workorce availability.
Amerens Economic Development Team is ready to help
with your site search.
Least Cost Connections to Midwest Markets
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Illinois-Missouri Bi-state Region Logistics center of Attention
4 Inbound Logistics October 2011
jobs and $3 million in annual revenue orthe city. Tat vacant site has since beenrepurposed as Aviator Business Park, a
2.7-million-square-oot mixed-use devel-opment aimed at light manuacturers,data centers, distribution operators, andother commercial clients.
ogether with the Hazelwood LogisticsCenter, a 151-acre, rail-served industrialand distribution park with retail rontage,Aviator Business Park has become a mag-net or new business expansion.
With Aviator Business Park andHazelwood Logistics Center, theinrastructure is there roads, rail con-nections, power, and gas, says David
Cox, economic developer or the city oHazelwood. Companies dont have tostart rom scratch.
Cox conveys the growing enthusi-asm permeating the community. Wevebeen working with the St. Louis Regional
Chamber and Growth Association(RCGA) over the past
year to bring Emerald Automotive toHazelwood, says Cox. he companycame to us looking or a central locationin the area. Te Ford and Chrysler acil-ities in nearby Fenton, Mo., both closed,so a talent pool with automotive assem-bly skills was available.
he deal, which was inalized insummer 2011, will bring the British auto-
motive companys production o hybrid
partnership in the truest sense. Moreplayers in specic cluster industries aregoing to grow their business here.
HAzELwooD BLooMS
Hazelwood, Mo., is one o the manybeneactors o this economic develop-ment approach. With a population onearly 25,000 residents among the larg-est communities in St. Louis County it isalso home to more than 1,000 businesses,including 12 Fortune 500 companies, sixFortune 1,000 companies, and 10 corpo-rate headquarters.
Proximity to Lambert-St. LouisInternational Airport has always been an
advantage or Hazelwood.But it also provides convenientroad access to U.S. Interstates 70, 44,and 55, as well as U.S. Highway 40 andInterstates 170, 270, and 370. On the rails,Norolk Southern provides reight servicedirectly into the city.
Hazelwood is the perect exampleo a community that was hit hard by aloss o automotive manuacturing but isreinventing itsel as both a manuactur-ing and distribution hub. In 2006, Fordshut down its Hazelwood manuacturing
plant, eliminating approximately 2,000
one dozen combustion turbine acilities.Te utility has an abundance o power. Italso has the capacity to attract business
development interest or the benet o all.Utilities have had long-term involve-ment in economic development activitybecause we are part o the core inra-structure, says Mike Kearney, managero economic development or AmerenCorporation. We collaborate withcommunities, state governments, andbusinesses to bring greater value to theiroperations.
MAkING CoNNECTIoNS
In the Bi-state Region, Ameren is lit-
erally and iguratively the current thatows between enterprises. Tere are ewentities, public or private, that cover asbroad and comprehensive a geographicregion crisscrossing local, county, andstate jurisdictions as the utility does. It isin a position to make connections aroundassets that drive the regions economy,especially with regards to transpor-tation inrastructure that includesa dense network o rail, river, road,and air options.
Naturally, Ameren has a vestedinterest in growing business activityin the St. Louis area. Manuacturing,distribution, and logistics industriesconsume a lot o electricity, which isincentive or any power company. Butgrowing critical mass helps increase ser-
vice and reduce costs.Our priority is serving customers, says
Kearney. But we also have an impor-tant role in growing our region: buildingcapacity, and making our businesses more
competitive.In this regard, alignment is key. Localcommunities can try and go it alone, butit is dicult nding and capitalizing onresources that may not be immediatelyapparent or accessible. One o Kearneysprimary objectives at Ameren is to acili-tate more dialog among city, county, andstate governments. he objective is totap base synergies, capitalize on regionalstrengths, then compete locally.
More business leaders are looking tocreate a strategy in concert with the public
sector, says Kearney. It is private-public
1 DAY1 DAY
2 DAYS2 DAYS
3 DAYS3 DAYS 3 DAYS3 DAYS
4 DAYS4 DAYS
2 DAYS2 DAYS
Bi-StateRegion
Gd GItems shipped by truc rm the Bi-state
Regin reach 70 percent the U.S.
ppulatin ithin 48 hurs.
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MidAmerica St. Louis Airport
Sae, Secure, Certifed PerishableFood and Goods Handling
Worldwide access rom
the heart o the USA!
With direct intercontinental access to the global markets, MidAmerica Airport is the Midwests
year-round international armers market connection, serving American producers o the highest
quality, saest oods who desire to export their goods worldwide. Our proven trade routes also
provide an air avenue or a host o general and oversized cargo, creating new opportunities orbusinesses across the Midwest and around the world.
Contact: Tim Cantwell, Director
Phone: (618) 566-5240
www.fymidamerica.com
Superior Amenities On-ramp perishable center the only one north of Alabama
Large cargo space available, and more on the way
Located in Foreign Trade Zone #31, plus enterprise zone benefits
Dual runways, state-of-the-art control tower, 24/7 operations
Negotiable rates among the lowest in the U.S.
Unparalleled Connectivity Proven trade routes linking Latin America and Asia
Immediate Interstate access via I-64, I-44, I-55 & I-70
Major multimodal rail and inland port centers nearby
Uncongested location in the heart of the country
World Class Tenants Boeing General Dynamics
Unigroup Worldwide, Inc.
AVMATS
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Illinois-Missouri Bi-state Region
electric and diesel-powered delivery vansto Hazelwood. Te plant will create hun-dreds o manuacturing jobs, and the site
will eventually become Emeralds NorthAmerican manuacturing hub.he Hazelwood plant will manuac-
ture three prototype vehicles two likelytargeted or Europe, the other or NorthAmerica, says Cox. Once Emeralddevelops these markets, it wil l set up anassembly acility here, which will makechassis and engines. Tose will be sentto Europe via rail and ocean or inalassembly.
Location, transportation accessibility,and workorce were primary consider-
ations in Emeralds decision to chooseHazelwood over 24 other sites. But it alsohad an ace in hand. Te city is planning toloan Emerald $3 million, to be paid backwith interest in 10 years or ewer. Another$2 million is coming rom the state.
We, along with about seven other cit-ies around the state, have a hal-cent sales
tax dedicated to economic development,Cox explains. Weve been able to com-plete some projects in our industrial parks,
such as rebuilding a street and putting ina turn radius, using our economic devel-opment und.
Hazelwood also created a loan programthat is available to prospective companies.
Emerald came here because o our loanprogram, Cox says. Hazelwood was theonly community that could ofer that.
AT HoME IN HAzELwooD
Te city has had other successes attract-ing new business and retaining existingones. Community ire, a wholesale tire
distributor or the region, was located inan undersized warehouse acility and wasable to expand in Hazelwood because itwanted to stay there.
Cox has also seen a trend o area busi-nesses relocating rom older acilities. Inall 2010, Luxco, a national liquor dis-tributor, came to Hazelwood because its
distribution center in the city had grownobsolete, he says. Food distributor M&Lmoved operations here, too. Many com-
panies are consolidating locations inHazelwood because it oers space andtransportation accessibility.
Hazelwoods courting o EmeraldAutomotive is by no means an exceptionin the St. Louis market. Several multi-national companies have headquartersor signiicant operations nearby nota-bly Boeing Integrated Deense Systems,Emerson Electric, Monsanto, ExpressScripts, Energizer Holdings, Panera BreadCompany, and Hardees Food Systems.
Because o the regions distinct position
in wholesale trade and its multimodalaccess to North American markets, St.Louis oers great advantages to globalmanuacturers, value-added agriculturaloperations, and energy producers, saysPatrick McKeehan, executive director oLeadership Council Southwestern Illinois,an economic development organization
Shanghai 7:52 p.m.
TransprTaTin srvics prjcT ManagMnT DisTribTi n srvics
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Logistics center of Attention
that serves Madison and St. Clair counties.
As a consequence, the area also attractstransportation and logistics talent.Headquartered in Fenton, Mo., UniGroupis the parent company o Maylower,United Van Lines, and newly spun-othird-party logistics provider UniGroupWorldwide Logistics.
We manage projects all over the United
States and the world. Being in an area
that has grown to be a signicant trans-portation and distribution hub helps usbecause o the critical mass that is build-ing here, says Rich McClure, presidento UniGroup. Several companies havemore than one million square eet o dis-tribution space, including Worldwideechnology, Unilever, and Procter &
Gamble. Tese assets, talent, and custom-ers give the region a logistics advantage.
CHINA DIRECT
Critical mass is the key. And now areaeconomic developers and governmentoicials are hoping to urther capital-ize on existing transportation assets bybringing global markets closer to St. Louis.Such is the vision o the Midwest-Chinahub at Lambert-St. Louis InternationalAirport.
he project is a public-private tradeeort between mostly St. Louis andMissouri government oicials andbusiness interests in China. he idea,
hatched in 2009, is to attract Chineseair carriers to Lambert and create anaerotropolis around this trade. OnSept. 26, 2011, China Eastern landed itsinaugural cargo light rom Shanghai,with weekly service expected to continuein the short term.
Te China hub is a business expansion
Managing a supply chain is complex. And your business is unique.
Let UniGroup Worldwide Logistics design a solution tailored to your needs.
Well show you the way to a more efcient logistics solution.
UniGroup Worldwide Logistics is a new name, but the oundation
o the company is well-established. It is built on the heritage o United
Van Lines and Mayower Transit, trusted providers o reliable specialized
transportation and logistics services or more than 50 years. Based on
a network o 1,300 service centers in 146 countries, we are a single source
or customized supply-chain solutions.
Whether your supply chain is domestic or international, UniGroup Worldwide
Logistics manages a global network o resources to show you the way to
seamless, dependable and efcient solutions.
For more inormation, call (877) 545-8080 or visit us at ugwwlogistics.com.
Well how you the wy.
UniGroup Worldwide Logistics, LLC
Multinatinal crpratins such as aerspace and deense industry leader Being are attracted byHaelds ecnmic develpment advantages.
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Illinois-Missouri Bi-state Region
and retention strategy, says Kearney, aswell as a magnet or new companies.When David Cox was entertaining inter-
est rom Emerald Automotive to locatein Hazelwood, the manuacturer wasintrigued by the hub negotiations.
Even though Emerald wont be puttingvans on airplanes, the idea that the area isattracting greater interest rom the inter-national community is a plus, says Cox.
AIR CARGo ASSETS
On the Il linois side o the MississippiRiver, a dierent air cargo strategy hasbeen in place since 2004, according toim Cantwell, director at MidAmerica
Airport, a military-civilian joint-useairport in St. Clair County, Ill., with oper-ations experience handling internationalcargo. It has been coordinating trade mis-sions and operations or air cargo routingbetween Asia and South America or thepast seven years.
MidAmerica oers two runways, as
well as interstate access via I-64, I-44, I-55,and I-70; an air cargo terminal; air cargoacility development space ranging rom10 to 200 acres; and a oreign trade zone.But perhaps its biggest asset is a globalstrategy that establishes a new trade routebetween South America and Asia throughthe St. Louis area.
Our value proposition is market-based,says Cantwell. It connects oreign buyersand U.S. sellers, and sets up their exporttrade between the United States and SouthAmerica, and the United States and Asia,with logistics improvements or their cur-rent needs. We are trying to add Midwestbusinesses eager to export, and U.S. cargo
MidAmerica Airprt aims t be the transshipment pivt pint in a ne trade rute beteenLatin America, Nrth America, and Asia.
David CoxPhone: (314) [email protected]
T H E C I T Y O F H A Z E L W O O D
Logistics.We get it.The infrastructure of
Hazelwood has always beenan advantage. Just to the north of
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport,and near major U.S. interstate highways, we
are the ideal site for logistics, warehousingand distribution. With Park 370 and theHazelwood Logistics Center alreadyoperational, and the Aviator BusinessPark now being developed, the Cityof Hazelwood is positioning itself
as a leader in the logisticsindustry.
Prairie Farms Dairy
Davidson Surface/AirDerry Distributing
Schnucks Supermarkets
SuperValu MarketsCheyenne Logistics
Ryder Integrated Logistics
Air Express International
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Room to GRow:
Indusrial Real Esae SnapshBusinesses ling r acilities in the St. Luis metr area can chse rm a
variety ptins and ne cnstructin is bming.
TtalBuildings
VacancyRate
UnderCnstructin
ProPerty
tyPe
Mdern Bul 83 16.9% 0
Traditinal Bul 235 12.8% 180,000
oce/warehuse 4,041 7.4% 0
Manuacturing 565 4.5% 105,000Service Centers 321 7.9% 129,000
other 129 10% 0
St. Luis Ttal 5,374 8.7% 414,000
Souc: Cassidy tuly Commcial ral esa S vics Indusial Mak Snapsho, Scond Qua 20 11
Logistics center of Attention
October 2011 Inbound Logistics 9
carrier operations, but well a llow anyonein. o start this type o activity where ithas never been hosted beore required
improving or oering alternatives to cur-rently established markets.In efect, MidAmerica Airport aims to
be the transshipment pivot in a new traderoute between Latin America, NorthAmerica, and Asia.
rade between the United States andLatin America requires smaller, lesserrange aircrat due to smaller consoli-dated loads at single points o origin andless advanced runway environments,Cantwell adds. Air trade between theUnited States and Asia demands larger
aircraf. Airports engaging in air tradehave longer runways to support that need.
A TRADE CoNDUIT
At some point, explains Cantwell,regauging activity is necessary to putcargo onto dierent sized aircra t andmaximize load eiciency. Currently,the regauging o intercontinental U.S.transient airreight trade occurs viaairport-to-truck, truck-to-truck, thentruck-to-airport with laborious eorts
connecting Asian gateways and Miami.And the reverse is the same.
hats where MidAmericas businessplan comes into play as a trade conduit,introducing U.S. sellers to Latin Americanand Asian buyers, as well as augmentingthe Asia-to-Latin America trade throughthe U.S. Midwest.
MidAmerica Airport is aggressivelycreating business ties throughout theMidwest, and is adding sellers rom asar as New England, Florida, Mississippi,
and exas. O course, the anchor or theexport business is in Illinois.Both the South America-U.S. and
U.S.-China lanes are light, but there is aneed to grow based on standard o liv-ing increases on both continents, saysCantwell. Te air cargo equation mustbe made economically viable or thetrade route to be successul, he notes.
his new trade route has reached thecommodity level o consciousness withbuyers who want a sae, secure, cer-tiied transportation process or theirgoods.
Working the two trades has enabledCantwell to identiy unique best practicesthat he has capitalized on to target new
business opportunities.MidAmerica has established the
tools and knowledge base to provide or
perishables handling, he notes. hiscapability is critical or the new lines oU.S. exports to China: high-value proteins
and processed oods. We learned thathandling ability rom South Americanower and vegetable import operations.
Lewis & Clark Marine Services
Bulk Service of Tyler Street, LLC
Bulk Service, Granite City, IL
Mid-Coast Terminal Co.
2801 Rock Road, Granite City, Illinois 62040
618-876-1116www.lewisandclarkmarine.com
Sharing a Vision to Exceed Our Customers Expectations
The corners tone of ou r
organization. Space for 1000
barges with Coast Guard
approved tug boats along
Mile 162 and Mile 198 on the
Mississippi.
Specializing in the handling
of grain and grain products
we can transfer any dry bulk
commodities from rail, serviced
by Norfolk Southern, and truck
to barge.
Two cranes wor k two barges
simultaneously, unloading or
loading your cargo for shipment
by truck, or rail, or storage on
location in our warehouse or
outdoor pad.
Our St.louis Location is an
extension of our dry bulk
commodities distribution
from rail and truck to barge,
serviced by TRRA of St. Louis.
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Illinois-Missouri Bi-state Region
10 Inbound Logistics October 2011
We are expanding perishables operationsby building a 30,000-square-oot perish-able center in a public-private partnership
with an established U.S. cooperativethat distributes ruits and vegetablesinternationally.
MidAmerica sought out the needso Asian and Latin American suppliersto identiy goods that require air trans-port between continents. he basis orthis understanding is that air reight istraveling through the United States, andmost o it is designated to LL carriers ordelivery rom airports in the north andwest to the Southeast, or vice versa.
MidAmerica provides a solution
that eliminates truck transit, labor han-dling, and repacking, reconsolidating,and repalletizing goods, as well as theinormation loss and rustration ocrossdocking multiple times en route,Cantwell says.
I MidAmericas global vision andcargo-specic handling capabilities arentincentive enough or businesses to locatein the vicinity, theres also the conve-nience o being located next to Scott AirForce Base another major boon or the
Bi-state Region.Because Scott Air Force Base is home to
all the U.S. militarys logistics command
and control unctions, the area possessesa workorce that is readily available andknowledgeable in that ield, Cantwell
adds. Weve got the right tools and opera-tions to meet the growing oreign demandor U.S. goods. We can make U.S. export
via air cargo an easy reach to the world.
AMERICAS INTERMoDAL CENTER
Global air transport aside, St. Louishas always been the historic gateway tothe American West, providing a cen-trally located, cost-eective jumping-opoint or river, rail, and road cargo, saysMcKeehan. Around the Mississippi River,intermodal options abound.
St. Louis is home to the nations second-largest inland port by trip ton-miles. Withsix Class I railroads and several smallerindustrial railroads, the area is also thenations third-largest rail center. Fourinterstate highways and our interstatelinkages pass through the region, plac-ing St. Louis at the nexus o the UnitedStates primary north/south and east/westcorridors.
Madison County and the entireSt. Louis region beneit rom having
more intersecting transportation modesthan any other area o the country,notes Dunstan. Its strategic location in
the center o the country enables itemsshipped rom the greater St. Louis regionto reach 70 percent o the countrys pop-
ulation within 48 hours.But at the core o this intermodal cross-roads is the hard-to-miss Mississippi Riverand Americas Central Port, ormerly theri-City Regional Port District. Ocialschanged the name in 2010 to better reectthe ports growing value proposition.
he name Americas Central Porthelps identiy the ports location in thecountry and its intermodal transporta-tion business or potential new customers,says Dennis Wilmsmeyer, the ports exec-utive director.
Located just north o downtownSt. Louis on the Illinois side o theMississippi River, the port and its tenantsofer a wide range o services and acilities,including barge, rail, and truck transero commodities; industrial, commercial,and residential development sites; andwarehouse and commercial lease oppor-tunities. Te 1,200-acre multi-use site hasmore than 1.5 million square eet o ware-house space, most o which is rail served.
BARGE BUSINESSAmong the ports tenants, Lewis &
Clark Marine Inc. operates nine vessels ona section o the Mississippi River betweenmiles 162 and 198, below the conuencewith the Missouri River. It is primar-ily responsible or switching and eetingbarges in the Greater St. Louis area.
Barges are delivered to our leetsby long-distance vessels, says PaulWellhausen, president, Lewis & ClarkMarine. hen, as a harbor service, we
receive orders to shif barges to a termi-nal to load or unload. Barges dropped inour eet can be consigned or pick-up bya line-haul vessel or urther movementeither northbound or southbound romSt. Louis to load or unload elsewhere.
Lewis & Clark wil l eet (essentially,valet parking or barges) dry cargo bargescontaining various products, as well asliquid barges. Fleets loaded with coal,ethanol, and countless other commod-ities deliver power to domestic utilitiesand grain to global markets, demon-
strating why the St. Louis inland water
C O N O C O P H I L L I P S U . S . S T E E L A B E N G O A B I O E N E R G Y GENERAL
DYNAM
ICS
BOEING
HERSHEY
DIALCORPORATION
WALGREENS
MITRECORP.
M I D A M E R I C A S T. L O U I S A I R P O R T A M E R I C A S C E N T R A L P O R T
Thousands of acres of prime development sites supported by a highlyproductive workforce and linked by one of the most
cost-effective intermodal transportation systems in America.
Its no wonder St. Louis Metro Easthas attracted billions in new investment!
To learn more contactthe Leadership Council at 618-692-9745.
Building Relationships.Shaping the future of Southwestern Illinois.
www.siteselection-il.com
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Logistics center of Attention
October 2011 Inbound Logistics 11
system is well-suited or all types oindustrial activity. And with transporta-tion costs continuing to soar, intermodal
transport on the Mississippi River is avaluable asset or many businesses.
Americas Central Port markets its ser-vices national ly and international ly todistribution and manuacturing compa-
nies that can take advantage o its centrallocation, and excellent river, rail, andhighway access. Having three transpor-tation modes on its property providestenants the opportunity to scale modewith business need.
Further expansion o the ports railloop, scheduled or completion later in2011, and a new South Harbor undedby a $8.5-million ransportationInvestment Generating EconomicRecovery grant will add capacity and
allow the port to provide customers evenmore options.he importance o the river and
port in economic development or theSt. Louis region cant be understated, saysWilmsmeyer. What would happen i theriver were no longer here? How wouldreight move? Could the rail lines and thehighways even begin to absorb the vol-ume o displaced reight? Or would thelack o the river cause reight to move toother cities? he asks.
Te bottom line is that the Mississippi
River is a true asset, Wilmsmeyer
continues. Regional businesses andgovernment need to continue to worktogether to better plan and use it to ben-
et the area.Amerens Mike Kearney is optimist ic
that there will be a resurgence o man-uacturing activity in the St. Louis area,supported by urther capital invest-
ment and a skilled workorce. With a ullplate o transportation options across allmodes, there is a healthy mix o new and
old industries, which creates a more resil-ient local economy.
BI-oCAL VISIoN
Such diversity also presents new oppor-tunities to provide end-to-end supplychain capabilities raw materials sourc-ing to inished goods movement insome verticals. With the inusion o SouthAmerican and Chinese trades, clusterdevelopment is likely to continue at pace.
But the Bi-state Regions greatest assetis its collaborative vision or growing eco-nomic development opportunities. TeMissouri side o the Mississippi River hasSt. Louis, Lambert-St. Louis International
Airport, and a well-entrenched commer-cial ootprint. In Illinois, there is ampleroom or growth around AmericasCentral Port and MidAmerica Airport.
For economic development purposes,the Bi-state Region leverages assets verywell, says McClure. Both sides o theriver oer tremendous resources. Teresplenty o reason to see the river not as adividing line, but as an asset. n
r inrmatin n eaturing yur regin
in an Ecnmic Develpment Supplement,cntact James o. Armstrng at 314-984-9007
Americas Central Port is a Mixed-use Business Campus located 10 minutes north of
downtown St. Louis, MO. Our tenants have access to 6 Class I Railroads, 4 major
Interstates , and the Mississippi River. We have Warehouse and Oce Space,
Development-ready Sites, and Competitive Rates available. How can we serve you?
618-877-8444 www.americascentralport.com
THE ONLY FULL-SERVICE, PUBLIC INTERMODAL PORT IN THE ST. LOUIS REGION
Americas Central Prts 1,20 0-acre multi-use site ers mre than 1.5 millin square eet arehuse space, mst hich is rail-served.