The St. Louis Region

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The St. Louis Region: Big Developments, Bright Future An abundant, skilled workforce, outstanding multimodal transportation options, and plenty of space for expansion all fuel growth in the area’s logistics sector.

May 2017 • Inbound Logistics 73 The St. Louis Region: Big Developments, Bright Future

For many years, the St. Louis region has offered of the abundance of exceptional talent. We’re seeing great interest in the outstanding logistics advantages to companies positions we have to offer, and both buildings are doing great.” that located on the Missouri or Illinois side of the The buildings are doing so great, in fact, that employment numbers have Mississippi River. With a wealth of multimodal soared past original projections when transportation options, plenty of available real estate, Amazon announced the facilities in the St. Louis region, stating they would cre- and a position within one day’s drive of 30 percent ate more than 1,000 full-time jobs. “Since opening the facilities, we have of the U.S. population, the bi-state area has drawn grown and added more full-time jobs,” notes Lindsey. “Amazon currently has interest from manufacturers, distributors, and more than 1,500 full-time employees retailers who need efficient access to domestic and in Edwardsville.” While Lindsey does not comment on international markets. future expansion plans in the St. Louis region, she does reaffirm that Amazon Recent developments in the area centers, notes Nina Akerley Lindsey, is growing rapidly. She points to the are ramping up the excitement level. with Amazon corporate communica- recent announcement that Amazon In particular, the past 12 months have tions. Company officials want to be as will create 100,000 new full-time jobs been a defining period in the St. Louis close to their customers as possible to across the company over the next 18 region’s quest to become a premier facilitate fast local and regional delivery, months, many of them in states such as freight logistics gateway and multimodal but they also look at local workforce. Kentucky, Florida, and Illinois. “We’re hub, as Amazon entered the market What Amazon has found in the St. definitely seeing growth in Illinois right and absorbed 1.4 million square feet of Louis region has been great. now,” Lindsey says. speculative space with two facilities in “We’ve been so pleased with the Mark Branstetter, a partner at Edwardsville, Ill. talent we found in the region,” says Panattoni Development Company, A few key factors drive location deci- Lindsey. “We’re thrilled to be able to which developed the Lakeview sions for the company’s fulfillment provide local jobs to avail ourselves Commerce Center spec building that

A project to replace the Merchants Bridge with one that can handle two modern freight trains simultaneously could create more than $456 million in economic activity over 20 years–nearly double the impact today, according to its owner, Terminal Railroad Association.

74 Inbound Logistics • May 2017 The St. Louis Region: Big Developments, Bright Future

Amazon occupies, highlights the signif- in Hazelwood, Mo., have attracted both public and private sector leaders, icance of the region’s ability to deliver manufacturers and consumer prod- The Freightway is partnering with other the workforce Amazon needs. ucts companies. In addition, various freight transportation hubs, starting with “Location matters, but employment third-party logistics firms have recently the recent signing of a memorandum of matters just as much when it comes to leased space in the nearby Hazelwood understanding (MOU) with the Port of attracting users such as Amazon,” says Logistics Park. New Orleans. Branstetter. “Amazon coming here, While that mix is healthy for the “This partnership will help create and growing here, proves we have the region, Convy says it is Amazon’s deci- opportunities for St. Louis regional ports labor needed.” sion to enter the St. Louis market that and river terminals to capitalize on the Another key ingredient in attracting will drive future growth, following a recent growth in container-on-barge e-commerce giants such as Amazon is record-setting year for the region with operations at the Port of New Orleans having the available space they need, more than 6 million square feet of new and the 500 million tons of cargo that when they need it, adds Tim Convy, industrial construction. annually move through the lower Mississippi River,” says Mary Lamie, executive director of The Freightway. “The St. Louis region is integrating supply chains with regions such as New Orleans and others throughout the country.”

Building a Bridge The Freightway is also accomplishing its mission by setting multimodal transportation priorities with regional public and private sector leaders. One of the region’s highest priority projects is the 128-year-old Merchants Bridge over the Mississippi River, owned and operated by the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA). Carrying six Class 1 railroads and Amtrak, this structure serves the nation’s third-largest rail hub and is considered a model for public- private partnerships. This Panattoni Development building within the Lakeview Commerce Center in Edwardsville, Ill., is composed of concrete tilt-up panels and is designed to expand up TRRA is willing to cover a significant to 1 million square feet. This type of new construction helps attract businesses to the portion of the $220-million project to St. Louis region. replace the bridge, and estimates that a new span that can handle two mod- principal with the St. Louis office of “There’s a herd mentality in the ern freight trains simultaneously could commercial real estate services firm industry,” says Convy. “Amazon’s pres- create more than $456 million in eco- Avison Young. ence validates the region.” nomic activity over 20 years—nearly “As a broker working for an inter- That is exciting news for the St. double the impact TRRA gener- national company, we know that if Louis Regional Freightway, which is ates today. we don’t have product, our customers tasked with optimizing the region’s The Merchants Bridge is not will move on,” Convy says. “Panattoni freight transportation infrastructure only capturing the attention of The has had the confidence to build spec and advancing its position as a world- Freightway and the railroad industry, it facilities in the St. Louis region and, class distribution hub. is also very much on the barge indus- therefore, we’ve been able to attract Officially launched in April 2016, try’s radar. companies such as Amazon.” The Freightway is already playing a “While enhancements to the nation’s Such industry giants are not the only critical role in the growth of manufac- locks and dams are a top priority, we companies turning to the St. Louis turing and fulfillment centers within the consider the Merchants Rail Bridge to region; the other spec facilities recently bi-state region. Through a unified bi- be the number-one infrastructure pri- completed at Panattoni’s Aviator Park state regional collaboration, including ority for the St. Louis region,” notes

76 Inbound Logistics • May 2017 The St. Louis Region: Big Developments, Bright Future

The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and the St. Louis Regional Freightway sign a Memorandum of Understanding to exchange market and operational information. The goal is to expand trade and build upon existing and new business relationships between the two regions and critical ports.

Tim Power, president of SEACOR provides a direct link to St. Louis, Tulsa, St. Louis. Today, the region is the third- Inland River Services/SCF Marine Inc. and Oklahoma City; I-55 to Chicago, largest rail hub in the United States. Six “Competitive barge rates are contingent Memphis, and New Orleans; I-64 to of North America’s seven Class I rail- to competitive rail rates.” Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, and roads serve St. Louis, providing freight Such agreement among various Virginia; and I-70 to Denver, Kansas transportation throughout the continent stakeholders on the region’s priorities City, Indianapolis, Columbus, and without need for interchange. will improve The Freightway’s abil- Baltimore. Those highways put much ity to coordinate with industry and of the Midwest with one day’s drive and Connection to the World government to ensure the region’s offer two-day access to multiple East These rail lines connect the region infrastructure can handle the growth as Coast and Gulf ports. not only with major markets in the they work to enhance and increase the To keep freight and other traffic United States, Canada, and Mexico, $6 billion in goods traveling through flowing, communities in the St. Louis but with the world, via ocean ports on the St. Louis region by rail, road, river, metropolitan area have recently com- the East and West Coasts and the Gulf and runway. pleted several important highway of Mexico. Several shortline railroads Branstetter sees The Freightway as infrastructure projects. One is the Stan add to the number of options available the region’s first concerted regional Musial Veteran Memorial Bridge across to companies that ship by rail. effort to pursue logistics and freight as the Mississippi, a $670-million project Six intermodal yards accommodate a focus area, and he remains bullish that connects St. Louis and southwest- freight moving into and out of the St. on the region’s potential for contin- ern Illinois via I-70. Louis region: ued growth. “I don’t think the growth Another initiative has rebuilt the 1. BNSF’s St. Louis Intermodal we saw in the past 18 months is a one- Daniel Boone Bridge to extend I-64 Terminal, St. Louis. Located near I-44, time thing,” he notes. “The future in the across the Missouri River. The Illinois this facility processes about 60,000 lifts St. Louis region looks very bright.” Department of Transportation has made annually. Close by, BNSF has bought improvements to the Martin Luther King 111 acres of developable land at the Roads, Rail, and River Bridge, while the Missouri Department Fenton Logistics Park. The initiatives leading to that bright of Transportation is doing work on the 2. Terminal Railroad Association Rail future in the St. Louis region build Poplar Street Bridge in St. Louis. Yard, Madison County, Ill. The region’s upon a well-established foundation The history of rail transportation in largest rail switching facility, this ter- of logistics assets. Take the four inter- the region dates back to 1852, when the minal handles about 30,000 cars per state highways that converge there. I-44 first leg of the Pacific Railroad opened in month. The yard’s 80 tracks provide

78 Inbound Logistics • May 2017 enough capacity to hold 2,200 cars at lines converge in this yard, bringing it it offers services for dry bulk, liquid one time. several dozen trains each day. bulk, general cargo and Ro/Ro. The Port 3. Norfolk Southern Luther As the recent partnership with the District includes 19 miles of riverfront Intermodal Yard, St. Louis. Located on Port of New Orleans illustrates, river and more than 6,000 acres available for more than 30 acres, this facility offers transportation also plays a prominent industrial use. quick access to I-70. role in the St. Louis region’s portfolio ■■ Kaskaskia Regional Port 4. CSX East St. Louis Intermodal of transportation options. Each year, District 1, New Athens, Ill. This facil- Terminal (aka Rose Lake Yard), 105 million tons of cargo pass, arrive, ity includes a bulk terminal, a Ro/Ro Fairmont City and Washington Park, Ill. or depart by water, benefiting from the ramp that handles oversized equipment, This facility, part of CSX’s Southeastern region’s status as the northernmost port a barge with a hydraulic track-hoe and Corridor, handles both domestic and on the Mississippi where there is no conveyor for loading trains, and a train intermodal freight, with an average of need to contend with locks or ice. loop that can handle up to 125 units. 60,000 to 70,000 lifts per year. Major commodities loaded on and off ■■ Kaskaskia Regional Port 5. Union Pacific Dupo Intermodal barges in the region include fertilizer, District 2, Baldwin, Ill. This port han- Terminal, Dupo, Ill. Thirteen inter- steel, manufactured products, coal, petro- dles steel, general cargo, bulk products, modal trains originate at this facility leum products, and agricultural crops. and container on barge. Facilities include each week, with service to Dallas, Los Local facilities include: a 50-ton overhead electric crane and Angeles, and Seattle. The yard is situ- ■■ America’s Central Port, Granite 30,000 square feet of warehouse space, ated conveniently close to I-255 and City, Ill. This facility handles dry bulk, with temperature and humidity controls. Illinois Route 3. liquid bulk, general cargo, roll on/roll off For shippers that use America’s 6. Kansas City Southern Valley (Ro/Ro) cargo, and container on barge. Central Port, one of the major attrac- Junction Yard, East St. Louis, Ill. ■■ St. Louis Port District. The third- tions is the assortment of transportation Three Terminal Railroad Association largest inland port in the United States, options there—river, rail and road.

May 2017 • Inbound Logistics 79

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With its capability to directly transfer freight from plane to truck, MidAmerica St. Louis Airport attracts shippers looking to bypass more expensive routes through other midwestern cities. Lock #27, the southernmost lock on the “We’ve had companies say they buildings—one a 126,000-square-foot Mississippi, sits between the port’s two wanted to move here because of the rail, chemical manufacturing facility, and harbors, giving barges access to the free- but they’ve never used it,” Wilmsmeyer the other a 26,000-square-foot dry bulk flowing river from the port all the way to says. Rather, they employ the rail as a storage building,” Wilmsmeyer says. the Gulf of Mexico. The Port District’s bargaining chip. “Every time a trucking Companies that currently operate new Madison Harbor actually sits below company tries to raise its rates, the com- facilities at the port include ethanol pro- the lock, providing the opportunity for panies say they need to get some quotes ducer Green Plains, Phillips 66, Apex uninterrupted movement. America’s from the rail line.” That prospect of Oil, Cargill Steel, and U.S. Steel. Central Port opened the $50-million competition is enough to persuade the But the port’s own property represents Madison Harbor in February 2016. trucker not to change its rates. just a fraction of the territory available “That harbor opened a lot of new to companies that want to take advan- opportunities,” says Dennis Wilmsmeyer, A Win-Win Situation tage of this riverside transportation hub. executive director at America’s Central Thanks to The Freightway’s MOU “More than 13 local communities, all Port. “We’re now gearing up for general with the Port of New Orleans, America’s situated along the Mississippi River, cargo movements. Our operators have Central Port could be handling even have opportunities for commercial or been moving dry bulk products through more volume in the future than it does industrial development,” Wilmsmeyer there on barges for a full year.” today, especially container on barge. says. That territory covers about 200 One of the region’s six Class I rail- “That MOU allows us to market the square miles. Port officials and commu- roads, Norfolk Southern, provides Port of New Orleans as ours, and for nity leaders collaborate to identify the service at America’s Central Port. Two them to market America’s Central Port best location for each company that Class III carriers, Terminal Railroad as theirs,” Wilmsmeyer says. Container wants to move into the region. and Port Harbor Railroad, also serve on barge will add a new, cost-effective “We ask many questions, we find out Madison Harbor. “The Class I rail- intermodal option for shippers moving a lot about the company, and we get all roads own Terminal Railroad, so goods into or out of the Midwest. the players in the room who can answer shippers have access to all the Class I To better handle that and other their questions,” Wilmsmeyer says. “If it railroads through their switching setup,” cargo, America’s Central Port recently makes more sense for that company to Wilmsmeyer says. improved its facilities. “In December locate in one of those communities, we In addition, the port provides easy 2016, we finished about 4.25 miles of work just as hard, if not harder, to get access to the interstate systems, with a new track construction on the property,” them to locate there as we would to get connection to I-70 just two miles south Wilmsmeyer says. “We made new road- them onto our own property.” of the property. way improvements at the same time.” For shippers that employ air trans- That rich mix of transportation In addition, the port has been add- portation, the St. Louis region provides modes offers benefits even to compa- ing to the properties available for lease a choice of two international airports nies near the port that stay with a single on its 1,200 acres, about two square that offer air cargo services: St. Louis transportation mode. miles. “We have two new warehouse Lambert Airport in St. Louis County

80 Inbound Logistics • May 2017 and MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in in partnership with the airport, which While offering special facilities for St. Clair County, Ill. uses the warehouse as part of its own perishables, MidAmerica also handles St. Louis Lambert handled 70.5 mil- supply chain and also offers service to many other kinds of cargo. “We do a lot lion tons of cargo in 2016, and operators other shippers. The airport provides the of specialized charters,” Cantwell says, at the airport include three all-cargo car- ground services and labor for loading and citing a flight that recently transported a riers. Adjacent to Foreign Trade Zone unloading; North Bay provides services helicopter to Jordan. “We’re convenient, #102, St. Louis Lambert’s cargo facil- such as forced air cooling, short- and with low traffic and two runways.” ity space includes bonded storage and long-term storage, and USDA-approved Because the Air Force operates air secured warehouses. cold treatment and fumigation services. traffic control for the facility, planes can Co-located with Scott Air Force Base, “With one phone call, shippers can coor- take off from and land at MidAmerica MidAmerica St. Louis offers, among dinate everything,” Cantwell says. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The other amenities, a 17-acre air cargo facil- U.S. Customs office at the airport, ity next door to a 60,000-square-foot air The MidAmerica Advantage located on the cargo apron, also oper- cargo terminal designed for perishables. North Bay Produce chose ates 24/7, he says. “We have one-stop shopping here that MidAmerica St. Louis for its cen- The relationship with Scott Air Force allows for a cargo carrier to consolidate tral U.S. distribution site because of base offers other advantages as well. and upload or download and distrib- the airport’s relationship with Ningbo “They provide 24/7 snow removal, ute into or out of the region through a Lishe International Airport in China. so there’s never a closure here during warehouse that is the largest perishable “Ningbo, with our coordination, inclement weather,” Cantwell says. Also, center north of Alabama on an aircraft developed what is currently the only because the airport shares services with parking ramp,” says Tim Cantwell, air- perishable center on an aircraft ramp in the Air Force, keeping overhead low, port director at MidAmerica. China,” Cantwell says. North Bay hopes MidAmerica offers unusually low fees North Bay Produce of Traverse City, to take advantage of that relationship in to carriers that operate at the airport. Mich., owns and operates the facility its own operations, he adds. For companies that locate

NGB MidAmerica St. Louis Airport Safe, Secure, Certified Perishable Food and Goods Handling With direct intercontinental access to the global markets, MidAmerica Airport isn’t just moving general cargo, it is the Midwest’s year-round international farmer’s market connection. The USA produces the best and safest foods, and MidAmerica is the USA food-producing region’s access to the world.

Worldwide access from the heart of the USA!

Contact: Tim Cantwell, Director [email protected] Phone: (618) 566-5240 www.flymidamerica.com

May 2017 • Inbound Logistics 81 MidAmerica_ad0517.indd 1 5/2/17 12:34 PM The St. Louis Region: Big Developments, Bright Future

distribution centers or other facilities transportation modes are among the big- how they improve the infrastructure,” near MidAmerica, Scott Air Force Base gest benefits that companies enjoy when says McClain. offers another advantage. A major sup- they locate facilities in the St. Louis As a non-asset-based 3PL, McClain ply chain hub for the Air Force, Scott region, according to Dan McClain, and Associates provides transportation employs large numbers of logistics pro- director of business development at services for truckload, less-than-truck- fessionals who, when they leave the Air McClain and Associates in Maryland load, and intermodal shipments, using Force, could lend their talents to com- Heights, Mo. a proprietary transportation manage- panies in the region. “The average “There are lots of opportunities for ment system. For truckload moves, retirement age of a military member is growth,” McClain says. “For exam- the company can provide flatbed and between 43 and 47,” Cantwell says. “So ple, we’ve seen Amazon, World Wide oversized equipment as well as dry you’ve got a lot of experience that could Technology and other companies van and temperature controlled trail- walk across the street and make an locate their warehouses in the Southern ers. The company manages intermodal immediate impact on the civilian front.” Illinois area.” moves using 53-foot containers and Shippers will also find plenty of land 40- or 45-foot containers owned by ripe for development when a new exit Anywhere You Want to Go steamship lines. on Interstate 64, adjacent to the air- The local transportation network Although McClain and Associates port, opens in summer 2017. “That offers numerous ways to connect with serves shippers throughout the continen- intersection will open up 2,500 acres of all points in the United States and tal United States, its customers in the St. developable warehousing, light assem- beyond. “The Interstates can take you Louis region may gain some extra benefit bly and manufacturing land on the north, west, east or south,” he adds. due to the volume of intermodal traffic airport, with direct access to the high- “We have multiple airports. We have that moves through the area. way,” Cantwell says. six Class 1 railroads, and the river sys- “A lot of 45-foot steamship line equip- That land is authorized to operate as tem provides a big advantage for moving ment resides in St. Louis. And there’s part of Foreign Trade Zone #31 and also shipments north and south.” a daily plethora of domestic equipment benefits from a local tax incentive pro- The Missouri Department of in St. Louis that we can load for trips gram. “As soon as that opens, I expect a Transportation (MoDOT) has been to the East and West Coasts,” McClain lot of opportunities for people who want particularly good about soliciting rec- says. “For one client, we were able to to warehouse in a convenient place for ommendations from local companies convert a lot of flatbed business to inter- both road and air access for their goods,” when prioritizing their transporta- modal for movements into the Western he adds. tion investments. “They’re using input U.S. and into Canada.” McClain and Ample real estate and multiple from people in the region to motivate Associates promotes such money-sav- ing opportunities to shippers and also urges some of its carrier partners to take advantage of this abundant capacity.

Central Location, Large Network McClain and Associates’ location in the St. Louis region provides another advantage to its customers, no mat- ter where they are based. “We’re able to expand our network,” McClain says. “Because we’re right in the mid- dle of the country, that gives us access to carriers everywhere, on all coasts, and moving in all directions. We can be more competitive with our rates, because our network is larger.” Healthy competition—which keeps rates in check—also arises from the fact that St. Louis, itself a hub for manufacturing and logistics, is located close to The University of Missouri helps supply the talent pipeline in the St. Louis region. Here, two other major hubs, Kansas City and Dr. James Campbell and Dr. Andrea Cadenbach (far left, far right) tour a Graybar warehouse in Bel-Ridge, Mo., with two supply chain students. Chicago. “That’s a positive thing for

82 Inbound Logistics • May 2017 manufacturers and distributors, or any- Undergraduate minor in transportation maintain productive relationships one else locating here,” says McClain. studies, BSBA in logistics and opera- with the program. “Our big theme is “It also ensures that everyone is honest tions management, MBA in logistics Connecting with Business,” Campbell and up to date.” and supply chain or operations man- says. “We provide an opportunity for Like Amazon in Edwardsville, a com- agement, PhD in logistics and supply our students to start great careers in pany that locates in the St. Louis region chain management supply chain and logistics, and then will have no trouble finding employ- 6. Washington University. we provide the companies the talent ees with the knowledge and skills to fill Undergraduate minor, BSBA or MBA they need.” positions in logistics and supply chain in operations and supply chain manage- As an example, Campbell points to a management. Six universities in the ment, MS in supply chain management recent undergraduate student who was region offer degree programs and certif- triple-majoring in French, International icates in those disciplines. They include: Filling the Talent Pool Business, and Logistics and Supply 1. Fontbonne University. Certificate Companies in the St. Louis region Chain Management. “At one of our and MS in supply chain management, that need to fill supply chain and logis- student engagement events last fall, she undergraduate minor in transportation tics positions will find enthusiastic allies met some folks from Anheuser-Busch 2. Lindenwood University. MBA in at the University of Missouri, St. Louis (AB InBev), who just happened to need supply chain management (UMSL). “The number one thing that someone to work on exports to Canada.” 3. Maryville University. MBA companies are interested in is the tal- Upon graduation, that student took a with a concentration in supply chain ent pool. Our goal is to fill their talent job as senior analyst II, logistics exports management/logistics pipeline,” says James Campbell, pro- with the beverage firm. 4. St. Louis University. Certificate in fessor and chair of the Supply Chain AB InBev is one of a distinguished integrated supply chain management, and Analytics Department in UMSL’s list of companies in the St. Louis MBA in supply chain management College of Business Administration. region that serves on the Supply Chain 5. University of Missouri, St. Louis. Many businesses in the region and Analytics Department’s Advisory

BuildingBuilding a World a World of of transPORTunity TransPORTunity

618-877-8444 www.americascentralport.com

Nearly 90 companies are located at America’s Central Port to take advantage of our location near St. Louis, on the Mississippi River, with access to six Class I railroads and four major interstate highways. With nearly two million square feet of warehouse and distribution space on 1,200 acres, we’d just like to know why YOU haven’t located here yet?

May 2017 • Inbound Logistics 83 ACP_ad0517.indd 1 5/2/17 12:07 PM The St. Louis Region: Big Developments, Bright Future

Board. The board also includes Boeing, marketing, many find their way into a to add something on the East Coast Graybar, Unyson Logistics, Ameren, great career in supply chain,” he says. to deal with expansion and all their Monsanto, Express Scripts, World Wide Faculty in the Supply Chain and e-commerce,” Campbell says. “We did Technology, Nidec and others. Analytics Department have long col- a project for them, which we’re work- Students aiming for careers in supply laborated on applied research with ing on getting published, that looked at chain and logistics management con- companies around the world. Now, how to design their network and locate nect with professionals from those and they’re ramping up efforts to focus more e-commerce warehouses.” other companies at on-campus events of that work in the St. Louis region. that combine presentations by industry In one current project, UMSL Well-Trained Workers speakers with networking opportuni- researchers are working with a local non- Another local company that has ben- ties. Some Advisory Board members also profit, Operation Food Search, on a more efitted greatly from supply chain and form mentoring relationships with the efficient way to route trucks that pick up logistics programs at universities in program’s most promising students. food items that are then directed to needy the region is St. Louis-based Sunset In addition, companies seeking sup- residents. “We’re going to do a summer Transportation. “We have a huge labor ply chain and logistics talent benefit from pilot project looking at improving the pool entering the workplace with a UMSL’s strong internship program. One truck routing, which we then hope will strong foundation of supply chain notable example is Unyson Logistics. grow into a larger-scale implementation knowledge,” says Lindsey Graves, vice “We’ve had an unofficial partnership across the entire region,” he says. president, operations at Sunset. with Unyson for 25 years, where we Campbell and a colleague also Sunset Transportation serves cus- feed them interns who then become recently worked with a St. Louis-based tomers throughout the United States employees,” Campbell says. Boeing omnichannel sporting goods retailer with logistics management and freight receives many interns from across the that needed help expanding its ful- audit and payment services. It also entire College of Business. “Even if fillment network. “They had a single offers a suite of cloud-based technology they start in accounting, finance, or warehouse in St. Louis and wanted solutions for functions such as rating,

(636)896-0085 McClain brings visibility to shippers by connecting stakeholders with their mcclainltd.com [email protected] carriers via customized portals and analytics.

84 Inbound Logistics • May 2017 McClain_ad0517.indd 1 5/10/17 11:02 AM routing, tracking and bid management. both locations,” Chew says. “We’ve air, and barge. Thanks to those diverse Although Sunset’s customers belong recruited some of our employees from shipping options, Range’s customers to a broad range of industries, the those programs.” located close to the 3PL’s headquarters company does a great deal of work for A non-asset-based third-party logis- gain even greater efficiencies than the mid-market food and animal feed busi- tics company, Range Logistics provides company can offer in other parts of the nesses. In addition, it manages a lot of a single point of contact for managing country. “Being in St. Louis increases our industrial material and manufacturing transportation throughout North America ability to optimize the modes,” he says. freight, including shipments requiring and around the world, by any mode. Low rates of traffic congestion in the specialized equipment. “We have the ability to courier a St. Louis region compound that advan- Top-quality service is a particular con- package locally—same day, five miles tage. “When measured against 25 other cern for those customers. The stream of down the road, with a guy on a bicy- metropolitan areas in the United States, qualified candidates graduating from cle,” Chew says. “On the flip side, we’re St. Louis is consistently near the bottom logistics and supply chain programs in able to coordinate ocean containers, for in terms of congestion,” Chew says. the region offers a particular advantage example, to the Department of Defense Between the free-flowing traffic and to high-service freight. military bases in Guam and Japan.” central location, shippers in and around “There’s talent with passion for our While Range Logistics does a lot of St. Louis gain a speed to market that industry, which makes it easier for us to work with shippers in the food and bev- provides a significant edge in today’s hire, develop, and keep good people,” erage and consumer products industries, commercial environment. “Everybody Graves says. “Passion for our business it serves a wide range of companies. is moving more toward ‘I need that prod- and our customers sets us apart and “One large client makes plastic bot- uct yesterday,’” Chew says. “The ability to helps us continue to improve and grow.” tles in which other companies put put your warehouse or distribution center products such as peanut butter and may- in a region that has extremely low con- Growing Job Market onnaise,” Chew says. “We ship those gestion, so your products can move with Shippers that locate in the St. Louis finished plastic bottles to distribution ease, and where you have a large number region enjoy a similar advantage when centers across the United States.” of consumers within a day’s travel, is big.” they hire for internal logistics and sup- Aside from its workforce, the St. In fact, everything about the logistics ply chain positions. “Not only do they Louis region offers several other advan- opportunities in the St. Louis region is gain access to a deep pool of talent, tages, Chew says. One is unparalleled big—and with all the new initiatives in but the lower cost of living in the area access to multimodal shipping options, progress, those advantages will only con- makes for a growing job market,” Graves includingPID.2017094 transportation UMSL INBOUND by highway, LOGISTICS rail, ADtinue [REVISED to expand. THIS ONE]_Layout 1 5/4/17 4:40 PM says. “We have a lot of trouble hiring for our Chicago office, in comparison.” Amazon’s decision to locate its two facilities in Edwardsville further dem- onstrates the region’s attraction. “They have the strategic resources to know where the next generation of distribution will set up shop,” Graves notes. “It speaks volumes for doing business in the SupplyChain St. Louis region.” Nathan Chew, president of St. Louis- & Analytics based Range Logistics, also sings the praises of the logistics and supply chain Best Connections to St. Louis Business programs at the region’s institutions of • Supply Chain Management higher learning, particularly St. Louis • Logistics & Operations University and Washington University. “I graduated from St. Louis University • Business Analytics years ago, and I couldn’t have told you what logistics meant if you’d asked me back then,” he says. Now that school and BSBA | MBA | PhD Washington University both run widely acclaimed programs in that discipline. University of Missouri–St. Louis | www.umsl.edu/supplychain “We’ve attended job fairs at

May 2017 • Inbound Logistics 85

UoM-SL_ad0517.indd 1 5/10/17 2:58 PM St. Louis

America’s Central Port • www.americascentralport.com America’s Central Port is at the center of the U.S. multi-modal freight transportation system. It offers direct access to all three major transportation modes–rail, river and road. America’s Central Port offers over 1.7 million square feet of rail-served warehouse space in Granite City, IL, just minutes north of downtown St. Louis.

Cass Information Systems • www.cassinfo.com Cass is the nation’s oldest and largest provider of freight bill payment, audit, and rating services. We offer a wide array of services for processing and paying freight bills, as well as our industry-leading Internet reporting service, CassPort. In business since 1906, and providing freight payment services since 1956, Cass continues to offer stability, security, and expertise in the freight audit, payment, and information market.

McClain & Associates Ltd • www.mcclainltd.com McClain & Associates is a non-asset-based truckload, less-than-truckload, and intermodal logistics company offering customizable logistics technology built on the Force.com platform. Its financial sustainability and many years of combined employee experience allows McClain to partner with best-in-class carriers to foster lasting relationships that, in turn, benefit our clients’ bottom line.

MidAmerica St. Louis Airport • www.flymidamerica.com Newest cargo airport in the Midwest. Located at the intersection of U.S. Interstates 70, 55, 64 and 44, near the Mississippi River and accessible to rail, the airport is an ideal intermodal location. MidAmerica features a 50,000-square-foot passenger terminal; 50,000-square-foot cargo building; 8,000- and 10,000-foot runways that are dual ILS approach capable. Visit www.flymidamerica.com for more information.

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Range Logistics • www.rangelogistics.com Range Logistics is a leader in third-party logistics and supply chain consultation. With over 27 years combined experience, and more than 400,000 individual shipments coordinated, Range combines experience, technology and the rigorous training of our people (RangeWay™). This combination allows for a low claims-to- load ratio, while at the same time maintaining a high on-time pickup and delivery percentage.

St. Louis Regional Freightway • www.thefreightway.com Established as the St. Louis region’s go-to source for coordinating freight activity, the St. Louis Regional Freightway provides site selection and other assistance to manufacturing, logistics, and multimodal transportation companies and their service providers. As a business enterprise of Bi-State Development, the Freightway plays a critical role in the growth of the region’s manufacturing and distribution sector within the City of St. Louis and seven adjacent counties in Missouri and Illinois. The St. Louis Regional Freightway offers a unique combination of competitive advantages unavailable anywhere else in the country.

Sunset Transportation • www.sunsettrans.com Through our diversity of services and technology to our transparent and customer- focused culture, Sunset Transportation is positioned as a dominant logistics management partner for mid-market and large businesses. Sunset’s flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit makes us The Right Size 3PL for your growing business–large enough to provide professional, multi-modal solutions while remaining agile and committed to our roots with personalized service.

University of Missouri-St. Louis www.umsl.edu/divisions/business/ms.com Looking for a career in supply chain management and logistics? Look no further than the Logistics and Operations Management Area at University of Missouri- St. Louis. This area of study covers a wide range of topics including logistics, production and service operations management, business analytics, management science, operations research, supply chain management, lean production, quality, forecasting, and statistics. Get started by visiting the website.

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