Two National Companies Announce Move to the South Alabama Logistics Park

MOBILE, Ala. – Governor Kay Ivey announced that two national businesses are the first to relocate to the South Alabama Logistics Park (SALP) in Mobile County, Alabama.

“Days like today prove why Alabama’s economic comeback is leading states around the country and why the Mobile area is a major catalyst for the entire state,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. “Companies like DC Safety and Averitt and places like the South Alabama Logistics Park that are making this success possible. I’m confident that more and more companies from across the country and the world are learning that Alabamians are as good as they come and that our state is the best place to do business.”

• DC Safety is relocating its headquarters and operations to the South Alabama Logistics Park with 51 new jobs and a $33.5 million investment.

• Averitt Express is expanding its Mobile operations and moving to the South Alabama Logistics Park with 32 new jobs and a $23 million capital investment.

DC Safety, founded in 1975, is the nation’s leading manufacturer and distributor of first aid and preparedness accessories for the automotive industry. They are relocating their headquarters from Long Island, New York, bringing 51 new jobs and a $33.5 million investment to South Alabama.

“Mobile is unique in combining a very supportive business climate with a wonderful quality of life for workers and their families,” said Peter Murphy, president and CEO of DC Safety. “This location places us closer to our customers and allows us to take advantage of all the resources here with respect to port, road and rail logistics. We’re eager to commence operations.”

Tennessee-based Averitt Express was established in 1971 and has had operations in Mobile since 1988. Averitt Express is a leading provider of freight transportation and supply chain management solutions with an international reach of 100+ countries. Their expansion at SALP creates 32 new jobs, allows them to retain 47 existing jobs and represents a $23 million capital investment.

“Averitt is proud to have been operating in Mobile since 1988. We’re humbled by the trust Mobile has placed in us and the growth we’ve experienced over the past 34 years. While we’re proud of our past, we’re even more excited about the future. We believe relocating to the South Alabama Logistics Park will fuel our growth in Mobile for decades to come. The future of Averitt in Mobile is bright,” said Barry Blakely, chief operating officer of Averitt Express.

These two moves are the first major relocations to SALP, a 1300-acre master-planned logistics park located on Interstate 10 in Theodore. With its proximity to the Port of Mobile, the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, and interstate and rail connections, SALP is expected to become a major contributor to economic growth in the area. SALP is the largest similar development along the Gulf Coast with the potential to bring 5000 new jobs to the area by the end of the decade.

“Today’s announcement is a proof of concept for the South Alabama Logistics Park. No other facility in the country can combine this amount of available space for development with the closeness and proximity to our port, road, rail and air connections,” said Philip Burton, president and CEO of Burton Property Group and the developer of SALP. “DC Safety and Averitt moving to SALP is a sign of many exciting days ahead for Mobile and South Alabama.”

“Mobile County is focusing on economic development,” said Mobile County Commissioner Randall Dueitt, “and creating job opportunities is a priority of my administration. With this announcement for the first two companies working towards operations at SALP, I am optimistic more companies will invest in this opportunity and embrace what Mobile County can offer moving forward.”

“From the Port and downtown airport to our rail connectivity and major projects like the South Alabama Logistics Park, the opportunity for logistics growth in Mobile is unparalleled,” said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. “We are excited to welcome DC Safety, Averitt, and their 83 new jobs to Mobile, and we look forward to more growth on the horizon.”

“These announcements are proof that the South Alabama Logistics Park was needed and site development for economic development is vital to future success,” said David Rodgers, vice president of economic development for the Mobile Chamber. “We are looking forward to many more economic development announcements to follow.”

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About the Mobile Chamber
The Mobile Chamber is a private business organization with more than 1,600 members and the economic developer of record for the City of Mobile and Mobile County. Thanks to the support of the Chamber’s Partners for Growth public and private investors, from 2011 to date, Mobile’s economic development efforts have created 6,557 new jobs and retained 502 more. Capital investments topped $4.43 billion, including 31 new businesses recruited and 56 expansion projects at existing area companies. Additional information is on the Chamber’s website, Facebook, Instagram,  LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.