NORTH CHARLESTON, SC - June 12, 2019 - Today South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) officials celebrated the expansion of the Frontier Logistics local operations, with the groundbreaking of an approximately 550,000 square-foot warehousing facility, which will support the handling of plastic and resin exports from the Port of Charleston.
"Frontier plays an integral role in the handling of SCPA's plastics and resin business," said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. "Charleston is the emerging pivot point for both export and import U.S. resin, and the Frontier Logistics expansion is a key component of the Port?s planned above-market volume growth."
With the Ports synthetic resin exports growing by 55 percent since 2011, demand for facilities has increased. Frontier's groundbreaking on 26 acres at the former Navy base will be a significant advantage for continued growth.
"This is an exciting day for Frontier Logistics as we celebrate the groundbreaking of our new facility," said George Cook, Frontier Logistics CEO. "It took the collective efforts of many to get this project to where it is today. We look forward to being positive stewards in the Charleston community, and to support the growing cargo needs for the Ports Authority."
Local entities and groups involved in the collective effort to make this facility a reality include the SCPA, Palmetto Railways, the City of North Charleston and community groups that include the Chicora-Cherokee Neighborhood Association; the South Carolina non-profit corporation Metanoia; the Reynolds Avenue Area Merchants Association; and the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities.
"Palmetto Railways is proud to have partnered with the Department of Commerce, the South Carolina Ports Authority, the City of North Charleston and Charleston County to bring a leader in the plastics and resin warehousing and distribution industry to North Charleston," said Jeffrey McWhorter, Palmetto Railways president and CEO. "Frontier Logistics will be a tremendous asset to both our port and to our community."
The new site will be rail-served by Palmetto Railways, which will connect it to Norfolk Southern and CSX routes.
Established in 1997, Frontier Logistics has operations in South Carolina and Texas.
Click here for a rendering of the facility.
About South Carolina Ports Authority
South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), established by the state's General Assembly in 1942, owns and operates public seaport and intermodal facilities in Charleston, Dillon, Georgetown and Greer. As an economic development engine for the state, Port operations facilitate 187,200 statewide jobs and generate nearly $53 billion annual economic activity. SCPA is soon to be home to the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast at 52 feet, and the Port is an industry leader in delivering speed-to-market, seamless processes and flexibility to ensure reliable operations, big ship handling, efficient market reach and environmental responsibility. For more information on SCPA, please visit www.scspa.com.