Indiana-based ProTrans, a third-party logistics provider that has a presence in the Upstate for about 8 years, officially opened its new 230,000-square-foot facility in Spartanburg County.
Upstate leaders welcomed a new logistics operation to the region on Thursday, Feb. 22.
Indiana-based ProTrans, a third-party logistics provider that has had a presence in the area for about 8 years, officially opened its new 230,000-square-foot facility in Spartanburg County.
The facility is on 20 acres at 410 Global Commerce Drive at the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport International Logistics Park next door to the South Carolina Ports Authority’s Inland Port Greer.
“There is no question that ProTrans is here to stay,” said Gary Cardenas, president of ProTrans, during a ceremony. “We are cementing our roots here. We want to continue to grow. We want to continue to create jobs and make a difference in the community.”
ProTrans’ new facility was developed by Illinois-based CenterPoint Properties.
CenterPoint developed the inland port and an adjacent export facility of more than 416,000 square feet for BMW Manufacturing Co. A nearly 300,000-square-foot addition to BMW’s operation is currently under construction.
Project officials said ProTrans will initially service BMW, but Cardenas said the new facility will aid his company’s efforts to “diversify” its customer base.
Michael Murphy, chief development officer for CenterPoint, praised ProTrans, local leaders, and others involved in the project, including Greenville-based Evans General Contractors, Cornerstone Architects, the engineering firm Kimley-Horn, and Spartanburg-based Clary Hood Inc.
Greer Mayor Rick Danner recalled when officials cut the ribbon for the inland port in 2013.
“At that ribbon-cutting, I said ‘This facility and the surrounding development will make Greer the premier location for logistics and distribution on the East Coast of the United States,’” Danner said. “I’m not that good at predicting football games or horse races, so I can’t help you in that regard. But we are already seeing the fruits of what that investment in that location is doing for logistics and distribution in this area.”
“It is amazing the amount of growth that we have seen in the last five years from suppliers across the U.S. and international[ly] as they find our area and this location,” Danner added.
Carter Smith, executive vice president of Spartanburg County’s Economic Futures Group, said ProTrans’ new facility is another sign that the inland port is helping the Upstate capitalize on several modes of transportation, including rail, truck, and air.
“This all speaks to how you move product in and out,” Smith said. “The efficient use of various forms of intermodal transportation is good here. We continue to see growth.”
Cardenas said the facility has created about 60 jobs so far and the company is still hiring. He asked job seekers to visit the company’s website.