BPG Properties (BPG), a private equity real estate fund manager, plans to develop a 975,000-square foot global warehouse-distribution centre in Leland Industrial Park, about 10 miles from the North Carolina port of Wilmington.
The project, named The North Carolina Port Industrial Facility, will be the only new, large, institutional grade facility available to support the Port of Wilmington’s growing container volumes from Asia.
The port is currently undergoing a major container terminal expansion programme. Already in place are four new Post-Panamax container cranes, powerful new container-handling equipment, and a 42-foot navigation channel.
These improvements have helped attract a second CKYH Alliance container shipping service from north China that has joined the existing South China-Asia service.
In addition to its close proximity to the port, the facility's 75-acre site is bordered by an industrial rail line, and has convenient links with the national road and rail network.
The proposed distribution centre will have highly efficient cross-dock capabilities. Once completed, the distribution it will bring hundreds of jobs to the community of Brunswick County and tens of thousands of new ocean containers over the docks of the Port of Wilmington.
"The proposed site will be the first modern, Class A global distribution centre located in and around the port of Wilmington,” said Dan DiLella, vice-president of BPG.
“The Port of Wilmington is the ideal location for this type of facility due to the state’s growing population, great highway network and its central location between the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.”
Over the past few years, east coast ports have seen growth in container volumes as west coast gateways have become congested and costly. As a result, land available for development in close proximity to other east coast container ports has become scarce.
DiLella added: “Industrial users, particularly big box retailers, want their distribution centres to be located as close to a port as possible to avoid high transportation costs and to improve distribution. Finding available space within 10 miles of other east coast ports has become increasingly more difficult.
“BPG is encouraged by the double-digit annual growth rate in container volumes of Wilmington. The North Carolina Port Industrial Facility should present an excellent opportunity for end-users looking to improve their global supply chain and logistics model.”
Jimmy Yokeley, director of distribution services at the NC State Ports Authority, has worked closely with BPG to bring this project to market.
“The proposed Wilmington facility by BPG has tremendous growth and container volume capacity, which helps importers to significantly reduce the landed cost of goods and eliminate days in their global supply chain and distribution operations,” he said.
“Importers and major retailers have demonstrated an increasing need for port diversification, which allows them to get their products to their customers efficiently, quickly and easily.”
Brunswick County officials have been working closely with the NC State Ports Authority and BPG to make the project a success.
“The proposed facility will bring hundreds of jobs and provide a steady tax base to the citizens of Brunswick County,” said Jim Bradshaw, executive director of Economic Development, Brunswick County.
“In the long term, we believe the facility will encourage other port related industries to relocate to Brunswick County and help fuel our local and global economy.”
BPG Properties has engaged CBRE’s Raleigh, NC, office to be the exclusive listing agent for the project.
The project, named The North Carolina Port Industrial Facility, will be the only new, large, institutional grade facility available to support the Port of Wilmington’s growing container volumes from Asia.
The port is currently undergoing a major container terminal expansion programme. Already in place are four new Post-Panamax container cranes, powerful new container-handling equipment, and a 42-foot navigation channel.
These improvements have helped attract a second CKYH Alliance container shipping service from north China that has joined the existing South China-Asia service.
In addition to its close proximity to the port, the facility's 75-acre site is bordered by an industrial rail line, and has convenient links with the national road and rail network.
The proposed distribution centre will have highly efficient cross-dock capabilities. Once completed, the distribution it will bring hundreds of jobs to the community of Brunswick County and tens of thousands of new ocean containers over the docks of the Port of Wilmington.
"The proposed site will be the first modern, Class A global distribution centre located in and around the port of Wilmington,” said Dan DiLella, vice-president of BPG.
“The Port of Wilmington is the ideal location for this type of facility due to the state’s growing population, great highway network and its central location between the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.”
Over the past few years, east coast ports have seen growth in container volumes as west coast gateways have become congested and costly. As a result, land available for development in close proximity to other east coast container ports has become scarce.
DiLella added: “Industrial users, particularly big box retailers, want their distribution centres to be located as close to a port as possible to avoid high transportation costs and to improve distribution. Finding available space within 10 miles of other east coast ports has become increasingly more difficult.
“BPG is encouraged by the double-digit annual growth rate in container volumes of Wilmington. The North Carolina Port Industrial Facility should present an excellent opportunity for end-users looking to improve their global supply chain and logistics model.”
Jimmy Yokeley, director of distribution services at the NC State Ports Authority, has worked closely with BPG to bring this project to market.
“The proposed Wilmington facility by BPG has tremendous growth and container volume capacity, which helps importers to significantly reduce the landed cost of goods and eliminate days in their global supply chain and distribution operations,” he said.
“Importers and major retailers have demonstrated an increasing need for port diversification, which allows them to get their products to their customers efficiently, quickly and easily.”
Brunswick County officials have been working closely with the NC State Ports Authority and BPG to make the project a success.
“The proposed facility will bring hundreds of jobs and provide a steady tax base to the citizens of Brunswick County,” said Jim Bradshaw, executive director of Economic Development, Brunswick County.
“In the long term, we believe the facility will encourage other port related industries to relocate to Brunswick County and help fuel our local and global economy.”
BPG Properties has engaged CBRE’s Raleigh, NC, office to be the exclusive listing agent for the project.