Expansion to MidAmerica opens the Asian trade lane North Bay believes is integral to its future growth
MASCOUTAH, ILL., June 18, 2012… On Thursday, June 14, North Bay Produce, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its $5.7 million, 36,448-square-foot refrigerated, perishable warehouse at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, where company representatives received a warm welcome as the new anchor tenant for the airport’s international trade route linking the Americas with Asia. For North Bay, an international, grower-owned, year-round, fresh produce marketing and distribution cooperative, headquartered in Traverse City, Mich., the company’s expansion to MidAmerica Airport is a key step in its plans to open the Asian trade lane that is integral to the company’s future growth.
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North Bay specializes in the year-round production and marketing of fresh apples, asparagus, blackberries, blueberries, pomegranates, raspberries, snow and sugar snap peas, currently selling its products to customers located in the United States, Canada, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe. The company’s 25 stockholders are located in the United States, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay, and its multi-year search for an additional central United States location with great logistics ingredients led North Bay to MidAmerica Airport.
“With this new state-of-the-art facility, the international reach this site brings to the business model, and the opportunity to be in this great Midwest area, I know we found in MidAmerica Airport the best new home for our expansion,” noted Mark Girardin, president of North Bay Produce. “This new location will allow our quality product to maintain the freshest, quickest-to-market character at a great value, and we’re excited to get our operations here up and running.”
St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern said, “Illinois and St. Clair County are truly enhanced by North Bay’s decision to locate at MidAmerica, and we welcome them as the anchor tenant for our international cargo operations. A large portion of the product they will handle at MidAmerica flies, and we look forward to hosting their worldwide air activity and supporting their operations here as they grow their company.”
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, who was on hand for the grand opening, noted “North Bay’s decision to locate its global distribution facility at Mid America Airport reinforces the Metro East’s role as a key transportation hub to the world. Our goal is to make Illinois the inland port of the nation, and we remain committed to ensuring the Metro East plays a vital role in achieving that goal.”
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North Bay Produce/MidAmerica Agreement
First and Final Add
A total of 326 concrete trucks and three months of concrete construction work went into the creation of the refrigerated warehouse, which is made of insulated concrete tilt-up panels. Impact Strategies of Fairview Heights, Ill., was the general contractor for the project. The facility includes a building management system that enables its operators to separately control the temperature and humidity in eight different zones, meaning the various temperature and humidity needs of the range of products in the warehouse can be optimally managed. When fully operational the new warehouse facility is expected to employ approximately 80 individuals.
At any given time, the refrigerated facility can hold 1,317,600 pounds of product, which arrives from all over the world by air or surface year round. North Bay Produce expects to begin moving product through the warehouse as early as the end of this month, as existing shipments that they move by truck take advantage of the logistical advantages offered by this new location. Negotiations also are being finalized for North Bay to begin welcoming air cargo flights from a number of continents to the facility by the fourth quarter of 2012.
The new warehouse is a result of the 2011 partnership agreement between North Bay and St. Clair County’s Public Building Commission, which operates MidAmerica St. Louis Airport on behalf of St. Clair County. That agreement called for St. Clair County to commit the refrigeration equipment it already owned and $2.15 million to the facility. At the end of the 15-year initial lease, the $5.7 million building will be entirely owned by the airport. The lease includes two (2) four-year extensions.
About MidAmerica St. Louis Airport
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About North Bay Produce, Inc.
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North Bay Produce, Inc. is an international, grower-owned, year-round, fresh produce marketing and distribution cooperative, headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan. The company’s twenty five stockholders are located The United States, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. HISTORY: Wilderness Fresh Produce was established in 1984 as a division of Cherry Central Cooperative, Inc. to market fresh Michigan apples, asparagus and prune plums for several of its members. In order to meet growing retail demand for year-round fresh produce, the company began importing product from Latin America in 1986 to expand its existing supply base. Due to the success of these programs, Wilderness and its Latin American partners formed North Bay Produce, Inc. in 1991. For more information, visit www.northbayproduce.com |
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