ATLANTA – The opening of a fifth runway at Hartsfield-Jackson International, the world’s busiest airport, enhances Atlanta’s position as a global logistics gateway and top passenger hub.
“Atlanta is already the business and distribution center of the Southeast,” said Sam A. Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. “Our state’s tightly woven network of air, ports, rail and roads -- converging in Atlanta -- rivals competitors worldwide. The addition of this fifth runway makes Atlanta an even stronger logistics leader, and allows us to step on the gas to grow global commerce and jobs.”
Core logistics assets in Atlanta and Georgia include:
- air – Before the opening of the $1.25 billion fifth runway, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport ranked 10th in U.S. air-cargo traffic. Atlanta expects to continue double-digit growth in international air cargo with this recent expansion.
- sea -- The fastest-growing and sixth-largest container port in the United States, the Port of Savannah opened an eighth berth in May -- a $109 million investment.
- ground – Atlanta is one of only five U.S. cities served by three major interstate highways. More than 80 percent of the nation’s commercial and consumer markets can be reached within two truckload delivery days of Atlanta. The state as a whole ranks sixth in the nation for ground freight movement.
- rail – There are 4,900 miles of rail in Georgia, ranking the state sixth in the nation in rail intermodal origin-and-destination traffic.
- intellectual capital – Atlanta is home to the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Logistics Institute and its School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Many cities can claim to be a logistics hub. Few can claim to be a center for logistics innovation. Atlanta continues to be a source for logistics talent and innovation that helps us attract and grow companies.
Atlanta has the fifth-largest concentration of logistics companies and employment in the country, with more than 103,000 jobs. In fact, Atlanta is home to nearly 90 percent of the top 25 third-party logistics service providers.
Williams said a willingness to invest in transportation infrastructure makes Atlanta an attractive headquarters location for companies that rely on seamless logistics, such as Delta Air Lines, Manhattan Associates, UPS and Cathay Pacific.
“Atlanta is No. 3 in the nation for the number of Fortune 500 headquarters located here – and our logistics capabilities are a top reason why,” Williams added. “The Southeast is the fastest-growing region in the country, and Atlanta is at the center of it. Continued investment in our transportation infrastructure ensures that we’ll be able to grow with the marketplace -- bringing in more passengers, more cargo and more air carriers so our businesses can thrive.”
###
The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (MACOC) -- with our 4,000 member companies that collectively employ more than 700,000 workers -- is a catalyst for a vibrant metro region. The Metro Atlanta Chamber focuses on the issues that matter most to the business community: improving quality of life, promoting economic growth and making Atlanta a brand name that means opportunity.
< Back
|
