A delegation of Georgia state, county and municipal representatives joined officials from OmniTRAX, The Broe Group and A&R Logistics, Inc. to mark the historic opening of Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub (SGIH) – Georgia’s first dual-served industrial park of the modern era – and commencement of construction on lead-tenant A&R Logistics’ global export operation. OmniTRAX is the master developer of the 2,700-acre industrial park owned by Effingham County Industrial Development Authority (ECIDA).

“This is an exciting day for the region and for us all. A&R’s state-of-the-art export operation is the ideal anchor-tenant to demonstrate Savannah Gateway’s world-class operational efficiency and premier eastern seaboard location,” said OmniTRAX CEO Kevin Shuba. “Today’s groundbreaking is a result of strong collaboration between A&R, the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, Georgia Ports Authority, the state of Georgia and OmniTRAX. We are thankful for the tireless commitment invested by so many to make this achievement possible and are excited to bring other tenants and owners to SGIH.”

A&R’s 12-year lease secures approximately 610,000 SF of the park’s build-to-suit project with an option to expand to one million square feet. In addition to the A&R facility, OmniTRAX will construct more than seven miles of park-serving rail infrastructure, a multi-customer centrally located OmniTRAX rail yard and a 200+ car dedicated rail yard for A&R. This rail infrastructure will connect SGIH tenants to the only Class 1 railroads serving the southeastern United States – CSX and Norfolk Southern. Completion of the project construction and building development is forecasted for the fourth quarter of 2020.

A&R Logistics’ SGIH facility will house best-in-class equipment to support its supply chain operations that serve leading plastics producers worldwide. A&R’s global export operations will include receipt of inbound materials, packaging and outbound shipment to international destinations.

“The southeast Georgia market is very attractive for our export business because of the infrastructure, access to great team members and an overall low cost of operation. With our Savannah export facility, A&R will continue to be a leader in reliability and customer service to some of the biggest chemical companies in the world. We are looking forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship with both the community and the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub,” said A&R Logistics President and CEO Mark Holden.

Regional leaders, on hand for the groundbreaking, echo Holden’s enthusiasm for the project and the region.

“The opening of the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub marks a new chapter for economic development in our state, and we are thrilled that a great company like A&R Logistics will be its first tenant,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Georgia’s expansive logistics network puts global and domestic markets within arm’s reach for manufacturers, processors and logistics companies operating in our state. As we continue to build on our success, I am confident that these two entities will help us attract business to this region and maintain our status as the No. 1 State for Business in the years to come.”

With the nation’s largest single container terminal located 12 miles away in Savannah, SGIH’s development is also the gateway to economic and industry growth. The Port of Savannah consistently attracts the largest ships with the largest number of sailings and first stop advantages.

“Working with the teams at OmniTRAX, A&R, the state of Georgia and ECIDA has been a rewarding experience for all involved and will be a huge benefit in terms of jobs and economic growth for the communities of southeast Georgia. We’re already planning for several more companies to join A&R at SGIH and to utilize the performance-boosting capabilities of the Port of Savannah,” said Griff Lynch, Executive Director of Georgia Ports Authority.

“As we break ground today, SGIH continues to attract strong tenant interest and we are engaged in active conversations with multiple prospects,” said Broe Real Estate Group Executive Vice President Reagan Shanley. “Savannah’s supply chain advantages are resonating with prospects and the park’s long-term potential is clear.”