FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Logistics Plus Partners with Erie International Airport and Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority to Activate New FOREIGN TRADE ZONE
The ERI FTZ will provide regional businesses deferred, potentially reduced or eliminated, Customs duties, and reduced door-to-door transportation expenses.
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, October 14, 2015 – Logistics Plus Inc., a worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, announced today that it has added a new and significant cost and time savings option to its portfolio of available client services: the implementation and use of Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) protocols.
Since 1934, and all across America, U.S. Foreign Trade Zones have proven to be enormously successful examples of ‘public-private partnerships’; wherein regionally-focused public agencies support and coordinate their efforts with businesses to foster opportunities to increase job creation, expand capital investment, and expedite economic development by facilitating global trade.
The new general purpose ERI Foreign Trade Zone (ERI FTZ) warehousing and distribution facility is located on Tom Ridge Field at Erie International Airport (ERI); and was accomplished in close cooperation with ERI, and the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority (Port Erie), the Grantee of Foreign Trade Zone #247.
To introduce and celebrate the launch of the activated ERI FTZ, there will be a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3837 West 20th Street (the former Penn-Brass building) in Erie, PA on October, 22nd, at 3:30 pm. Immediately following the ceremony, Logistics Plus will host an informational reception at The Brewerie at Union Station, located directly below its 1406 Peach Street global headquarters. Leaders from regional businesses that already are, or intend to be, actively involved in world trade, are invited to attend.
Port Erie and ERI filed applications and received grants of authority for Foreign Trade Zone status from the U.S. Foreign Trade Zones Board in Washington. Under a contractual agreement with ERI, Logistics Plus filed and secured activated status for the site from Customs & Border Protection (CBP) and will operate FTZ warehousing and distribution facilities on the airport property.
“We’re very excited about this new partnership with Erie International Airport and Port Erie, and the long-term economic development prospects it provides to the Erie area,” said Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus. “Erie International Airport has a great location and facility, while Logistics Plus has the knowledge, experience, equipment, software, and expertise to make this FTZ partnership very successful.”
Thousands of U.S. businesses have discovered that Foreign Trade Zone utilization can prove to be an incredibly effective tool to help develop new markets while systemically increasing profitability from both their existing operations and international trade relationships. CBP has declared FTZs to be the best practice for compliant management of global supply chains, coordinated logistics, and integrated manufacturing operations. FTZs enable importers and exporters to consistently benefit from this CBP-privileged status; offering duty savings, reduced transportation and insurance costs, and the flexibility to do in America, what is too often done off-shore. This includes packaging, kits, labeling, sorting, assembling, processing or manufacturing. If the finished products are exported from an FTZ, the original Customs duties are reduced ($79B in CY 2013).
“I am impressed with how quickly Logistics Plus was able to get this public-use foreign trade zone activated and business-ready,” said Christopher L. Rogers, Executive Director at Erie International Airport. “Combined with our recently extended runway and other economic projects, Erie International Airport has expanded beyond passenger-only transportation – we are also a capable hub for air cargo and global commerce.”
To learn more about the ERI FTZ powered by Logistics Plus, please visit www.logisticsplus.com/ERI-FTZ
About Erie International Airport (ERI)
Erie International Airport, Tom Ridge Field is managed and operated by the Erie Regional Airport Authority. It is served by three major airlines: Delta, United, and American with nonstop flights to three major cities and connections to over 1,100 different destinations. North Coast Air, located on the west side of the airport offers the region’s best in FBO services including fuel and aircraft maintenance. Also located at ERI, the North Coast Flight School is the only FAA fully approved flight training center serving the greater Erie area. The Erie Regional Airport Authority is a Pennsylvania Municipal Corporation established in 1951 under the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Act No. 164, for the purpose of acquiring, holding, constructing, improving, maintaining, and operating, owning, leasing, and providing financing for the airport and all facilities necessary or incident thereto. Learn more at www.erieairport.org
About Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority (Port of Erie)
The Port of Erie is located on the southeast shore of Lake Erie in a natural bay formed and sheltered by Presque Isle, Pennsylvania. Erie´s harbor entrance channel is 29 feet deep. The Port of Erie and O-N Minerals Erie offer cargo shippers on the Great Lakes/Seaway System the finest facilities available. With 85 million people within a 500 mile radius, Port Erie is at the hub of the US and Canadian Industrial Center. Learn more at www.porterie.org
About Logistics Plus (LP)
Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, global logistics, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. Founded in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur Jim Berlin 20 years ago, Logistics Plus has been repeatedly recognized as one of the fastest-growing transportation and logistics companies in the country. With a strong passion for excellence, its 350+ employees put the “Plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Fresno, CA; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Evansville, IN; Detroit, MI; Kansas City, MO; Charlotte, NC; Lexington, NC; Buffalo, NY; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; Greenville, SC; Nashville, TN; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Laredo, TX; Houston, TX; Australia; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Egypt; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Libya; Mexico; Poland; Saudi Arabia; Turkey; UAE; United Kingdom; and additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
Media Contact:
Scott G. Frederick
Vice President, Marketing
Logistics Plus Inc.
(814) 240-6881
scott.frederick@logisticsplus.com
