Businesses relocating to new facilities in Mobile, Alabama, are aiding in the state's economic comeback, according to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey.
Two national businesses, DC Safety and Averitt Express, are moving to the South Alabama Logistics Park in Mobile County, Alabama, at 6625 Theodore Dawes Road. The development of SALP was recognized as the commercial development of the year in Mobile, Alabama, as part of the 2023 CoStar Impact Awards.
“Days like today prove why Alabama’s economic comeback is leading states around the country and why the Mobile area is a major catalyst for the entire state,” Ivey said. “Companies like DC Safety and Averitt and places like the South Alabama Logistics Park are making this success possible. I’m confident that more and more companies from across the country and the world are learning that Alabamians are as good as they come and that our state is the best place to do business."
SALP, which is owned by Burton Property Group, was built in 2022 on a 1,000-acre lot and has 1 million square feet, offering immediate access to Interstate 10 as well as a connection to Interstate 65. The new facility is 2.4 miles from the container terminal at the newly expanded Port of Mobile and is 10 miles from the Mobile Regional Airport and Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, according to CoStar data.
DC Safety is a New York-based automotive equipment manufacturer and distributor of first aid and preparedness accessories for the auto industry. It will bring 51 new jobs and a $33.5 million investment to South Alabama.
“Mobile is unique in combining a very supportive business climate with a wonderful quality of life for workers and their families,” said Peter Murphy, president and CEO of DC Safety. “This location places us closer to our customers and allows us to take advantage of all the resources here with respect to port, road, and rail logistics. We’re eager to commence operations.”
Averitt Express is a Cookeville, Tennessee-based provider of freight transportation and supply-chain management services. Averitt's expansion at SALP will bring 32 new jobs and a total capital investment of $23 million to Mobile.
“Averitt is proud to have been operating in Mobile since 1988. We’re humbled by the trust Mobile has placed in us and the growth we’ve experienced over the past 34 years. We believe relocating to the South Alabama Logistics Park will fuel our growth in Mobile for decades to come. The future of Averitt in Mobile is bright,” said Barry Blakely, chief operating officer of Averitt Express.
SALP is expected to be a major contributor to the area's economic growth, and has the potential to bring 5,000 new jobs to the area by the end of the decade.
About the Project: With 1,300 acres for development, and 6 million square feet planned in Phase I, the South Alabama Logistics Park is the largest master-planned industrial park in the Southeast. Owned by the Burton Property Group, the development is creating new warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing space at an intermodal access point for shipping, rail, truck and air freight.
What the Judges Said: "The size and scale of the development is impressive, as is access with close proximity to I-10. Additionally, it is also impressive that they not only secured a significant deal, but that they enticed a company to relocate its HQ/OPS to the site." — Reid Cummings, associate professor of finance and real estate at University of South Alabama.
"This development has had a tremendous impact on South Alabama and is well needed based on the increased activity at the Alabama State Docks." — John Vallas, president of Vallas Realty.
They Made It Happen: Philip Burton, President and CEO, Burton Property Group, one of the largest real estate development firms in South Alabama.