The Tennessee Valley Delivers for Distribution

The seven-state Tennessee Valley region offers all the right elements for successful distribution operations: a great transportation infrastructure, an ample workforce, a thriving business climate, and reasonable operating costs. Here are some of the reasons why major companies have set up distribution centers in the Valley:

• A central location within a day’s drive of 75 percent of the U.S. population and easy access to the 100 million residents of the South, the world’s third-largest economy.

• Eleven interstate highways and more than 5,800 trucking and warehousing firms serving the region.

• Eight major railway companies and more than 20 short-line railroads.

• An inland waterway system with 800 commercially navigable miles connecting to 18 deep-water ports.

• Over 10 barge lines shipping 50 million tons of goods on the river every year through about 30 public-use and 150 private-use terminals.

• Fifteen commercial airports and multiple options for air freight, including the world’s busiest cargo airport, Memphis International, and the headquarters of FedEx.

• A population of 8.6 million people, with over 178,000 employed in transportation and distribution.

Notable companies with distribution facilities in the Tennessee Valley (partial listing)

• American Honda • AmeriCold Logistics • Borders • Bridgestone/Firestone • ConAgra • CVS • FedEx • Federated Department Stores • The Gap • General Electric • General Mills • Hewlett-Packard • Home Shopping Network • Ingram Micro • John Deere • Kroger • Mazda North America • Nike • Pfizer Inc. • Sysco • Technicolor Home Entertainment • U.S. Cold Storage • UPS • Wal-Mart • Williams-Sonoma • Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

TVA has a strong record of success in supporting distribution operations with site selection, technical support, economic research, financial incentives, and expertise in energy use and industrial process improvement.

For more information, contact TVA’s distribution industry specialist:

Tim Tidwell
Phone: 865-673-2289
Fax: 865-673-2210
Cell: 865-310-7675
ttidwell@tva.com

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