Agile Cold Storage Chooses Louisiana for $45.9M Facility
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With a bundle of state financial incentives, Georgia-based Agile Cold Storage is building a site next to a historic Louisiana brick-making facility with plans to ship 100 containers weekly of food products from its new Pearl River facility to the Port of New Orleans for overseas markets.
Agile Cold Storage, a diversified storage and logistics services company serving North American food manufacturers, processors and growers, announced it will invest $45.9 million to construct a 150,000-square-foot automated cold storage facility in St. Tammany Parish.
“This project is a win for the North Shore, the state economy and the workers of Louisiana,” said Susan Bonnett Bourgeois, secretary of the state economic development office. “Agile Cold Storage’s investment in St. Tammany Parish demonstrates the unique logistical advantages Louisiana has to offer businesses that keep America’s supply chains flowing smoothly.”
Chris Masingill, CEO of the economic development organization St. Tammany Corp., said he looked forward to continuing to support the company’s business there.
Masingill
“The future home of Agile Cold Storage in Pearl River, near the nexus of interstates 10, 12 and 59, is an ideal site for this project and further reinforces our message that St. Tammany is the best-positioned location in the Gulf South for significant logistics and distribution economic development projects,” Masingill noted.
Headquartered in Gainesville, Agile Cold Storage helps food producers prepare fresh food to be transported by blast-freezing and packing it for final-destination shipments. The company offers customized cold storage services through automated, multitemperature, and conventional warehousing and logistics support.
“From the bayous to the bustling cities, our new warehouse in Louisiana is not just bricks and steel; it’s a testament to our growth and dedication to serving this incredible community with efficiency and pride,” said company president and CEO Don Schoenl.
Schoenl
The venture is expected to create 100 direct jobs that pay an average annual salary of $53,000. Louisiana Economic Development has determined the project also is likely to result in 95 indirect new jobs in the state’s Southeast region.
After a land sale, the new facility will be built on 10 acres near St. Joe’s Brick Works, where a 132-year-old family-owned brick-making company is located. Operations are slated to begin by the first quarter of next year.
Louisiana offered Agile a competitive incentives package, including comprehensive workforce development solutions through its LED FastStart program to attract and train employees. The company also was offered a $1.5 million performance-based grant to reimburse it for funds spent on site improvements, with payments tied to board approval as well as the company’s ability to fulfill investment and payroll targets.
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Another state inducement is enabling Agile Cold Storage to participate in Louisiana’s Quality Jobs program, which provides a cash rebate to companies creating well-paid jobs and promoting the state’s economic development. Qualified companies can receive up to a 6% rebate on annual payroll expenses for up to 10 years and either a state sales/use tax rebate on capital expense or a 1.5% project facility expense rebate for qualifying expenses.
“Agile Cold Storage is exactly the type of business that we welcome in Pearl River — a growing distribution and logistics company with competitive, well-paying jobs,” said Pearl River Mayor Joe Lee. “Their decision to invest in our community and hire locally is a tremendous sign of progress for our town. This is truly a right-fit project for our local economy.”
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Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., said the company’s decision to establish operations is evidence of the region’s competitive incentive offerings, strategic location and robust infrastructure. GNO is a nonprofit economic development firm serving 10 parishes (including St. Tammany) southeast of New Orleans.
“These operations will help bolster St. Tammany Parish’s position as a key player in the global logistics industry,” Hecht said. “Moreover, the new facility introduces highly sought-after cold storage to support the region’s growing food manufacturing industry.”
