NEW CASTLE – Saia, a Georgia-based trucking company, recently opened its first terminal in Delaware, another sign of the foothold that distribution and logistics is making in the state. The […]
[caption id="attachment_210723" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]Saia, a national trucking company, recently opened its first Delaware terminal amid a boom in distribution space here. | PHOTO COURTESY OF SAIA[/caption]
NEW CASTLE – Saia, a Georgia-based trucking company, recently opened its first terminal in Delaware, another sign of the foothold that distribution and logistics is making in the state.The publicly traded company pronounced “sigh-uh” took over the former FedEx Freight terminal on Lambson Lane near the Delaware Memorial Bridge in late March.Saia reportedly added “several new employees,” including drivers, dockworkers, office members, sales reps, and management personnel. The company did not respond to several requests for information regarding the number of jobs it may be creating in the state, but it is actively hiring for short- and long-distance drivers.The $6 billion company employs more than 10,500 people at 170 terminals and offices in 42 states, as well as Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico.
[caption id="attachment_210722" align="alignright" width="300"]Saia's New Castle terminal is near Interstate 295 and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. | DBT PHOTO BY MIKE ROCHELEAU[/caption]
Saia’s expansion into the Northeast began in 2017 and has been part of a multi-year plan to offer service to existing and new customers. It’s opened 19 terminals in Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont in the past four years as part of a $275 million expansion investment nationwide.“The new facility in Wilmington enhances our service across this geography as well as throughout our network,” Saia Vice President of Eastern Operations Jared Mull said in a statement announcing the opening of the site. “Beyond this new terminal, we plan to open an additional four to six facilities throughout the course of this year, including our Northeast Atlanta terminal targeted for the fourth quarter.”Saia is a less-than-load, or LTL, carrier, meaning that it serves companies that don’t need to move full truckloads of product. It picks up smaller shipments from clients and brings them to terminals where they are combined with other orders and shipped in bulk to their destination.“Despite the challenges that 2020 presented, we are continuing to execute our plans to grow and provide quality, industry-leading service for our customers,” Mull added. “Our success is due to the dedication of our operations and sales teams as well as the excitement of our customers who have been very positive, showing tremendous support, about our expanding footprint.”As distribution centers, often driven by the growth of e-commerce giant Amazon, grow in Delaware, trucking will become a needed accessory industry. A recent brokerage report noted that more industrial and distribution space is under construction in Delaware than in the last 20 years combined.Update: Saia purchased the truck terminal on July 12 for $5 million, according to New Castle County land records.