Inbound-Outbound Logistics Cost Determines Location Decisions

The majority of respondents to Area Development's 24th Annual Corporate Survey said inbound-outbound shipping costs were important to selecting a site. Consider these factors before your next move.

Tim Feemster, Managing Principal, Foremost Quality Logistics
Joseph Tillman, Vice President, Transportation, KS Harvesters

June/July 10

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"Logistics Cost, Labor, and Love"
Your distribution network must be flexible enough to improvise, adapt, and overcome changes in this brave new world of constant flux. Understanding that site selection decisions are based on cost service trade-offs and how those trade-offs affect your overall network flow and total cost, will help you make smarter decisions.

There is no holy grail in site selection. However, careful consideration of the total network cost, energy availability, incentives, and infrastructure needs, along with overall network design, will enhance your search for the right site for your next distribution facility.

"Location, location, location" used to determine the quality of a commercial real estate site. Today the three L's - "logistics cost, labor, and love" - are key factors. Logistics cost and labor are major elements in the total cost of your network. The love comes from local and state communities that must embrace your company's investment in the community. Without a genuine desire for your investment, the local market may make operating your facility difficult, or more expensive if there are no incentives.

Tim Feemster, Managing Principal, Foremost Quality Logistics
Over 35 years of experience have provided Tim Feemster, Managing Partner, Foremost Quality Logistics, with a variety of problem solving situations in real estate, transportation, logistics, and distribution. Feemster is quoted frequently in the industry press and makes over 20 presentations a year to professional organizations. Before starting FQL Logistics, Feemster was a senior manager in three manufacturing companies, a consultant, an executive in two 3PL logistics providers, and a Practice Group leader at two real estate companies. Feemster has been responsible for transportation and warehouse operations, real estate site selection, economic development strategy consulting, strategic planning, and lean quality management. Feemster holds an M.B.A. in Marketing from the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and a B.A. in Mathematics from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Feemster is an active member in the Warehouse Education and Research Council (WERC.org), where he is past president, and the Council Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP.org. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Trade Data Exchange (TDE) Corporation.
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Joseph Tillman, Vice President, Transportation, KS Harvesters
Joe Tillman is vice president of Transportation at KS Harvesters Inc. Prior to joining KS Harvesters, he worked with Supply Chain Visions, Wal-Mart Logistics, and Union Pacific Railroad. His keen interest in all things supply chain and his high-energy approach to life find him authoring articles for industry publications, and speaking to supply chain industry groups. He co-leads the Warehousing Education and Research Council's influential annual benchmarking study, "DC Measures." Joe is certified in transportation and logistics (CTL) by AST&L and SCOR-Professional certified by the Supply Chain Council.
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