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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Quest Diagnostics Invests $9.3 Million In Customer Service-Logistics Center In Tampa, Florida

06/19/2014
Quest Diagnostics, a leading provider of diagnostic information services, opened a new logistics and customer service facility in Tampa, Florida. The project will create $9.3 million in capital investment and up to 350 new customer service, logistics and human resources jobs by 2015.

In Florida, Quest operates full-service clinical laboratories in Tampa, Miramar and Orlando, several dermatological pathology-focused labs and offices, and dozens of patient service centers across the state. The new 48,000 square-foot Tampa facility, located at 3011 University Center Drive, will house customer service and certain logistics functions for Quest’s U.S. operations, which includes about half of physicians and hospitals nationwide. It is one of two Quest Diagnostics National Operations Centers, with the second in Lenexa, Kansas.

The Tampa center features a state-of-the-art logistics monitoring hub that will track both air and ground operations for a nationwide logistics network that includes a fleet of aircraft and vehicles. The hub contains 18 control stations and a 250 square-foot digital display for viewing the entire nationwide network, and will be staffed 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week. The hub can monitor the transit of patient specimens in near real-time, from one of Quest’s 2,200 patient service centers and other patient locations in the U.S. to one of the company’s dozens of clinical laboratories for testing.

“With this new center, Quest deepens our commitment to physicians, patients and the local community in Tampa and all of Florida,” said James E. Davis, Senior Vice President, Operations, Quest Diagnostics. “This new center will elevate Quest’s customer services to the next level of responsiveness and quality. It reflects our commitment to delivering a superior customer experience and providing diagnostic insights that will help people lead healthier lives.” The Tampa site will also include a human resources shared services center that supports the company’s 45,000 employees.

“Tampa is a terrific community with a great pool of job applicants, and we look forward to building our presence here,” added Jeffrey S. Shuman, Senior Vice President/ Chief Human Resources Officer, Quest Diagnostics. “As an employer of choice, Quest is committed to giving our 45,000 dedicated professionals the support and tools to excel at serving patients and healthcare providers. Our new human resources shared services center in Tampa is designed to do just that, by providing high-touch employee services that empower our people to contribute their individual talents to delivering a superior health care experience.”

President/CEO of Enterprise Florida Gray Swoope said, “Florida’s life sciences industry is one of the best in the nation and as companies like Quest Diagnostics expand their presence in Florida, the sector will continue to grow and more businesses will look at the state as a vital location. Tampa has an impressive roster of life sciences companies, and Quest will add even more value to the region. I congratulate Quest for its growth in our state and look forward to its continued success.”

The project was made possible through strong partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa, CareerSource Tampa Bay and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio said, “The expansion of Quest Diagnostics in Tampa is bringing new jobs to the area and is sure to contribute to an already thriving economic recovery in the region. Our state’s pro-growth, business-friendly environment has paved the way for many companies to move to or expand in Florida, providing new opportunities for Florida families. Today’s announcement is another successful chapter in Florida’s turnaround story.”

“We’re fortunate to have the support of a committed group of public partners at the state and local level,” said Allen Brinkman, Chair of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and Chairman, President/CEO of SunTrust Bank Tampa Bay. “Not only does Quest Diagnostics’ expansion decision reflect our community strengths in life sciences and shared services, it showcases our dedication to creating an environment where businesses can – and do – succeed.”

In 2013, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the Tampa City Council approved a combined local incentive package of $135,000, supporting a commitment of $540,000 from the State of Florida through the Qualified Target Industry program. The total QTI allocation of $675,000 will provide the company with support for up to 175 of the new, high-wage positions. The incentives, to be distributed over a period of six years, are performance-based, meaning funds are only paid after the jobs are created at the wages promised. The incentivized jobs will pay a minimum average wage of $47,581.

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