3PL News: NRS set to develop largest freight distribution complex in New York area

Jeff Berman, Senior Editor -- Logistics Management, 10/15/2007

SECAUCUS, N.J.—National Retail Systems, an asset-based provider of logistics services for U.S. retailers, recently announced that it plans to develop the largest freight distribution complex in the New York area. The complex is located within ten miles of Port Elizabeth, New Jersey, according to NRS.

This announcement comes one month after NRS acquired 100 acres in Jersey City, New Jersey, which is located near the company’s existing 100-acre distribution campus that is comprised of several transload facilities and an automated distribution center. NRS said in a statement that it will build two 100,000 square-foot container transload facilities at its new complex. And it said the yard complex will have the capacity to hold 3,000 containers or trailers. The company said is also building an intermodal rail yard with direct access to main rail lines that are adjacent to the property near an existing U.S. Postal Service sorting facility, and this combined complex will be dubbed “NRS City.”

An NRS spokesperson told Logistics Management that increasing import trade volumes were a catalyst for this development.  

“Import trade volumes continue to grow as retailers take advantage of global sourcing, particularly in China,” said the spokesperson. “This facility will allow us to serve our customers in the largest consumer market in the world efficiently and with less impact on the environment well into the future.”

The spokesperson added that this complex will offer shippers with several built-in advantages, including having having transload and distribution centers close to ports that allow NRS to speed shipments into their distribution network for rapid delivery to stores in full truckload moves.

“Our facilities give retailers the control, visibility and flexibility to move shipments quickly when they are hot and more slowly when they are not,” said the spokesperson. “That's the key to retail.”

This location will employ drivers, warehouse workers, administrative staff, security officers, and additional executives to operate NRS City. But the spokesperson did not provide a specific number, in terms of how many employees will work at NRS City, adding that the company will have a more definitie idea in a few months.

NRS City will open in phases, according to the spokesperson.
 
“We will operate our existing 100-acre campus without disruption,” said the spokesperson. “We are already using the new acreage for parking. In three years, we expect the two new facilities—plus the intermodal rail yard—to be fully operational.”