Auto Processing moving to Brunswick

[Guest donaltopablo]

GLOVIS America moving auto processing to Brunswick

Steven Sloan

GLOVIS America Inc., the logistics management company for Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors Inc., will consolidate its auto processing operations at the port of Brunswick, Ga., creating 378 port-related jobs.

Gov. Sonny Perdue said the move will bring a total of 130,000 Hyundai and Kia cars through the port this year. GLOVIS will use IAP, a full service, independently owned company, specializing in automobile processing, to provide a wide range of vehicle preparation services at the port.

"This will help double the business we are doing down there, and the growth will continue," Perdue said.

GLOVIS will close its operations in Jacksonville, Fla. -- Brunswick's toughest competitor -- as part of the consolidation.

GLOVIS Chief Operating Officer Marvin Baisden said he was unsure of the number of jobs that would be lost in Jacksonville, but he noted that many will be relocated to Brunswick later this month.

Kia's products will be moved to Brunswick by the end of the month. Baisden estimated the company's operation would be in full capacity within three months.

Perdue pointed to the deepening of Brunswick's port as a reason why companies would want to relocate. Perdue has proposed $14.4 million in the 2005 budget to continue the deepening project.

"This takes away obstacles from growing our business," Perdue said.

Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Doug Marchand said the state did not offer an incentive package for the company to relocated to Brunswick. Perdue has expressed his uneasiness with offering lucrative incentives after German automaker Daimler-Chrysler abandoned plans to build a plant in Pooler, Ga.

Brunswick is the fourth-largest auto port in the eastern United States. Brunswick's clients include Audi AG, Land Rover and Volkswagen. The port had a 25.2 percent increase in the shipments of cars and machinery in fiscal 2003.

[bobliocatt]

This goes to show how competitive the coastal ports are. Brunswick, Jax, Savannah, & Charleston all have excellent facilities.

[Guest donaltopablo]

This goes to show how competitive the coastal ports are. Brunswick, Jax, Savannah, & Charleston all have excellent facilities.

Absolutely. I don't know how much effort Jax and Charleston have spent recently, but I know GA (even more so with Perdue as governor) are very proud of their ports and continue to spend money to improve/expand them. I imagine that Charleston and JAX aren't sitting by though...

[bobliocatt]

Lately, Jax has been focusing on attracting cruise ship operators to its ports along the St. Johns River. I'm suprised Savannah and Charleston don't have the cruise ship industry locked up already. I heard the port on Amelia Island, just north of Jax is also attempting to expand.

[thumper]

Moving more cruise ship operations further north away from Miami sounds like a no brainer to me. Miami is too far away from most of the USA.

This is the first time I have heard of imported cars in eastern US not coming through Jacksonville. Must be very good news for Brunswick.

[Guest donaltopablo]

I'm a little surprised GA doesn't try to attract more in the way of cruise ships as well. Although Brunswick lacks the airport facilities for it. Savannah on the other hand, probably would benefit greatly from it. Can't say I don't know why they haven't (or couldn't, I'm sure they've tried).

[monsoon]

[DruidCity]

Mobile is getting its first cruise line in October, so I wouldn't be surprised if Savannah and Charleston follow suit.

[bobliocatt]

^ I wouldn't be suprised if they follow suit. Jacksonville attracted its first 3 cruise lines this year when they built a new terminal at the Blount Island port facility. Now they're talking about renovating a vacant 1920's era Ford Motor Company assembly plant, just outside downtown, into a large terminal to lure more cruise lines and their tourist to the heart of the city.