By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLILN
BG Independent News
FedEx is delivering on plans to open a distribution center in Bowling Green.
FedEx Ground has entered into a lease agreement for a new 250,000 square-foot distribution center on the east side of Bowling Green in the Woodbridge Business Park.
The facility will be located off Bowling Green Road East, just east of the Interstate 75 interchange.
The site is expected to be operational later this year and will complement existing FedEx Ground operations in Perrysburg, according to David Westrick, media relations for FedEx Ground.
The number of employees to be hired is unknown, though an estimate of 200 workers was mentioned last year when Scannell Properties was searching for a site in Bowling Green.
The new facility will employ a mix of full and part-time employees, Westrick said. The company also will contract for package pickup and delivery services with service provider businesses that hire locally for driver, helper, manager and other positions.
“We continue to experience significant package volume due to e-commerce growth and are optimizing the capacity of our network to meet growing demand for our services,” Westrick said.
The Bowling Green site was chosen because of its ease of access to major highways, proximity to customers’ distribution centers and a strong local community workforce for recruiting employees, Westrick said.
Scannell Properties approached Bowling Green Economic Development in 2021, looking for a site to accommodate a household name in the distribution industry.
After working with Scannell on its site needs, Bowling Green Economic Development entered into a purchase agreement with Scannell for approximately 50 acres that the organization had under option as an expansion to Woodbridge Business Park.
The land was officially purchased on Dec. 28, 2021 and site work began the next day.
Scannell was unable to release the name of the end user for several months, but just recently revealed that the tenant is FedEx Ground.
“Bowling Green Economic Development is excited to welcome FedEx with their proven track record of success,” said Kati Thompson, director of Bowling Green Economic Development.
Firm job creation and investment numbers will be released when available.
No financial incentives have been given toward the project, Thompson said.
“Scannell Properties and FedEx are making a meaningful investment into our Bowling Green community. Our accessibility and infrastructure made our site perfect for the project’s needs and we look forward to seeing their operation flourish,” Thompson said. “As always, job creation and capital investment create positive benefits for Bowling Green and will add value for years to come.”
