New $100 Million Fort Worth Facility Part of Expansion Focusing on Gulf Coast Ports, Cross-Border Shipping
ITS Logistics has opened a sizable new distribution and fulfillment facility in Fort Worth, Texas. They highlighted the logistics provider’s strategic expansion into the Lone Star State. The move comes amid freight shifts tied to Gulf Coast ports and international trade volumes through Mexico.
Facility to Support National Distribution Reach, New Service Offerings
The 1.1 million-square-foot facility is located at the Intermodal Logistics Center, adjacent to BNSF Railway’s Alliance Intermodal Facility, per a company release. From this hub, ITS aims to provide distribution across most of the continental U.S. within three days or less.
The building itself features 40-foot clear heights, over 200 dock doors, and parking for 211 trailers. Along with existing sites in Reno, Nevada and Indianapolis, Indiana, the new location allows ITS to significantly expand offerings like dedicated contract carriage, drayage, linehaul, and heavy haul/special projects focused on cross-border moves.
“Mexico is now the U.S.’ largest trading partner, larger than China,” said Paul Brashier, VP of Drayage and Intermodal, highlighting a key motivation for the added capacity and border transport capabilities.
Targeting Growth Tied to Gulf Coast Port Volumes
Increased freight volumes through Gulf Coast ports like Houston also factored prominently into ITS’ expansion calculus. “If you look just at what’s going on in Texas through Port Houston, and some of the other Gulf Coast ports, it’s the reason that we’re shifting focus there,” Brashier explained.
ITS’ recent U.S. port index showed all modes/regions operating normally for the first time in the history of the index. But Brashier cautioned shippers to watch for potential canal issues and carrier stability given the ongoing freight recession.
“Make sure that you have strong relationships and folks that you have a long-standing business relationship with, keeping them in the network,” he advised.
Houston Also Sees a New Cold Chain Facility
The Gulf Coast port expansions come amid a flurry of logistics infrastructure investments across Texas. Lineage Logistics recently opened a 315,000-square-foot temperature-controlled warehouse in Houston, for example.
The facility, known as ColdPort, is Lineage’s sixth in the Houston area and 20th overall in Texas. It offers integrated transportation and drayage operations tailored to import/export activity through Port Houston.
Meanwhile, OmniSource LLC acquired a 55-acre site at Gulf Inland Logistics Park near Houston to handle expanded metal recycling capabilities. The inland port location offers manufacturing, distribution and intermodal rail access.
TQL Extending Reach to Southwestern States
Total Quality Logistics (TQL) is advancing its Western presence as well, opening a new brokerage office in Tucson, Arizona. The Cincinnati-based 3PL already operates an office in Phoenix with around 100 employees. TQL now has 57 brokerage locations nationwide.
Analysts Expect Continued Logistics Growth in Texas
Texas has seen booming population and economic growth over the past decade. Analysts expect logistics infrastructure investment to continue at a rapid pace, especially last-mile delivery networks serving major metro areas like Dallas, Houston and Austin.
Warehousing/distribution construction has already reached record levels, according to commercial real estate services firm CBRE. And nearshoring trends have more manufacturers looking to develop sites in Texas near ports and borders.
By leveraging their expertise and resources, Lading Logistics aims to provide efficient and reliable international shipping and logistics solutions for their clients.
