TranslinkeD brings transportation and logistics services together for economic gain

The efficient and effective movement of people, goods and information is vital to an area's economic prosperity. Detroit is the heart of the automotive supply chain and is considered the most valuable North American trade entry point in the country. That's why it's essential for our region to have a successful infrastructure system in order to support and grow our important economic base. In response to the need for promoting the Detroit Region as a leader in transportation and logistics, the Detroit Regional Chamber's Trade and Transportation committee took the step to create a program that would serve as the foundation for advancing the Detroit Region's many strengths. Thus, TranslinkeD was born.

TranslinkeD is meant to bring all of the Detroit Region's transportation and logistics services together to make it cheaper, faster and more capable to move people, goods and information in the Detroit, Windsor & Toledo corridor. TranslinkeD will also connect business attraction initiatives to abundant transportation and logistics resources in the Detroit Region.

The Detroit Region is ripe with transportation and logistics opportunities. Wayne County's Metro Airport is ranked one of the top 20 busiest airports in the world, and it's in the top 10 for busiest airports in North America. Willow Run Airport is the #1 airport in the United States for on-demand cargo shipping. The Detroit area is supported by six major interstates (I-94, I-272, I-96, I-75, I-69 and I-696) and six major border crossings, making Detroit the busiest border crossing in North America.

Trucking accounts for 83 percent of the value of freight coming through Detroit and, according to the Bureau of Transportation statistics, over 70 percent of the value of truck freight passing through Detroit either originated, or terminated, outside Michigan.

The Detroit Regional Chamber's TranslinkeD initiative will give our region a competitive edge in terms of the logistics and transportation movement. With all of the amazing transportation advantages Michigan has helping to make us a global leader, the next logical step was to create a program that brought all this together. TranslinkeD will drive global connectivity.

With these many "positives," the Detroit Regional Chamber hopes to attract businesses to the Detroit Region. TranslinkeD will also include input from the Chamber's economic development and government relations staff. The goal is to have economic development professionals work hand-in-hand with public policy experts.

Where has it worked?

The Detroit Regional Chamber isn't the only organization that recognizes the importance of logistics and transportation. TranslinkeD is falling in line with several other logistics initiative throughout the country, and giving the Detroit region the edge it needs to remain a competitive "hub."

Chicago-Cook County

The Chicago-Cook Business Center (CCBC), a public agency and principle economic development organization for the Chicago-Cook County region, spearhead the Chicago-Cook County logistics initiative. The CCBC was instrumental in developing and implementing an expanding international trade program called the International Trade Partnership Program (ITPP). It was established to promote increased international trade and international investment between the Chicago-Cook County region, as well as selected partner regions around the world. Currently, the ITPP has accomplished partnership agreements with Italy and Ireland, with additional agreements under development in Australia, Belgium, China, India, Mexico and South Africa, just to name a few.

Kansas City Smart Port

The Kansas City (KC) SmartPort is a non-profit, investor-based organization supported by both the public and private sector. The two main focuses of the KC SmartPort are to: 1. grow the Kansas City area's transportation industry by attracting businesses with significant transportation and logistics elements and, 2. make it cheaper, faster, more efficient and secure for companies to move goods into, from, and through the Kansas City area.

The KC SmartPort is poised to be an excellent hub for logistics and transportation operations. It has the largest rail center, by tonnage, in the United States, and it has more Foreign Trade Zone space than any other U.S. city. The area is also located at the intersection of three of the nation's major interstate highways, has access to the Kansas City International airport, is located on the largest navigable inland waterways and is at the heart of a rail corridor spanning coast to coast across the U.S.

The KC SmartPort has three initiatives. They are: to attract investments from companies with significant transportation and logistics elements such as distribution centers, warehouses, third-party logistics providers and manufacturers; to start a trade data exchange (TDE), which is a way to improve the supply chain visibility and cargo security as it increases efficiency in the supply chain; and to bring additional services, such as foreign customs office, to the Kansas City area to aide businesses, of all sizes, in moving their goods both domestically and internationally.

Dallas Logistics Hub

Dallas Logistics Hub (The Hub) is a 6,000-acre development envisioned to be one of the fastest growing, privately-held companies in the United States. The Hub consists of strategically placed logistics parks (also referred to as Inland Ports) located near all the major intermodal, rail, highway and air infrastructures.

The Hub is uniquely positions to become what they refer to as the "center for worldwide trade." It is positioned along both the Union Pacific and BNSF rail networks, which connect the east and west coast. The Hub is the only logistics park in the Dallas/Fort Worth area that is adjacent to three major interstate highways, all without major congestion issues. It is also the area's first point of entry for western and southern trade routes.

In terms of trucking distance, drivers can reach over 180 million people within a two-day trucking radius, and they can get to 19 domestic markets and almost 60 percent of the U.S. population overnight from the Hub.

The Louisville International Airport

The Louisville International Airport is home to Worldport, which is the size of 80 football fields and capable of handling 84 packages a second, or 304,000 per hour. With over 20,000 employees, UPS is one of the largest employers in Louisville, and in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The facility mainly handles express and international packages and letters. Worldport serves all major domestic and international hubs.

A one million square foot expansion was completed in Spring 2006 to integrate heavy freight into the UPS system. The new facility, designated "Worldport Freight Facility" (HWP), went online in April of 2006.   In May 2006 UPS announced, that for the third time in seven years it would significantly expand its Worldport hub at Louisville International Airport, with a second billion-dollar investment. More than one million square feet will be added to its existing facility, while another 334,500 square-foot space will be renovated with new technology and equipment. Worldport capacity will to expand by 60 percent - from 305,000 packages per hour to 500,000 packages per hour. Additionally, several ramps at the Louisville International Airport will be built or altered bringing a total increase of just over 3,000,000 square-feet. Construction began in July of 2007, with an anticipated completion date in September 2010.

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