Port looks to
future with new comprehensive plan
After some six months of surveys, public hearings, review sessions and commission meetings, the Port of Walla Walla is ready to begin 2013 with a new comprehensive plan. The detailed analysis of what to do and how to do it is expected to be adopted in December.
The plan defines seven major goals and includes a detailed listing of strategies for success.
"The plan is intended to guide the Port's decision making process," said Port President Paul Schneidmiller. "At the same time, it should provide the flexibility needed to respond to unseen demands and emerging opportunities."
The comprehensive plan is available for public review on the Port's website at www.portwallawalla.com.
| GOALS
Increase the economic vitality of Walla Walla County through the retention, expansion, start up and recruitment of desired businesses and industries.
Maintain an ample supply of land and buildings throughout Walla Walla County to meet the needs of desired businesses and industries.
Strategic infrastructure investments that make land and buildings ready for development.
Maintain flexibility and creativity in real estate transactions (selling and leasing of property) to attract new, emerging and relocating businesses and industries.
Provide for efficient and cost effective transportation linkages.
Increase constituent knowledge of the Port and its initiatives.
Transparency to include communicating with and establishing a foundation for public engagement. |
|
|
Railex teams with Ste. Michelle Wine to build innovative storage & distribution center in Walla Walla County, Port plays key role
Construction is underway at the Port of Walla Walla's Dodd Industrial Park near Burbank on a 500,000 square foot facility that is to be the cornerstone of the first ever rail-based system to store and transport wine. The new Wine Services Distribution Center being built by Railex is scheduled to open in February, 2013.
Rob McKinney, vice president of operations at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, explains that the new center is an expansion of an existing relationship with Railex. "We determined that our business has grown to a scale that required a third party logistics provider to manage our distribution requirements according to our exacting standards."
Railex, a pioneer in transcontinental perishables distribution, will offer refrigerated, humidity-controlled storage plus numerous efficiencies to manage inventory and transportation logistics to better respond to Ste. Michelle customer requests. Railex has the capacity to ship large volumes of wine in refrigerated rail cars to the East Coast in transit times of less than five days.
Jim Kleist, Senior Vice President of West Coast Operations for Railex, says the firm is uniquely positioned to provide the highest level of service for SMWE. "Our location in the heart of Washington wine country, the latest inventory and warehouse management technologies and high speed refrigerated rail transportation will enable us to deliver wine quickly while maintaining the highest standards of quality."
"We're pleased to see a new large investment ($18-$20 million by Railex) come to the Dodd Industrial Park," said Paul Schneidmiller, Port president. "We've worked closely with Railex to ensure that the required site infrastructure is in place to accommodate the new wine distribution complex. The Port, with funding assistance from the State, will be constructing road, rail and water system improvements that will lead to the creation of 25 new jobs and $320,000 in annual property taxes." |
