The Birmingham Jefferson County Port Authority has broken ground on a warehouse facility at the Port Birmingham terminal in Mulga.
The 25,000-square-foot warehouse, specifically designed to accommodate rolled steel coils, is the BJCPA’s first public-private partnership with Watco.
The facility will have an economic impact estimated at $1.2 million, including retail sales exceeding $800,000, according to the BJCPA.
“The warehouse development project at Port Birmingham exemplifies the power of collaboration between local, county and state government,” said Mahari McTier, BJCPA chairman. “This catalyst project for the BJCPA will begin to position us as a key economic development engine in the region, and we look forward to playing a vital role in the growth and prosperity of the region.”
The warehouse will be well situated near rail and waterway access, said Watco Sales Director Cody Gilliland.
“This facility will enable in-state steel producers to expand into new markets with their finished products, addressing current logistical constraints,” Gilliland said. “Leveraging Birmingham’s extensive Class I rail connections, steel producers will be able to access previously untapped markets, thereby reducing their reliance on a limited geographic area.”
Funding for the project comes from the inaugural inland port infrastructure grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
