Mobile Development Thread

[Port_of_Bama]

Mobile's international outlook bright thanks to logistics (Bill Sisson)

Published: Tuesday, November 01, 2011, 2:45 AM Updated: Tuesday, November 01, 2011, 2:27 PM

By Gulf Coast Business Press-Register

MOBILE, Alabama -- The Mobile Bay region has become accustomed to finding itself on numerous Top 10 lists over the past five years. And I mean Top 10 in a good way -- not the bottom-of-the-list, hide-under-your-desk type that are stereotypical of Alabama.


View full sizeBill Sission is executive director of the Mobile Airport Authority.
I was especially proud of a recent ranking by Business Facilities magazine, which had Mobile as the eighth-best logistics/distribution/shipping hubs in the US, ahead of our Southern city competitors, Charleston and Savannah.

It confirms that the economic development anthem we've been singing about our region is indeed true: Our logistics are world-class and really are the key to our economic future.

The Brookley Aeroplex sits in the middle of that excellent infrastructure where our region's rail, water, road and air logistics all come together. Brookley's full potential has never been fully met. However, it will be in the near future if we continue to play our economic development cards right.

Mobile is a city that was founded because of transportation, and, as a port city, has always looked outward to build its economy. We are living in an era of protection and security here in the U.S. where government and people are beginning to take measures to close international doors. In the Mobile Bay region, we must continue to court international businesses, which inherently understand the benefits of our superior logistics. Already, eight of the top 10 businesses in Mobile are international businesses --- and Mobile can continue to have a competitive advantage in the US if we continue to look outward for opportunities.

Here are some of the elements that international companies look at while preparing the short list for relocation and expansion:

-- Quality and price level of the workforce.

http://blog.al.com/press-register-business/2011/11/mobiles_international_outlook.html#comments