[ Distribution and Logistics Conference Attracts 175 Industry ]

Distribution and Logistics Conference Attracts 175 Industry Leaders

Over 175 leaders in the transportation industry gathered at Camden Yar
ds inlate February for Distribution & Logistics: Moving the Mid-Atlant
ic into the 21st Century, an industry seminar co-sponsored by the Mary
land Distribution Council and the Baltimore Mtropolitan Council.
The day-long event, which attracted distribution-related and governmen
t decision makers, featured Kent C.(Oz) Nelson, Chairman and Chief Exe
cutive Officer of United Parcel Service, as Keynote speaker, and three
panel discussions, which focused on global, regional and local distri
bution trends.
Panelists represented a range of leaders including representatives fro
m the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, MeCornic &Company, the
Maryland Port Administration. The terminal Corporation, the America Wa
rehouse Association, the Journal of Commerce, and Procter & Gamble Dis
tributing Company.
“Our first conference was enormously successful,” said Colleen R. Cr
oss, Presedent of the Maryland Distribution Council. “The discussions
held on industry trends were informative, useful and essential for di
stribution transportation businesses looking to keep up with the globa
l changes in how goods are moved.”
A highlight of the meeting was the announcement by Mr. Nelson that UPS
plans to break ground and begin construction on a 250,000-square-foot
warehouse and distribution facility in Essex, MD. This facility will
be the first of a number of warehouses which UPS plans to build at the
83-acre site by the year 2003.
Mr. Nelson cited Maryland’s strategic location as a distribution hub
as key to the decision to build in North-east Baltimore Country. Mr. N
elson also praised MDC efforts in prmoting the benefits of doing busin
ess in Maryland.
Mr. Nelson’s economic development announcement reinforced the panel’
s discussion on the dramatic changes occurring within the distribution
industry.