MTC Logistics (MTC), along with officials from the Alabama State Port Authority, Alabama Department of Commerce and elected officials, broke ground on MTC’s 12 million cu. ft. international temperature-controlled distribution center. MTC is investing approximately $61 million at the Port of Mobile, Ala., generating 50-70 direct jobs at the new facility.

MTC Logistics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hoffberger Holdings Inc. (HHI) a privately held investment company of the Hoffberger family of Baltimore, Md. With the expansion, MTC Logistics will operate four distribution centers with more than 40 million cu. ft. of refrigerated and frozen space, serving the ports of Mobile; Baltimore, Md.; Philadelphia, Pa., and Wilmington, Del.

“Our MTC Logistics Team is extremely excited about this growth opportunity for our company,” MTC Logistics president Andy Janson said. “It is truly a collaboration and partnership with the welcoming community of Mobile, Ala.; MTC Logistics customers and our long-term partnerships helping to make this facility a reality. We will be on the cutting edge of innovation in areas of refrigeration, material handling [and information technology] systems while providing best-in-class customer service. Mobile is a natural next step for expanding our service offering into the Southeast.”

When completed in the fourth quarter of 2020, the new facility will provide shippers with seamless supply chain solutions focused on global commerce. MTC provides shippers with a comprehensive suite of services, including blast freezing, port drayage and LTL consolidation. MTC will expand the seaport’s blast freeze capability by accommodating 30 truckloads per day and providing 40,000 racked pallet positions of storage.

The Alabama State Port Authority, with assistance from Alabama economic development officials, recruited MTC to expand blast freezing and refrigerated storage capability for Alabama and regional refrigerated cargo shippers of poultry and seafood. The terminal will also handle a wide variety of refrigerated products for retail distribution.

“We’re extremely pleased to add this high-caliber company to our portfolio of port services. MTC will more than quadruple available capacity for our export poultry producers, as well as attract new shippers,” Alabama State Port Authority director and chief executive officer James K. Lyons said.

The facility is located outside the gates of the seaport’s container terminal with immediate access to Interstate 10.

“This strategic location on the U.S. Gulf Coast will allow us to expand our service offering, and we will have a significant focus on import cargo to help balance refrigerated container supply in Mobile,” Ernie Ferguson, vice president of sales with MTC Logistics, said.