E-Commerce Fueling Logistics Boon
Consumers’ insatiable appetite for online shopping is providing a boost to the Indiana economy and one logistics executive says the best may be yet to come. Kohl’s Corp. (NYSE: KSS) and FedEx Corp. are among a flurry of companies announcing major expansion plans in recent weeks. “Indiana is at the forefront of that (e-commerce) trend,” says Conexus Indiana Vice President David Holt, who adds the state’s number one ranking for infrastructure by CNBC is well-deserved. "We’re within 80 percent of the U.S. population with a day’s drive. You’ve got FedEx, you’ve got water within an hour and a half, you’ve got rail…so you’ve got everything you need to transport stuff."
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, online sales accounted for more than one-third of all retail sales growth in 2015. Web sales totaled $341.7 billion in 2015, an increase of 14.6% from the previous year.
“Brick and mortar is disappearing,’ said Holt. “More people are doing things online and having things sent directly to their homes and that’s going to be a trend that continues.”
In addition to Kohl’s and FedEx, other big, recent logistics deals include PotashCorp in Hammond, Daimler Trucks North America in Whitestown, Enjoy Life Foods in Jeffersonville and Transpoint Intermodal LLC in Fort Wayne.
Holt was a guest was a guest this weekend on Inside INdiana Business Television. To view the full interview, click here: