Floor & Decor Announces Distribution Center in Sparrows Point
Company bringing 150 jobs to Tradepoint Atlantic
Tons of tile and flooring products will soon be imported through the Port of Baltimore to a 1.5 million square foot Floor & Decor distribution center at Tradepoint Atlantic. The center will bring 150 new jobs to Sparrows Point in eastern Baltimore County.
“This is what 21st century job creation looks like. We are excited to welcome a rapidly growing company like Floor & Decor to the growing list of companies at Tradepoint Atlantic,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski.
Floor & Decor is a specialty retailer of tile, wood, laminate and natural stone flooring and accessories. Headquartered in Smyrna, Georgia, near Atlanta, their warehouse-format stores are located throughout the United States.
The Floor & Decor distribution center is expected to open at Tradepoint Atlantic in late 2019.
Floor & Decor will receive a $70,000 conditional loan from Baltimore County to support costs of equipment at the facility, including materials handling equipment, racking and IT hardware. The loan must be approved by the Baltimore County Council.
The state, through the Maryland Department of Commerce, is supporting the project with a $700,000 conditional loan.
Baltimore County Supporting Job Growth
“By continuing to support the businesses of tomorrow, we can continue Sparrows Point’s transformative redevelopment into a vibrant hub for global commerce,” Olszewski said.
The County initiated creation of the Chesapeake Enterprise Zone and established a foreign trade zone to expand global commerce. Through its Job Connector program, Baltimore County is facilitating employee recruitment for companies locating at Tradepoint Atlantic.
In early 2018, Baltimore County was awarded a $20 million grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation for infrastructure improvements and expansion of aging marine facilities at Tradepoint Atlantic.
Bringing Jobs Back to the Point
“There are more than 17,000 jobs on the horizon when Tradepoint Atlantic is fully developed. There already are more people working at Sparrows Point today than when the steel mill closed there in 2012,” Olszewski said.
Amazon, FedEx Ground, Pasha Automotive, Under Armour and Gotham Greens are among the companies bringing new jobs to Tradepoint Atlantic and Baltimore County.
When fully developed, Tradepoint Atlantic will generate 17,000 permanent jobs in the Baltimore region, plus another 21,000 jobs during construction. Economic impact is projected to top $3 billion by 2025, according to a Sage Policy Group study.