DEC. 2012 / JAN. 2013
Journal KERN Business Showcasing Kern County business and industry Vol. 1, No.2 Dec. 2012/Jan. 2013 Kern Business Journal is published by The Bakersfield Californian. Copies of the bi-monthly journal are available from The Bakersfield Californian, Kern Economic Development Corp. and Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce. Publisher Ginger Moorhouse President/CEO Richard Beene Senior Vice President Revenue and Marketing John Wells Editor Dianne Hardisty Kern Business Journal Sales Mark Hitchcock Art Director Glenn Hammett To submit a story editor@kernbusinessjournal.com To advertise kbj-ads@kernbusinessjournal.com To subscribe Mira Patel mpatel@bakersfield.com 395-7586 Follow on Twitter @kernbiz
KERN BUSINESS JOURNAL
Dianne Hardisty
Kern County becomes ‘red hot’ site of California’s logistics industry
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risscrossing Kern County are California’s major freeways and railroad lines, with heavily traveled air cargo routes crossing overhead. These routes distribute the state’s goods to consumers throughout the world. Much of the cargo is grown in Kern’s fertile soil or produced in area processing plants. These routes have created a “red hot” logistics industry that is transforming Kern into a commercial powerhouse of warehouses and distribution centers. Cheryl Scott, vice president of the Kern Economic Development Corp., reports that in just the past year, more than 1,200 local jobs have been created in Kern’s transportation, logistics and advanced manufacturing sector. “For centers distributing products statewide, the southern San Joaquin Valley has the lowest transportation costs and carbon footprint of any place in California,” reports Kern Council of Governments Planning Director Robert Ball from a recent Dianne Hardisty freight study. “Placing a production and distribution facility in Kern – the state’s geographic population center – is a sound business decision.” For the December issue, the Kern Business Journal asked company representatives, commercial developers and public officials to discuss why an increasing number of transportation and distribution centers are locating in Kern. Beginning at the base of the Grapevine, along Interstate 5, Tejon Ranch Co. is developing a massive industrial park. In addition to distribution and transportation facilities, the Tejon Ranch Commerce Center includes popular restaurants and stores. Soon it will be the site of a regional outlet shopping mall. Further north, along Highway 99, in Shafter, is the Paramount Logistics Park, an expansion of the former International Trade and Transportation Center, which was acquired by Roll Real Estate Development. Implementing a years-long investment plan, the city is building on its location adjacent to two rail lines to create an intermodal rail facility. At Kern’s north end is Delano, where major retailers, such as Sears,
Photo courtesy of Tejon Ranch Co.
Nighttime traffic flows along Interstate 5, south of Bakersfield, near the Tejon Ranch Commerce Center offramp.
have established distribution centers and Railex offers innovative, climate-controlled rail service. While the Mojave Air & Space Port is lauded for its aerospace activities, the facility in eastern Kern is emerging as a distribution center. Its location near major state highways and a rail line, as well as the booming wind and solar energy industries are credited for the development. The bi-monthly Kern Business Journal is a product of the Specialty Publication Division of The Bakersfield Californian, with the cooperation of the Kern Economic Development Corp., the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce and the County of Kern. The themes of upcoming editions are: Value-Added Agriculture, February; Health Care, April; Aerospace, June; Energy (Oil and Gas), August; and Commercial Real Estate, October. Featuring articles contributed by businesses and written by journal staff, the publication highlights the activities of Kern’s businesses and industries. To submit a news article or suggest a story, email editor@ kernbusinessjournal.com. — Dianne Hardisty is the editor of the Kern Business Journal.
Business at-a-glance fast chargers for its Model S sedan and future models. Eventually the company plans to have up to 100 charging stations strategically located throughout the U.S. to allow coast-to-coast driving. The Tejon station is located right off of Interstate 5 and forms a power network down the spine of California, through the Central Valley. Last month, Motor Trend magazine named Tesla’s Model S sedan 2013 “Car of the Year.” The magazine said it was the first time the award went to an electric vehicle. — Kern Business Journal
Photo courtesy of Paramount Citrus
The ribbon was cut, opening Paramount’s Cuties plant in Delano.
Paramount Cuties plant opens Paramount Citrus recently celebrated the grand opening of its new citrus packinghouse in Delano. The facility will be the home of the company’s sweet, seedless, E-Z peel Cuties California Mandarins. The plant measures in at more than 640,000 square feet – the equivalent of 11 football fields under roof – making it the world’s largest citrus packinghouse. The Cuties plant was built to keep up with the skyrocketing demand for the small fruit. Last season, Paramount Citrus and its partners packed and shipped 60 million boxes of Cuties. That number is expected to reach 140 million boxes in five years. The Cuties plant is expected to generate increased economic devel-
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opment in the Delano area, bringing with it more than 500 new jobs. — Paramount Citrus
Tesla supercharging at Tejon Ranch station Palo Alto-based electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors opened up one of California’s six new supercharging stations at the Tejon Ranch Commerce Center this fall. Tesla is offering free access to its
Bank ‘starring’ in documentary film An independent production company visited Bakersfield recently to profile the success of Valley Republic Bank for an educational film series to air nationally in early 2013. Profiles Series Productions LLC, the producer of “In View with Larry King,” is creating an educational series focusing on the important role community banks play in local economic recovery. In addition to interviewing VRB management, the crew filmed Heather Dewar Cook of Dewar’s and Tim Sullivan of Sullivan Petroleum about their community banking experiences. The series will explore banking in the aftermath of the 2008 national economic and financial institution crisis. It will review the impact of imposing “Wall Street Banks” checks and balances on smaller “Main Street Banks.” Legislation designed to return large banks to more conservative practices has posed
challenges for community banks as they struggle to comply with a barrage of new regulations. Valley Republic Bank is the only California bank featured in the series. — Valley Republic Bank
Business ethics recognized The Better Business Bureau of Central California is accepting nomination for the BBB Ethics Award for Marketplace Ethics. Awards will be given in the following categories: Marketplace Excellence, recognizing superior commitment to exceptional standards that benefit consumers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and surrounding communities; Community Service, recognizing a business that demonstrates commitment to BBB community events and significantly helps advance community trust. Nominees must be in good standing with BBB; however, BBB Accredited Business is not required for entry or consideration. Businesses must operate within the bureau’s Central California service area. Contact 800-675-8118 to nominate a business. — Better Business Bureau
Centre for Neuro Skills expands facilities For most of its 32-year history, Centre for Neuro Skills has provided patient-centered brain injury rehabilitation at their Mount Vernon Avenue clinic. This month, CNS, with more than 300 local employees, will move into its new, flagship location at 5215 Ashe Road.
The more than 22,500-squarefoot energy efficient building will offer an indoor therapy pool, updated therapy departments, and large occupational and physical therapy gyms to support the treatment of individuals recovering from traumatic brain injury. CNS will be the first California treatment facility to feature the ZeroG Gait and Balance Training System to provide state of the art care. CNS also has facilities in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas, Texas. — Centre for Neuro Skills
EDF dedicates Kern wind, solar projects EDF Renewable Energy, formerly enXco, is celebrating the construction and operation of two Kern County projects producing clean energy for Southern California. The 140 MW Pacific Wind and 143 MWp Catalina Solar projects were developed and contracted independently; however, their close geographic proximity to one another enabled the projects to share certain infrastructure and thus evolve into one of the largest wind/solar hybrid projects in the U.S. Pacific Wind began operation in August 2012 and the first phase of Catalina Solar will begin operation in December 2012 in eastern Kern County. Both deliver carbon-free electricity into the grid for the benefit of San Diego Gas & Electric Co.’s generation portfolio under two separate power purchase agreements. These new projects bring the total
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