PORT REPORT Brian Nutter Port Director
Left: A worker at Eagle Steel Products works with a steel coil that will likely be sent to an automotive or appliance manufacturer. Right: U.S. Congressman Barron Hill (left) visits Steel Dynamics Inc. with Plant Manager Jeff Baumann (middle) and Port Director Brian Nutter.
PORT OF INDIANA – JEFFERSONVILLE
Building for a bright future Well it’s been almost three months since I became the Jeffersonville port director and I have to admit I am enjoying it more all the time. And that’s not just because the weather is so much warmer in southern Indiana than my previous stomping grounds in Maine – although I am making the most of the change. When I was interviewing for the position of port director, I spent a lot of time researching the port, the area and the business climate. What I saw was impressive but I don’t think it could have prepared me for the warm reception and welcoming attitude I have encountered from the Ports of Indiana team, our port companies and our business partners here in the Jeffersonville area. I have learned a lot in the past couple months and look forward to continuing that process as I come to understand more about each port business and what we can do to support their efforts. As you will note from our 2006 recaps, this port had a great year and I feel confident we can set new records in years to come.
Looking back at 2006 In 2006, the Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville shipped an all-time high 1.9 million tons to finish 14 percent ahead of the previous year. There were major increases in fertilizer (+55%), steel (+28%), salt (+25%) and grain (+8%). Stevedoring operations at Consolidated Grain & Barge, Kinder-Morgan and Eagle Steel all posted banner years for cargo moving across the docks. Many companies also reported significant increases in rail shipments as the port handled 20,495 rail cars in 2006, a 22 percent growth over 2005.
Building for the future Keeping business moving is a primary function of the port, and maintaining our extensive infrastructure to meet the needs of our growing industries is always a challenge. We are investing more than
$600,000 in upgrades to the piers and mooring structures along the waterfront. New security fencing is being installed along the undeveloped property on the west side of the port complex and contracts have been awarded for the $466,000 repaving project on the south end of Port Road, which will complement the work done last year on the northern section. This summer, we will also begin a $500,000 first phase of rail expansions to provide service along the south side of Utica Pike. All of these projects, totaling over $1.7 million in port investments, demonstrate our commitment to maintain and develop infrastructure that will keep us ahead of the curve and help our business partners grow here at the port.
SDI and Kasle prepare for growth While many port businesses were very successful in 2006, a few of our partners made major investments into future growth. Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) began construction on a $45 million expansion project that will introduce a new paint line to complement its highly successful galvanizing operation. This will allow SDI to provide more options to customers and offer a more diversified product line for overall business development. Kasle Metal Processing is taking a new approach to its traditional production process. While news reports have related concerns over the future of Ford plants in Kentucky, which are major customers of Kasle, the Jeffersonville company has been working to improve its position with not just Ford but other auto manufacturers as well. New advanced software technology has helped Kasle improve its production line efficiency by 13 percent, a success that was featured in the March edition of Fabricator Magazine. Contact Brian Nutter at (812) 282-2096; bnutter@portsofindiana.com
www.portsofindiana.com · Spring 2007 11