MOVING THE ECONOMY How has the current economy changed the way you do business? Some commodities that used to flow through our facilities fairly quickly are now stored for longer periods because their sales have slowed dramatically during this economic downturn. Tires and paper are two examples. That’s meant growth for our overflow facilities. More goods are being stored for longer than 30 days. What key to success has made Sunland thrive?
Sunland Distribution Arch Thomason, President and CEO 255 Black Hawk Road, Greenville, SC 29611 www.SunlandDistribution.com Product or service: Third party logistics Year founded locally: 1982
Within your industry, what are your company’s unique areas of expertise? Sunland Distribution has seen a lot of changes in the logistics industry since our founding in 1982. The globalization of trade has led to a huge expansion in the type of goods being shipped and stored, and to business relationships that stretch across the globe. As one of the largest third-party logistics companies in the Southeast, we provide warehouse services, transportation management services, contract labor, packaging and full supply chain consulting services. Sunland specializes in HAZMAT chemical storage, food storage in state-of-the-art facilities that meet USDA and FDA requirements, automotive Tier 1 support and retail goods warehousing.
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Our people are our greatest strength. We have a dedicated work force. Many employees have been with Sunland for years. Our executive management team has more than 100 years of combined experience in the logistics business. That’s how Sunland has grown and succeeded during the last 27 years. What does Sunland provide that differentiates you from the competition? Sunland is a South Carolina company and that local ownership fosters a great sense of pride and responsibility. We’re always looking to improve how we do business. We strive to be innovative and responsive in customtailoring logistics solutions to meet the unique needs of each customer. We take industry best practices to the next level. That’s the Sunland advantage. What major issues do you think will affect ports, logistics and distribution in 2009?
avoidance issues on the horizon. Both of these issues will impact our industry in 2009. What major factors and issues do you believe will affect the local economy in 2009? The value of the U.S. dollar — import versus export — will have a significant impact on our local economy. A depreciated U.S. dollar means higher prices for imported goods. It will affect our ability to compete on a global scale. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned that you would pass on to a young person entering the work force? I’d tell any young person entering today’s job market to work hard and work continually to learn your business. Real problem solvers are the most successful people in our business, or in any business. And don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo. Stars create their own environment. What philanthropic organizations does your company support and why? We recently adopted a U.S. Marine company stationed in Afghanistan. We sent our first shipment of care packages to them in March. Sunland employs many veterans of the U.S. military and we wanted to show our support for our troops. Sometimes we forget we are at war.
Energy costs will most likely increase once the economy gets back on track. I think there are also some union
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