Flexport, a leading technology-enabled freight forwarder and customs broker, has announced today its latest expansion: the opening of a fourth North American office in Atlanta this summer. Flexport expects to bring on over 200 employees in the Atlanta area in the three years after starting operations on June 1, 2017.
Following the company's $65M Series B funding round in 2016, Flexport has worked to identify the ideal location to further its global expansion and ultimate goal of simplifying the complexities of global trade. With offices in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Shenzhen, the company's seventh global office in Atlanta is evidence of its commitment to putting sales and operations teams closer to clients and supply chain partners.
Invest Atlanta and Georgia's Department of Economic Development, the primary economic development authorities in Atlanta and Georgia, were instrumental in facilitating Flexport's decision to expand to Atlanta and offering ongoing support.
"Flexport's decision to establish a major operation here further cements Atlanta's role as a global logistics hub and home to many of the world's leading supply chain technology companies," said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President and CEO of Invest Atlanta. "By choosing Atlanta, the company will be right at the heart of our region's burgeoning cross-sector tech community and at the doorstep of Georgia Tech, the Atlanta University Center and other talent-rich academic institutions."
"Georgia continues to rise as a leader in the technology sector, and Atlanta is at the epicenter of this growth," said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. "Flexport's decision to invest and create jobs in Atlanta is a testament to our commitment to supporting innovative technologies in Georgia, and meeting the growing demands of this industry. I look forward to watching them grow and thrive here."
Flexport's decision to expand into Atlanta was solidified by Georgia's exceptional talent pool and enthusiastic adoption of the latest technology in logistics and freight. The city's location, transportation infrastructure, and strong logistics sector will enable Flexport to form lasting relationships with local service providers, working together to reach clients more quickly and efficiently. By air, Atlanta's airport offers access to 80 percent of the U.S. market within a two-hour flight, while, by land, Georgia's six interstates connect the state to 80 percent of the U.S. population within a two-day truck drive. Finally, by sea, the port of Savannah is the most efficient seaport operation in North America due to its large single-terminal design. The company hopes its presence in the state will support local clients and small businesses in identifying and managing global shipping solutions.
"Atlanta is a booming technology center and is a natural fit for our next North American office," said Ryan Petersen, CEO and founder of Flexport. "The city has the busiest airport in the world to bring us closer to our air freight operations and is advantageously located near the port of Savannah, where they've been making huge investments to handle the bigger ships coming through the newly widened Panama Canal. On top of that, we already move hundreds of tons of freight through Georgia's major logistics gateways every year, so establishing a local presence will make customs clearance and local trucking cheaper. Simply put, Atlanta is giving us added access to air, land and sea, plus some of the country's best and brightest talent."
Flexport is invested in continued growth of company functions in Atlanta, and is excited to begin immediate recruiting for the Atlanta office. The company will be hiring for its sales, operations, customs, and small business development departments. Flexport Recruiting Partners are looking for folks with a client-first mentality, strong communication skills and an entrepreneurial spirit and are interested in meeting Georgia's top talent from universities like Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
