Glovis America Announces 150-Job Project In Shreveport

SHREVEPORT, La. – Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards highlighted GLOVIS America’s announcement of a new inland distribution center for imported vehicles to be located at the former General Motors plant in Shreveport. At the distribution center, employees will outfit imported vehicles with equipment and exterior upgrades, as requested by local dealers. Glovis America is a third-party, finished-vehicle logistics company for Kia Motor America and Hyundai Motor America, and a subsidiary of Hyundai GLOVIS Co., which is part of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group. 

Glovis will make a $1 million capital investment and create 150 new direct jobs, with an average salary of $31,760, plus benefits. LED estimates the project will result in 246 new indirect jobs, for a total of 396 new jobs in Louisiana’s Northwest Region. The investment is the latest at the former GM plant in Shreveport, which the State of Louisiana and the North Louisiana Economic Partnership, or NLEP, have marketed extensively since GM’s departure in 2012. 

“Glovis America’s announcement today signifies a new chapter in revitalizing the former GM plant and returning great jobs to Shreveport and the surrounding region,” Gov. Edwards said. “We congratulate Glovis on this exciting announcement. Upon the launch of operations, I know Glovis will find an abundance of highly skilled talent and an unrivaled infrastructure to receive and ship vehicles. We also want to thank our partners at the North Louisiana Economic Partnership for their role in attracting this project win to our state.”

The new center will operate in a 125,000-square-foot facility and more than 90 adjoining acres at the former GM site in Shreveport, where Industrial Realty Group is actively recruiting tenants for Caddo Parish’s Industrial Development Board, the site owner. Earlier this week, the company signed a lease with IRG. The first vehicles arrived in Shreveport by rail on Tuesday, with future shipments to arrive from South Korea and potentially from sites in the U.S. The company highlighted the ability to expand on-site as a key factor in selecting Shreveport, with additional phases planned for the future.

“We are very excited to be opening a state-of-the-art vehicle logistics and processing center in Shreveport, Louisiana,” said President Glenn Clift of Glovis America. “Shreveport has been chosen after a long search and due diligence process to replace Glovis’ long-term facility in Texas. A combination of existing infrastructure, strong labor force and competitive inbound-outbound rail and outbound trucking costs allowed Shreveport to beat the competition. We anticipate this facility will have a rapid ramp-up over the next few months and will handle over 75,000 new vehicles annually.”

At the new inland distribution center, Glovis is receiving new finished vehicles built at Kia’s factory in Monterrey, Mexico. At the Shreveport center, Glovis America will provide added options and packages to the vehicles prior to delivery to dealerships. Options and packages include security systems, Bluetooth connectivity, mud guards, electronics, sunroof accessories, decal kits, and other specifications as requested by the dealerships. Headquartered in Irvine, California, Glovis America is responsible for the delivery of all Hyundai and Kia vehicles to dealerships in the United States. The company operates eleven different locations in the U.S., receiving vehicles at ocean ports and at two factory locations.

“This is a great win for the region. North Louisiana’s logistical and transportation infrastructure is a major competitive advantage for our communities,” said NLEP President Scott Martinez. “NLEP and state and local partners will continue working with Glovis America for future growth in Caddo Parish.”
 
LED began discussing the project with the company, NLEP and IRG in April 2016. In addition to site selection assistance, the State of Louisiana is offering use of its Enterprise Zone Program to Glovis 

“It is such a thrill to see vehicles moving in and out of this plant again,” said Shreveport Mayor Ollie Tyler. “This site, the former General Motors plant, will now return to the symbol of economic prosperity that it once held in our community.”

“The relocation of Glovis America to Caddo Parish is truly a win for our residents and this area,” said President Matthew Linn of the Caddo Parish Commission. “We look forward to the jobs that will be created and the economic development that will be spurred by this partnership.”

About GLOVIS America
Glovis America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Glovis Co. Ltd. of South Korea. Hyundai Glovis is publicly traded on the Korea Stock Exchange (KRX) in South Korea. Glovis America operates in seven ocean ports, two U.S. factories, three warehouses and one inland processing center. Glovis America currently handles over 1.5 million vehicles per year and employs over 3,000 people in the U.S. alone. For more information, visit America.Glovis.net.
 
About Hyundai GLOVIS
Hyundai Glovis Co. Ltd. is a Korea-based company mainly engaged in integrated logistics and distribution businesses. Its logistics business consists of outbound logistics, inbound logistics, project cargo, logistics between third countries, domestic transportation, military logistics, logistics consulting and others, covering general and bulk cargoes, such as steel manufacturing equipment, automobile equipment, coils, steel, grains and oil products. The company provides shipping and air freight logistics services. Its distribution business is engaged in the distribution of automobile completely knocked down (CKD) components, as well as the auction of used cars and other equipment. The company is also involved in equipment leasing, storage services and others. For more information, visit Glovis.net/eng/.