Japanese-owned logistics firm bringing new jobs, warehouse to Garner

GARNER – A Japanese-owned third-party logistics company, MD Logistics, is opening a warehouse in Garner.

The company, owned by Nippon Express Group, has North American headquarters in Plainfield, Indiana, and last week announced it would open its sixth warehouse in its Garner expansion.

According to a statement, the company will expand in the state in order to “extend current client partnerships and better serve the greater life sciences and pharmaceutical industry on the east coast.”

The company’s newest facility will be 240,000 square feet of cGMP certified, pharmaceutical grade space, the statement noted. It will provide clients both 2-8°C and 15-25°C storage environments, according to a statement.

Once completed, the company expects to add approximately 30 jobs.

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“We are excited to welcome MD Logistics to the ever-growing business community here in Wake County,” said Michael Haley, Executive Director of Wake County Economic Development, in a statement. “The company’s focus on life science supply chain solutions represents the significant diversity of the life science industry that is critical to the continued growth and success of the region.”

Haley wrote a column for WRAL TechWire last week about what’s next for the region.

The company, MD Logistics LLC, was acquired by Nippon Express in 2020 and is now operating as a Nippon Express Group Company.

“As a Japanese-owned third-party logistics company supporting the pharmaceuticals industry, MDL’s presence in Garner will be a nexus of critical trends like bolstering a national supply chain that is currently being tested like never before, and contributing to the distribution of life-saving drugs manufactured in our state,” said Korey Howard, Director of Business Development with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, in a statement. “North Carolina continues to be a welcoming environment for foreign direct investment from Japan and other countries. We look forward to continuing to assist MDL as they set up and thrive in our state.”

A developer is planning a 225-acre “transformative” project in Garner intended to be a gateway for the Triangle. And, recently, developers began to renovate a big box store into life science space. Life Science Logistics announced a $15 million facility in September 2021 to serve the pharmaceutical and life science markets.