Less-than-truckload carrier Averitt announced Thursday that it has opened a 100,000-square-foot distribution and fulfillment facility in Jackson, Mississippi. The move builds on a series of recent investments the carrier has made across its network, and comes as LTL carriers across the industry increasingly pair warehousing and fulfillment services with core freight operations to capture more of customers' supply chains.

The new warehouse sits near central Mississippi's major freight corridors of I-20 and I-55. On Tuesday, the Mississippi Department of Transportation announced a $400 million project to improve roadways and bridges along these corridors, with the plan also calling for rail upgrades.

Most national LTL carriers maintain service centers in the area, and Averitt operates a 57-door LTL terminal adjacent to the new facility. According to Cookeville, Tennessee-based Averitt, the latest addition will serve rail connections and provide service to ports in New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. The Gulf Coast port access positions the facility to serve shippers moving freight through southern gateways. Customers will be able to flex the amount of space they need for seasonal and overflow inventory projects without committing to long-term contracts — an offering aimed at businesses with variable inventory needs.

"Jackson is an important market for Averitt, and this facility expands the ways we can support businesses in the area," said Barry Blakely, president and chief operating officer. "We are pleased to bring flexible warehousing and fulfillment options to the market and give businesses more choices as their distribution needs change."

The 55-year-old company operates more than 140 terminals, primarily in the U.S. South and Southeast, and employs over 9,000 people. Beyond less-than-truckload service, Averitt offers truckload, dedicated, and distribution and fulfillment services, among other logistics offerings.

Earlier this year, the carrier announced plans to add 900,000 square feet of warehouse space, 379 dock doors, and 2,000 truck parking spaces by 2027. In June, it opened a 33-door facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Together, these moves signal continued investment in the U.S. South and Southeast, where the company concentrates its network.

Averitt has also recently implemented pay increases for both LTL and regional drivers. Regional drivers received a 2-cent-per-mile pay increase earlier this month, bringing the new top rate to 66 cents. Less-than-truckload drivers received a raise at the end of July — steps carriers across the sector have taken as they compete for drivers amid ongoing workforce pressures.

The opening of the new Jackson facility underscores the carrier's strategic commitment to expanding network capacity and integrating flexible warehousing with its existing LTL terminal operations. Further openings under the 2027 expansion plan are likely to be the next indicator of how the company's footprint develops.

Source: FreightWaves