Oregon is an outstanding state to consider when finding a logistics warehouse because it serves the entire U.S. West coast, Canada, and has quick access to Pacific ports. Nevertheless, one thought might cross your mind: Portland is the only city that matters as the best central location.
While it's true Portland has a lot of advantages for warehousing (including containing many 3PL warehouses), it's far from the only city giving your quality services. In fact, one city to the state's south had recent accolades for being one of the best logistics cities in Oregon.
If you haven't visited the Beaver State for a while or ever, it's time to get to know some other prominent cities there where logistics provide you some great advantages on a local and international basis.
Here's the top cities for warehousing service companies in Oregon that go beyond the beauty of the famous places.
Why Portland Still Matters for Warehousing Services
The Port of Portland is one of the main reasons to look for warehousing in Portland or vicinity first. With a 125-year history, the port here serves everything from air service to shipping into the Pacific. Portland International Airport is still a major part of the port, and you can ship cargo to any location around the globe, though also locally.
You'll now find direct routes every day to southern Oregon locations like Klamath Falls, allowing quick delivery to your customers within the state.
Those of you who've visited Portland know it's a thriving place, so finding a warehouse is usually very competitive. It's why you'll need to do careful vetting to find the right place for your business structure. Considering I-5 is right near by, you'll have easy motor routes from California up to the Canadian border.
Springfield as a Logistics-Friendly City
Maybe you've never heard of Springfield, yet it's part of the better-known Eugene metropolitan area. What you probably didn't know is Springfield had a vote as being one of the Top 25 logistics-friendly cities in America.
At the heart of this is cheaper operations for warehouses there thanks to low labor and energy costs. Focusing on Portland, warehouse operating costs are frequently substantially higher, so Springfield is a smart option.
Besides, you're not far from Portland when shipping by rail or by truck. I-5 connects you to the entire valley of Oregon. Going to Seattle for more international shipping wouldn't cost a fortune either considering I-5 is a beeline to the Emerald City.
Public Warehousing in on Salem, Oregon
As the capital city in Oregon, Salem is another good alternative to Portland. Only 40 miles to the south, Salem has some good warehouses that help you branch out into the local and international arenas.
The city has an industrial section in its downtown area that can help you distribute by rail, truck, river, or by air. In the latter case, most items can go to Portland in less than an hour to fly out via PDX.
You'll find a main rail line here that goes up and down the West Coast, as well as reaching eastern markets in just a day or two.
Klamath Falls, Oregon Pick and Pack Companies
Closer to the southern Oregon border is Klamath Falls, which has some good warehousing services in the region. It's a beneficial location since you can reach the California border quicker for rush deliveries to Northern California customers.
Freight trucking is a major strong suit in Klamath Falls, allowing you to focus on truck deliveries throughout the state for more local customer attention. Now that the population in this part of the U.S. exceeds the Northeast (according to 2015 census figures), Oregon is a great state to base a warehouse to cover perhaps more than half of your customer list.
Contact us at WarehousingAndFulfillment.com so we can help you vet a 3PL warehouse anywhere in the U.S.
3PL Warehouse Companies in Oregon: The Best Cities and Ports for NW Shipping
If you're considering partnering with a 3PL warehouse company in Oregon, you have a perfect central location for shipping goods up and down the west coast. With Washington up north and California to the south, you can use ports in those states if necessary without major delays. However, Oregon has numerous ports along the coast for small shipping duties. Plus, major arterial methods are available to get goods quickly distributed throughout the region.
Those not familiar with Oregon's surrounding cities sometimes think Portland is the only hub for effective warehouse distribution. This isn't true when you consider the state has a major highway extending the length of the interior valley.
Train lines are also extensive, and one of the main lines extends through most major towns and cities.
Let's take a look at some of the major ports in Oregon, important cities, rail lines, and how they tie in with one another to help you make a better 3PL decision.
The Port of Portland for 3rd Party Warehousing
Portland is one of the most famous cities in Oregon, and it's just as popular with businesses because of the friendly business climate. You can find many 3PL companies here, and they're all close to The Port of Portland. Through this port, you have several terminals for shipping goods, including for container barging.
Logistic services are just as good with nearby railroads, drayage trucking, and freight forwarders. Of course, with Portland already a major city, having it nearby can mean having access to Portland International Airport as well for easy transportation by air.
All of the terminals at the port can accommodate any type of cargo. While much of that involves lumber and forest products, each terminal ships out packaged cargoes of numerous variety.
The Port of Newport for 3PL Warehouses
With Portland such a perfect central location for finding 3PL centers, don't discount the Oregon Coast either. The Port of Newport is a major hub for shipping goods up and down the Pacific Coast and internationally. With Newport a major coastal community, you have another good location for shipping goods to other coastal areas to the north or south.
The Port of Newport is currently planning to expand their shipping facility to help bring more efficient agricultural exports.
Major Highways and Airports
With I-5 a main highway through the entire valley of Oregon, it's a transportation system going up to the north tip of Washington and down into Southern California. It's the same for Highway 101 along the coast of Oregon. This extends up to Washington and down into California as well for an easy byway to truck items within one or two days.
As mentioned above, Portland International Airport is one of the major airports in all of Oregon for overseas shipping. However, other major international airports exist in Eugene (in the southern valley), plus North Bend, Medford, Redmond, and Pendelton in the eastern part of the state.
The Best Cities for Finding 3PL Companies
Outside of Portland, don't overlook Oregon's capital city, Salem, as a great central location for 3PL companies. This city is only 40 miles away from Portland so shipping items between valley cities can happen virtually overnight.
Eugene to the south is a vibrant city that connects to all cities in the valley, including easy access to the coast or eastern Oregon. All of these cities have many railway services for shipping goods. Some of the best known are Union Pacific Railroad and Willamette & Pacific Railroad.
Before you choose a 3PL warehouse in these regions, you need to thoroughly vet them to make sure they fit your industry. We can help you find the best fulfillment centers throughout Oregon here at WarehousingAndFulfillment.com.
Fulfillment Services in Oregon
The NW United States is perhaps on your radar this year to set up a fulfillment center for your business. If you're choosing Oregon, it's a good strategic state to reach not only Washington State and Canada easily, but also a beeline into California.
Oregon is truly a prime spot if you consider Washington a little too north for the target areas you want to cover.
From computer manufactures to shoe companies, businesses love Oregon. In November 2013, Oregon had $440.1 billion in wholesale trade. Economic numbers continue to rise, making Oregon a great place to locate your fulfillment operation. Not only is Oregon a popular West Coast Fulfillment Center due to its port, but it also serves as a convenient hub for fulfillment in the Northwest U.S.
Oregon Fulfillment can Lower Costs
Portland, the third biggest city in the Northwest, offers a great many advantages for businesses. For example, energy costs are extremely low in Portland. This can translate to lower fulfillment center costs. Also, Oregon is a tax-free state. This can save you large sums of cash. There's no doubt why big names like Adidas, Nike, Under Armour and Leatherman have moved their headquarters to Oregon.
Portland Oregon is Conveniently Located for Fulfillment
Oregon has many different shipping options due to its wide range of transportation and location. Shipping by truck is fast and easy thanks to north–south and east–west Interstates. Its costal location offers many large marine shipping facilities for companies looking to ship to other countries. Oregon also has two West Coast intercontinental railroads.
Finding a Fulfillment Center in Oregon's Valley
The valley of Oregon is a prime spot for a fulfillment center because you're right along the I-5 corridor. This is a major highway that goes up to the Canadian border and down into Southern California.
While you may think Portland is the supreme city for all your fulfillment, it's usually very competitive there. Consider these first two first:
Fulfillment Options in Salem
As the capital of Oregon, Salem is only 40 miles to the south of Portland. You're only a few miles away from I-5 exits to reach all other Oregon cities and the entire west coast. If you have to use ports, you're a short transport drive from Portland to use their ports, or along the northern Oregon Coast. Some popular fulfillment centers in Salem include Lineage Logistics and NW Distribution & Storage. However, if you see starred reviews of these online, don't take them as the final word.
Eugene Oregon Fulfillment Companies
In the southern valley is Eugene where you can find just as many fulfillment centers. You're well-positioned in Eugene to send to the entire southern section of Oregon, including closer access to the California border. Still, you'll want to vet all the others to see which ones best suit the type of products you offer.
Why Do So Many Fulfillment Centers Have Biased Reviews?
If you've ever seen reviews of fulfillment centers, they're usually written by businesses that happened to fit well with the facility. This doesn't mean yours will, even if the reviews are from someone within the same industry you're in.
You also never know whether an online review is legitimate. It could come from someone who works directly for the facility as a form of online advertising.
Fulfillment centers are just as competitive as other businesses since they depend on businesses like yours to stay profitable. Some may charge too much, though, or not have adequate equipment to address your product fulfillment needs.
Using WarehousingAndFulfillment.com
When you visit our website, we make it easy to become your leading fulfillment center matchmaker. All you have to do is fill out a survey so we can begin finding what you need in the way of fulfillment. With our handpicked 3PL's, you'll be able to find the perfect match without any sense of bias.
Screening of these centers is something you won't find anywhere else, inspiring a better working relationship with the facility you choose. Are you sold on Oregon, but don't know the next step? Let us take care of the research for you.
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