FedEx Ground to build Central Florida hub

The Ocala distribution center is part of broader expansion in the state.    FedEx Ground is building a new $170 million distribution center on a 150-acre site in Ocala, Fla., Gov. Rick Scott announced Tuesday.
   Construction is underway on the 400,000-square-foot hub, which is expected to open in August 2016 with about 350 employees.
   The new facility will absorb the local pickup and delivery operations of an existing FedEx Ground terminal in Ocala that currently employs about 90 people. Automated material handling systems will initially be able to process 15,000 packages per hour, with processing capacity reaching 45,000 packages per hour if fully expanded.
   Last month, FedEx announced it would build a 300,000-square-foot distribution center in Davenport, Fla., about 30 miles west of Orlando, as the company expands to keep up with Florida’s growing population and ensure speedy deliveries. Florida, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, last year surpassed New York as the third most populous state with almost 20 million residents. Plus, the state hosts almost 100 million tourists and seasonal residents every year.
   The Ocala hub is located in the Ocala/Marion County Commerce Park, which is next to I-75 and just off U.S. Highway 27.
   “The site’s ease of access to major highways, proximity to customers’ distribution centers, and a strong local community workforce makes it an ideal location for such an important facility in our network,” Bob Holcombe, FedEx Ground’s regional vice president, said in a statement.
   The FedEx expansion fits with Gov. Scott’s ongoing efforts to make Florida a major logistics and trade center.