Mayor Bob Corker and County Mayor Claude Ramsey announce 1,000 new jobs for U.S. Xpress

5/18/2004

Chattanooga, TN—Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey and Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker announced that Chattanooga-based U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Inc. is poised to purchase 40 acres in the Silverdale Industrial Park.

The company plans to initiate the construction of a new 50,000-square-foot office building within six to 18 months.  The project is anticipated to support up to 500 new jobs. 

The property will also allow U.S. Xpress to activate tentative plans for a second phase of construction on the same property within the next five to seven years.  Phase II would include building another 50,000-square-foot office facility, which could support an additional 500 jobs.

The jobs would include a mix of executive, managerial, professional, and clerical positions necessary to support the company’s truckload and transportation logistics operations. U.S. Xpress’s existing headquarters facility is located at 4080 Jenkins Road, across the street from the new site.

U.S. Xpress Co-Chairmen Max Fuller and Patrick Quinn, who founded the company in 1986, both see the future expansion as a positive for the company and the community.

According to Fuller, increasing U.S. Xpress’s presence in Hamilton County was an easy decision.  “Building our headquarters in Hamilton County in 1998 has proven an excellent choice,” Fuller said.  “We’ve had great support from Hamilton County, the City of Chattanooga, and the Chattanooga Chamber.  This project is the next phase in our on-going partnership with this community.”

Quinn stated the available workforce was a key factor in making the decision.  “We’ve had great success in hiring the people we need from the local labor pool,” Quinn said.  “Building on our successes by continuing to grow in the Chattanooga area just makes sense.”

According to Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey, the U.S. Xpress expansion is a sign of the home-grown company’s commitment to Hamilton County.  “U.S. Xpress is a major company with national reach,” Ramsey said.  “They could locate their headquarters anywhere.  I think it says a lot that they continue to consider Hamilton County the best place for their operations.”

"Our community is fortunate to be the home of U.S. Xpress and we are grateful that because of their confidence in Chattanooga, they are expanding their presence and adding 500 jobs," said Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker.  "I deeply appreciate the vision that Max Fuller and Pat Quinn have put in place to grow their company and that in the process they are utilizing our Chattanooga workforce."

Commissioner Matthew Kisber of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development said the U.S. Express expansion project is a huge economic development accomplishment for Chattanooga and Hamilton County and a testament to the strong work ethic of Tennessee’s ready and dedicated workforce.

“The state is very excited about this project and looks forward to working with local and company officials to see that this project comes to fruition,” said Commissioner Kisber. “With strong local leadership and a ready and capable pool of workers, U.S. Xpress’s expansion is representative of how local, county and state governments can better work with our existing industries and offer the support and infrastructure to grow better-paying, higher-skilled jobs for Tennesseans.”

Trevor Hamilton, Chief Economic Development Officer for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, pointed out that the continued success of U.S. Xpress is a tribute to the company’s innovations.  “U.S. Xpress has been recognized as setting the industry standard for integrating technology into all aspects of their business,” Hamilton said.  “At the same time, I like to think that it’s more than mere coincidence when a top-five rated trucking company like U.S. Xpress grows from a base in a top-five rated logistics location like the Chattanooga area.”

The purchase price for the 40 acre parcel is $32,000 per acre. Approximately 28 acres will accommodate the planned office facilities.  The remaining area will be developed for commercial enterprises such as restaurants, a day care center, a bank, a convenience store, or similar operations that would complement the headquarters complex. 

U.S. Xpress completed the construction of its current corporate headquarters in 1998.  That facility allowed the company to bring approximately 500 employees from several locations in Hamilton County and other locations throughout the United States under one roof.

Since then, U.S. Xpress has grown significantly across all of its operations.  The current headquarters location now houses nearly 800 people.  The company employs 1,346 people who reside in the Chattanooga area.  The company’s nationwide presence extends to 8,563 people in over 50 locations across the United States.

For more information, contact Todd Womack, Communications Director, at 423-757-5168