The Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority (VLDA) announced today that Fussell Tire & Service will establish a new commercial logistics/distribution maintenance services/support facility in Westside Business Park. The project represents a $2 million investment, will retain 6 jobs and create 10 new jobs.

“We welcome Fussell Tire to our Westside Business Park and congratulate them on their continued business growth and expansion,” said Mary Gooding, chairman of the Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority. “Having them located conveniently in this park will be an advantage and attraction to other industry prospects looking to locate in this park and our other parks nearby.”

The 18,000 square-foot facility, expected for completion in February 2015, will focus on the rapid growth of Fussell Tire’s medium commercial logistics/distribution business and provide retail customers with tires, routines maintenance services and items routinely sold in repair facility such as brakes, suspension parts and engine components. Fussell Tire will also handle complete engine replacement/rebuilds, tire/wheel mounting/rotation/balancing of all sizes and compressed natural gas conversion and repair services.

The rapid growth of the logistics-enabled industry whose core consists of companies that provide regional logistics/distribution services (i.e. trucking, rail, software, etc.) and those that consume them (i.e. manufacturers, wholesalers, distribution centers, etc.) has created a strong demand for the value-added maintenance support services provided by Fussell Tire. Valdosta-Lowndes County’s 43 logistics/distribution companies provide more than 1,000 jobs in Lowndes County and generates $175,797,000 in annual sales.

“Locally-owned businesses return as much as two to three times more wealth per dollar spent to their communities than their non-local counterparts,” said Andrea Schruijer, Executive Director of the VLDA. “Working with Fussell Tire the Development Authority was able to capitalize on an opportunity for a local business to expand its current services to a large logistic/distribution industry audience in Valdosta and Lowndes County.”