Contact Us   

Maryland is a natural international gateway to the American marketplace. Strategically located midway along the East Coast of the United States, Maryland provides the ideal base from which to serve the largest consumer and industrial markets in North America. No other U.S. market allows merchandise to be imported from or exported to retailers and end-users as quickly and economically.

Maryland's highly developed infrastructure ranks among the best in the nation in terms of transportation assets and accessibility. The state boasts an abundance of land - all within easy access of major transportation facilities - and an extremely diverse employment base.

Perhaps just as importantly, Maryland is home to the Baltimore-Washington Common Market, one of the largest (6.7 million persons) and richest ($110 billion in personal income; $87 billion in consumer expenditures) markets in the U.S. Over 85 percent of Maryland's 4.7million people live and work in this newly designated consolidated region, anchored by the port city of Baltimore to the north and the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., just 40 miles to the south.

Overnight Market

Maryland's strength as a distribution hub begins with its central location in the densely populated Northeast Corridor of the United States. The state's strategic location allows overnight truck access to 32 percent of the nation's population and 34 percent of the country's manufacturing establishments. The major markets of the Northeast, Midwest, and Southeast intersect Maryland, and can be reached conveniently from a Maryland location. The consumer market within overnight reach of Maryland represents:

  • 80 million people (32% of the population);
  • 30 million households (32% of the US total);
  • $1.2 trillion in effective buying income (35% of the US total); and
  • $566.2 billion in retail sales (33% of the US total).

Transportation Network

Maryland's public and private sectors have invested heavily in transportation and distribution facilities and services. As a result, the state enjoys one of the nation's most sophisticated transportation networks.

Baltimore/Washington International Airport

Located between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., BWI Airport provides nonstop air service to more than 80 domestic and overseas cities. Twenty-seven air carriers (passenger and freight) and commuter airlines account for nearly 600 flights daily.

BWI annually handles over 9 million passengers and 44 percent of the region's air cargo. The airport offers 24-hour air cargo services through eight cargo facilities. BWI also provides a full array of support services, including convenient customs clearance and international banking.

Cargo facilities include 300,000 square feet of warehouse, a 16-acre ramp capable of handling all aircraft types, a Foreign Trade Zone, and five minute access to the interstate highway network.

The Port of Baltimore

Two hundred miles closer to the Midwest than any other Atlantic seaport and just 20 minutes away from BWI Airport, the Port of Baltimore receives 2500 vessel calls annually. The port offers 45 miles of improved waterfront, with facilities to handle the loading and unloading of all types of cargo and passenger vessels. The Port of Baltimore offers:

  • One of the leading U.S. ports of entry for foreign-made automobiles, and the highest-ranking port nationwide for auto exports;
  • One of the top containerized cargo ports on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, capable of handling trailer-on-flatcar and container-flatcar loads, as well as roll-on, roll-off, and LASH cargos;
  • Dundalk Marine Terminal, the second largest marine terminal on the East Coast with 13 berths spanning 570 acres;
  • The 265-acre Seagirt Marine Terminal, the newest and most modern container terminal on the East Coast, boasting seven new cranes (including three double-trolley cranes) and a computerized truck entrance gate; and
  • The Intermodal Container Transfer Facility for efficient handling of cargo from ship to rail, servicing the Midwest and other U.S. locations.
  • Port users also find a full range of shipping services, including:
    • 82 firms performing freight forwarding and/or customhouse brokerage services;
    • Comprehensive international banking services;
    • Cargo consolidation services;
    • Export packing and crating;
    • Over 23 million square feet of general warehousing;
    • Nearly 9.5 million cubic feet of cold storage space;
    • Seven million bushels of grain storage;
    • A computerized trade data bank; and
    • Interstate Highway System.
Located at the mid-point of north-south Interstate 95, the "main street" of the East Coast, Maryland boasts over 22,000 miles of public roads, including six interstate highways which link the state to every major U.S. market and an extensive network of freeways, parkways, and arterial roads.

Baltimore and Washington are ringed by two beltways which connect to other major highways and route traffic around the central cities. The beltways are only 19 miles apart and have 22 freeway lanes between them.

Trucking

Over 5,000 private haulers and independent, common, and contact carriers operate within and from Maryland. These companies represent a collective fleet of more than 16,000 vehicles.

In addition to dry freight carriers, specialized carriers are readily available to handle structural steel, heavy machinery, liquid and dry commodities in bulk, and refrigerated temperature controlled cargos.

Rail

Maryland is served by six interstate rail lines - including CSX, Conrail, Norfolk & Southern, Eastern Shore Railroad, Maryland & Delaware Railroad, and Maryland Midland - offering freight links to major U.S. and Canadian markets. In addition, there are three shortline/switching and terminal railroads which serve the Baltimore metropolitan area. Maryland also has been a pioneer in developing intermodal transportation links between mass-transit systems, passenger rail, and airports.

Available Land

Maryland has an abundance of developable land, all within easy access of major transportation facilities. In the Washington-Baltimore region alone, an estimated 200,000 acres are zoned for commercial and industrial use, nearly half of which is still available for development. Nearly 19 percent of that total - more than 38,000 acres - are located in the regions 230 business parks. The region also boasts 17 million square feet of public warehouse space.

Brownfield Development

Throughout the state a number of former industrial or Brownfield sites with excellent access to transportation and suitable labor force are being revitalized under the Smart Growth initiative which also provides tax and other incentives that offer a valuable, competitive advantage to distribution related entities.

Maryland's three foreign trade zones provide economic incentives, including reduced custom duties, to distributors and other companies doing business in international markets. Well-positioned to take full advantage of the state's highways, port, and air facilities, Maryland's FTZs include:

  • BWI Foreign Free Trade Zone;
  • The Port of Baltimore's Foreign Trade Zone; and
  • Prince George's County Foreign Trade Zone.

Ready Labor Force

The skill and diversity of Maryland's labor force is a key factor in the state's continued economic growth. With a civilian labor force of over 2.6 million, Maryland boasts one of the highest concentrations of professional and technical workers in the U.S. The Washington-Baltimore area ranks third nationwide with 43,000 computer service employees, a key labor resource identified by distribution industry experts as essential for the industry's growing automation.

Maryland generally enjoys a tranquil labor-management agreement. The state is tied for first in the nation for the least number of man-hours lost due to work stoppages.

Tax Incentives

Maryland's pro-business atmosphere is reflected in the state's tax base and the tax incentives offered by its 24 jurisdictions. Incentives include: No unitary tax on profits; No income tax on foreign dividends if the corporation owns 50 percent or more of the subsidiary; No personal property tax on business; No corporate franchise tax; No separate school taxes; and No sales tax on manufacturing equipment. Maryland also offers several innovative business development financing plans.

Back Home

© Copyright 2001-2009 by The Maryland Distribution Council.