Old Dominion Freight Line, which recently purchased an industrial site totaling 25.2 acres for $2.72 million in Guilford County, has been growing consistently for years— and is showing no signs of slowing down.
History in High-Point
The national less-than-truckload (LTL) freight leader and global transportation company now headquartered in Thomasville, N.C. came to High Point from Virginia after acquiring Bottoms-Fiske Truck Line in 1962. Since 2002, Old Dominion has experienced a compound growth rate of approximately 12.5%, with a current total employee count of 19,000 people.
“I’ve been here for 25 years, and when I came here we did about $200 million worth of revenue,” said Old Dominion senior vice president of strategic planning, Chip Overbey. “Today, we finished about $4 billion and have operations across the U.S., Mexico, and Puerto Rico.”
Additionally, Old Dominion recently announced that it is adding nine service centers in both new and existing markets, bringing the total number of currently operated service centers to 238— nine of which are located in North Carolina. There are three locations within the Piedmont Triad, employing just shy of 1,700 employees in Guilford County. The skill sets within the Greensboro corporate office are vast; employees driving trucks or working on the docs might be the first images to come to mind, but the company employs everything from accountants, to technologists, to supervisors, to marketers.
Greensboro Service Center named “hub”
While Old Dominion operates on a global level, Overbey describes Greensboro as a “hub,” and nods to the region’s efficient infrastructure. Not only is the Triad’s central location ideal for ground transportation logistics ranging from the Eastern Seaboard to the West Coast, but the quality of the workforce, supportive community and business climate in Greensboro-High Point make the region that much more advantageous. Easy access to a robust interstate system enables Old Dominion to complete deliveries from Greensboro to Los Angeles in a mere three days.
“It’s a great place to have a family and business,” said Overbey. “Triad is very supportive of its own area and the communities [within the region].”
Old Dominion looking forward
Moving forward, Old Dominion plans to further perfect the LTL model, with Greensboro being the main hub. To continue to streamline the process, the company is focusing on advanced technology such as routing software built in-house, hardware attached to the equipment for instant tracking updates, and safety equipment.
“Even during an unprecedented time, we will continue to invest in our network and look for additional ways to improve our operations,” Overbey said in a press release about the company’s service center growth. “Our goal is to build capacity to win market share, while shortening response time and transit times. Our investments align with our long-term strategic plan of investing in our business.”
The recently-acquired industrial site is located at 1651 Old Greensboro Road, lot No. 7 in Triad Business Park. Click here to learn more about how companies are thriving in Greensboro-High Point.
Meanwhile, Old Dominion’s executive chairman of the board, David Congdon, and the Earl and Kathryn Congdon Family Foundation have pledged $30 million toward a project in downtown High Point: a 225,000-square-foot project which includes two renovated multi-use buildings, a courtyard and an event center. Learn more about the development here.