BlueGrace Logistics announces opening of new Detroit-based office

Tampa, Fla.-based non-asset-based 3PL BlueGrace Logistics recently announced it opened up its 11th United States-based office, located in Detroit, with a focus on expanding its freight network to serve its growing shipping customers and carriers’ portfolios.

BlueGrace said that the objective of the new Detroit office is to serve its Managed Logistics offering, which is comprised of its BlueShip TMS, dedicated account managers, ERP integration, and free optimization analysis of customers’ modes and distribution processes. And it added that in Detroit it is specifically geared towards automaker and manufacturing plants and also recruitment opportunities from supply chain programs at Central Michigan, Wayne State, and Michigan State University.

The new office will be based in a 5,700 square-foot space for more than 50 employees. BlueGrace said that “there are immediate hiring opportunities” at this office, adding that it plans to open up new offices and expand other existing locations in the future.

“There is an incredible opportunity for the growing logistics demand across the Midwest, especially with the supply-chain snarls that have gridlocked our shipping system for the last two years,” said Bobby Harris, CEO of BlueGrace, in a statement. “Not only that, but Detroit also has amazing talent and presents a growth possibility for our organization. We’re looking forward to supporting the local community and being closer to our shipping customers and carriers.”

A BlueGrace spokesperson told LM that the company had been looking at Detroit, for a physical location, over the past two-to-three years.

“As BlueGrace has grown its Managed Logistics service offering, we looked at markets that could help us not only find strong supply chain talent but also a solid base of customers,” she said. “Detroit offers both of those with incredible supply chain degrees from schools like Michigan State, Central Michigan, Wayne State and Western Michigan. It also has such a deep supply chain customer base with the automotive Tier 1’s and OEM’s.”

For BlueGrace’s customer, she said that this office provides a control tower that will be in close proximity to not only current customers of BlueGrace but future clients as well.

“It also allows us to recruit top talent that is experienced in industries such as automotive and manufacturing to help drive increased strategy and service to our customers,” she said. “The Detroit office provides an opportunity to recruit some incredible talent that may not have been ready to leave the Midwest to move to other BlueGrace offices. From a recruiting standpoint, being on the ground in Michigan to build even stronger relationships with the Universities that we have been targeting for years allows us to staff the Managed Logistics team at a pace that will keep up with the hyper growth BlueGrace has experienced. It also puts us closer to some of our strongest carrier partners to drive collaboration that will benefit our customers in the long run.

The other 10 BlueGrace U.S.-based offices are located in the following cities: Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, Chattanooga, Richmond, Atlanta and its Tampa headquarters.