Marketing logistics cluster crucial for development, official says

By GENE ZALESKI, T&D Staff Writer
Monday, February 01, 2010

“If we are going to increase the per-capita income in our state, we just can’t do it in Columbia, Charleston and Greenville. We have to do it in every corner in our state and in every community in our state.”

In order to help reach the goal, Deepal Eliatamby, president of Columbia-based Alliance Consulting Engineers and cochair of the New Carolina Distribution Cluster, told about 100 gathered at the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Student and Community Life Center Thursday evening that the strengthening and aggressive marketing of the local and state’s Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Cluster is a key component to economic success.

“TDL is both high tech and rural and low tech,” Eliatamby said. “Everybody relies on the TDL either directly or indirectly.”

Eliatamby was the featured speaker at the Orangeburg and Calhoun County Industry Appreciation Banquet.

Eliatamby said the TDL cluster is a “huge job creator,” noting the Port of Charleston alone is estimated to be $45 billion or 30 percent of the state’s gross domestic product and roughly 250,000 people associated with jobs related to Port activity.

“The TDL customer plays a huge role in South Carolina,” Eliatamby said, touting the state’s location as ideal. “The Port of Charleston is our biggest economic development asset in the state.”

ACE launched a “strategic communications” plan last fall to help bolster the state’s TDL Cluster.

The TDL cluster consists of World Trade City Orangeburg and the Orangeburg County Development Commission. The cluster has about 40 participants.

The plan outlines five main goals and strategies to accomplish over the course of the next year, including raising awareness and recruiting stakeholders; marketing the importance of the cluster; establishing a TDL council composed of industry and government members; and raising funds to support the cluster’s growth, development and projects.

The TDL Cluster has been working over the past two years to develop a strategic communications plan that industry leaders identified at a statewide summit held in May 2008.

The state’s seaports, airports, interstate system, 2,600 miles of rail, five major interstates and work force development programs are all touted as assets for the state and the TDL.

“We need to improve our per-capita income so that our kids and our grandchildren have a place to work and live,” Eliatamby said. “So they can stay right here in our state and contribute to the well being of our state.”

As part of his presentation, Eliatamby encouraged all in attendance to join the cluster, provide contact information for stakeholders, identify legislators who can help bolster the cluster and give financially.

T&D Staff Writer Gene Zaleski can be reached by e-mail at gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5551.