Warehousing, Logistics, and Transportation Services

Warehousing, logistics, and transportation services are needed to distribute goods and organize supply chains.  These industries will collectively be called freight support industries. Figure 1 displays the distribution of freight support industries in the MAFC.  The businesses shown cover all modes. The distribution is heavily concentrated in population centers, but also follows the Class I railroad network and the interstate system very closely.  Figure 1 emphasizes the importance of industries beyond just the movers of goods shows the thousands of businesses that support freight transportation.

Figure 1: Freight Supporting Industries in the MAFC

Source: Esri Business Analyst, 2011

Table 1 displays the employment and business count of freight supporting industries by state and for the MAFC.  While the total jobs and businesses are less than the trucking industry, they are much larger than air, rail, pipeline, and maritime transportation.

Table 1: Freight Supporting Industry Businesses and Employment in the MAFC

State Freight Support Industries Employment Freight Support Industries Businesses Total State Employment Total Business Count
Iowa 7,788 734 1,607,190 136,378
Illinois 22,075 2,017 5,884,453 476,575
Indiana 9,041 677 2,938,335 222,320
Kansas 6,111 682 1,407,272 123,790
Kentucky 6,877 419 1,819,898 153,924
Michigan 10,551 807 4,305,125 371,368
Minnesota 9,117 712 2,888,004 221,993
Missouri 8,391 664 2,883,801 239,690
Ohio 18,832 1,167 5,634,785 413,878
Wisconsin 6,046 560 3,063,309 244,656
MAFC 104,829 8,439 32,432,172 2,604,572

Source: Esri Business Analyst, 2011