In just a few years time, Port Lansing has become widely recognized as a vital economic asset that is helping businesses more efficiently and cost effectively process international shipments. It is equally obvious that Port Lansing has just begun to realize its enormous potential.

The cornerstone of the Greater Lansing region’s international program was the decision by the Capital Region Airport Authority to pursue U.S. Port of Entry status, which was received in January 2008. The name Port Lansing reflects this designation. In June of that year, a U.S Customs Inspection Station was established at the airport.

To promote increased international commerce in and around Capital Region International Airport, the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Airport Authority jointly sought and were awarded a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) designation in 2009 by the U.S. Commerce Department. The trade zone includes 840 acres of property near the airport. The FTZ allows goods to be delivered there duty free-with reduced, deferred or eliminated customs fees, which provides a competitive advantage to companies doing business within the trade zone. Since Port Lansing and the FTZ came on line, considerable time has been spent building a network of organizations needed to support the growth, including freight forwarders, custom brokers, importers and exporters, international trucking companies, railroads and freight consolidators.

The first international shipments of products moved through Port Lansing in the fall of 2011. Several companies now recognize the benefits of the more efficient services of Port Lansing as opposed to larger ports in Chicago and Detroit, where typical delays in processing goods can prove costly.  Among Port Lansing’s early customers are Redmer Strategic Products, Executive Fan and Air Lift Company. Customer reviews of the Port Lansing experience have been overwhelmingly positive.

“Our import and export strategies through Port Lansing have been a big reason for our growth,” said Larry Finney of Air Lift Company, a truck suspension manufacturer that exports to 33 countries, imports from seven others and recently added 150 jobs and 20,000-square-feet of manufacturing space in Delta Township.

“It’s much better working with someone you know than talking by phone with someone 3,000 miles away because the local person knows your business,” said Greg Bousquet of Materials Management Solutions, the firm that manages General Purpose Zone at Port Lansing.

Several other building blocks have helped bolster the international effort in the past few years including critical infrastructure construction around the airport’s industrial park, and the state of Michigan’s NEXT Michigan designation which encourages economic development around the airport through special incentives to qualified businesses utilizing multi-modal logistics.  Additionally, a 48,000-square-foot warehouse constructed by the Airport Authority for FTZ users will assist in future cargo development.

More information about Port Lansing is available on its website.