Tiffany Farrow/The Valdosta Daily Times The Federal Express expansion is underway at the nearly 6 acre facility located in the Azalea West Business Park in Valdosta.

VALDOSTA — The estimated $3.6 million expansion announced by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority one year ago is finally nearing completion. The project joined an additional 5.9 acres to the existing facility within Azalea West Business Park, on which the company built a new maintenance facility and expanded warehouse/loading dock areas.

Completion is scheduled for Nov. 4. A total of 44 doors have been added to the existing 60, another break room was built, a 12,000 square foot maintenance shop was constructed and six acres of parking were developed.

The Authority previously anticipated the expansion would increase operations, the volume of incoming and outgoing trucks to as many as 200 per day and generate 20 new employment opportunities.

General manager Bob Faircloth stated the expansion was meant to accommodate growth that had already occurred. He reported the Fed Ex Freight facility dispatches approximately 130 tractor trailers as well as performing 11-12 city operations daily.

They are looking at increasing volume, and five maintenance technicians and one supervisor will be hired.

“The transportation and logistics portion of our economy is thriving,” said Brad Lofton, Industrial Authority executive director. “The evidence of two expansions, (Fed Ex) and Lowe’s, in the past 36 months (makes it) clear that we are strategically located in one of the best areas for transportation/logistics in the U.S.”

Lofton is pleased with the expansion and what it will do for the area: “This is good news for the economy. It will add more tax revenue, more jobs and it is a great sign when you have a major world class industry expanding in the community.”

The facility opened in 1995 as American Freightways, and the first expansion added 20 doors to the existing 40. Fed Ex Freight purchased the company in 2003 and announced the second expansion approximately one year ago.

Since the original opening, the business has doubled in size and employees.