Governor Larry Hogan Attends Ribbon Cutting for The Coastal Companies

Statement

Governor Larry Hogan today joined Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman and executives from The Coastal Companies to officially open the company's new headquarters facility in Laurel. A leading Mid-Atlantic produce and dairy supplier, The Coastal Companies constructed a new 330,000-square-foot building on Whiskey Bottom Road, which will also house its operating divisions, including Coastal Sunbelt Produce, East Coast Fresh, Cold Chain Logistics, and Cold Chain Imports, as well as The Coastal Companies Foundation. The company, which was founded in Maryland in 1992, is adding 500 new jobs, with 400 new jobs over the next two years.

"Every day our administration is focused on growing our economy and helping companies expand, which is why I'm so happy to celebrate the official opening of Coastal's new corporate headquarters right here in Laurel," said Governor Hogan. "Coastal has shown their commitment to Howard County and Maryland, and our state and local officials are proud to work with them now and for years to come. Coastal's success will continue to be Maryland's success."

"Our new headquarters and food distribution center is state of the art in every way," said The Coastal Companies CEO John Corso. "Double the size and nearly three times the capacity of our previous facility, it will enable us to continue to grow for many years to come."

"Distribution companies represent one of Howard County's largest industry sectors, and we are seeing firsthand the incredible changes happening to the industry," said Howard County Executive Kittleman. "Integration of technology is a necessity for them to remain competitive and that's been reinforced during my tours of our county's distribution businesses. This new building is a state-of-the-art facility, which will allow Coastal Sunbelt and its growing workforce to remain competitive for years to come."

"Coastal has been growing at a tremendous pace and we are extremely pleased that we could work with our partners in Howard County to ensure that growth happens here in Maryland," said Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Mike Gill. "With this expansion, Coastal will double its capacity to provide quality produce and dairy products to major retail customers along the East Coast."

To assist with expansion costs, Maryland Department of Commerce approved a $1 million conditional loan through the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Authority and Fund (MEDAAF). Additionally, Howard County approved $150,000 in property tax credits and expedited the review of applications and permits for the new building through the county's Fast Track Development process.

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