by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
Both promised to create jobs and develop a business-friendly environment, so Gov. Rick Scott and Mayor Alvin Brown will be on hand July 6 to welcome the latest $100 million addition to the logistics industry near Talleyrand Avenue.
The latest Keystone Port Terminals project sits on a nearly 110-acre parcel along the St. Johns River. It is projected to create up to 200 jobs.
The terminal will receive imported coal, petroleum coke and other bulk materials that will be supplied to its customers by truck, rail and barge. The facility will be able to receive ships at its three berths, which have a draft of 42 feet.
The company plans an additional $50 million for projects. The initial investment included what its first tenant calls “one of the fastest ship-unloading systems in the world.”
Keystone recently signed an agreement with Vulcan Materials Co. to lease 10 of the 110 acres at the site for 20 years.
“It’s an outstanding facility with great access to both I-95 and I-10, which will help us better serve our customers,” said Scott McCaleb, vice president of the Florida Rock Division of Vulcan Materials.
In November 2007, Vulcan acquired Jacksonville-based Florida Rock Industries Inc. in the largest acquisition in Vulcan’s 50-year history.
Vulcan will use its 10 acres to ship aggregates through the terminal. Examples are crushed stone, sand and gravel. The materials are used to build roads and nonresidential properties.
Vulcan also is one of the largest producers of other construction materials, including asphalt and ready-mixed concrete, and is a leading producer of cement in Florida.
“We plan on being there for a long time, and hopefully the real estate market will continue to get better and we will be able to grow more and more,” said McCaleb.
The company also has high sales goals for its newest location.
“Vulcan will sell limestone and granite from the Keystone Terminal with sales revenues anticipated to exceed $20 million per year,” said McCaleb.
Keystone Port Terminals has estimated that it has the potential to create up to 200 new jobs as coal and additional commodities are handled.
“The Keystone Terminals create new international trade and jobs for our region,” said Jerry Mallot, president of Cornerstone, the economic development arm of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Keystone Port Terminals is a part of privately held Keystone Industries, which has a history of 140 years. It sells coal and pet coke in the United States as well as international markets.
The company is headquartered in Fort Myers and has terminals in Jacksonville and Ironton, Ohio.
It has coal production businesses in Colombia (Cundinamarca, Santander and Cartegena); Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Sofia, Bulgaria; Beijing, China; and Seoul, Korea.
Keystone also has 6,000 acres of coal reserves in Kanawha County, West Virginia. Production began in 2001. It currently produces coal that supplies both industrial and electric generation customers.
Keystone Mineria is also exploring Colombia, South America, and has more than 100,000 hectares of coal reserves under geological study. Production there is scheduled for the end of 2011.
Vulcan is based in Birmingham, Ala., where the company began as Birmingham Slag Co. in 1909. It currently employs about 8,000 people companywide and is publicly traded and listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol VMC.
Its 2010 sales were reported at $2.4 billion.
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