By Joshua Burd
Support for the business coalition known as Circulate NJ continues to grow, prompting the addition of six new members in the last three months alone as it highlights the vast economic benefits of the state’s logistics sector.
The group’s newest members include Supply Chain Federation, Dynamic Engineering Consultants PC and the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey, adding to a roster that has grown to more than 40 participants since its launch last fall. They join a group of companies and organizations that span all segments of the transportation, logistics and distribution industries that make up New Jersey’s supply chain, a list that’s likely to grow further in the coming weeks and months.
Circulate NJ said as much Monday when it announced Supply Chain Federation as its newest member, noting that the national advocacy group works to secure and strengthen America’s supply chain and unite business and labor to protect jobs, invest in domestic infrastructure and safeguard the supply chain and economy from global instability.
“The logistics industry — and in turn, New Jersey — cannot thrive without a strong, sustainable supply chain,” said David Greek, chair of Circulate NJ and managing partner of Greek Real Estate Partners in East Brunswick. “The knowledge that the Supply Chain Federation brings, both on a local and national scale, makes them a key educational resource. We welcome them to Circulate NJ and hope that industry stakeholders, elected officials and members of the public will utilize their expertise.”
The coalition, which is built on promoting the economic benefits of the state’s far-reaching logistics sector, noted that its coalition spans port workers, warehouse owners, retail developers, trucking companies and more. The growth of its membership has come alongside an ongoing public awareness campaign, which aims to share information on the transportation, logistics and distribution industries and defuse the hostile rhetoric and misinformation that has derailed a growing number of warehouse projects in recent years.
To that end, Circulate NJ cited data from the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development showing that the transportation, logistics and distribution industry:
- Supports more than 400,000 jobs
- Employs 12 percent of the state’s private workforce and provides 12.7 percent of New Jersey private-sector wages
- Provides an average $75,000 annual industry salary
- Contributes $62.5 billion, or 10 percent, to New Jersey’s overall GDP
According to a news release, Supply Chain Federation advocates for regulatory and legislative measures that protect and strengthen the supply chain and against unnecessary and shortsighted policies on the federal, state and local level that make it more difficult to get the goods and services Americans rely on where they need them most.
Other newly added members this year include Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP, Solar Landscape, Casdale Energy Cost Management, The Blau & Berg Co. and Atlantic Handling Systems.
“We are proud to join Circulate NJ and stand alongside a coalition that truly understands how vital logistics are to the health of local economies and communities,” Supply Chain Federation CEO Amanda Blackwood said. “Circulate NJ has been a leader in uniting diverse voices to advocate for sustainable growth, smart infrastructure investment, and job creation. At the Supply Chain Federation, we are excited to contribute our national perspective to this forward-thinking alliance and help ensure New Jersey’s supply chain remains strong, resilient and inclusive.”
