The Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) announced that Total Quality Logistics (TQL), the nation’s second-largest freight brokerage firm, will open an office in Orange County, Fla. and projects to create up to 75 positions over the next three years. The company will make a capital investment totaling $380,000.
Governor Rick Scott said, “Our work to make Florida the number one state for business is paying off. The news that TQL will create 75 jobs in Orange County means 75 more Florida families will be able to find jobs and pursue their version of the American dream. I applaud everyone involved in this project and thank TQL for choosing Orange County for their newest office with this $380,000 capital investment.”
“TQL is aggressively expanding nationwide and we have strategically chosen Metro Orlando as our next location,” said Kerry Byrne, TQL Executive Vice President. “This is a region where our people have told us they will enjoy the quality of life and amenities. It is also an area where we can attract motivated individuals from surrounding colleges and universities to a challenging and rewarding sales career with our company.”
The State of Florida, Enterprise Florida, Orange County and the Metro Orlando EDC collaborated on this project.
“We are very pleased to have TQL join our business community,” said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs. “The high-wage, high-value jobs they are bringing to our region are another indicator that Orange County is set for continued economic growth this year.”
“Metro Orlando’s central location within the state and deep, diverse talent pool of experienced distribution employees helps to position it as a hub for this industry, making it the perfect location for TQL’s expansion,” said Rick Weddle, President and CEO of the Metro Orlando EDC.
Total Quality Logistics has received approval from the State of Florida and Orange County for a Florida Qualified Target Industry (QTI) Tax Refund of $225,000, a performance-based incentive that is awarded after job goals and other contractual requirements are met.
“Despite other location options, TQL chose Florida for this critical step in its business plan. What a high compliment for our state, and one that speaks volumes about the caliber of Orange County as a place to establish and expand a business,” said Enterprise Florida President & CEO Gray Swoope.
About the Metro Orlando EDC
The Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission (EDC) is a not-for-profit, private/public partnership. The EDC serves Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties and the City of Orlando in Florida. Since its start in 1977, the EDC, with the support of its community partners, has assisted thousands of companies relocate, expand and grow in the four-county Metro Orlando (Florida) region. This has led to the creation of more than 173,000 jobs; over $9.4 billion in capital investment; and more than 78.8 million square feet of office and industrial space leased or constructed. For more information, visit www.OrlandoEDC.com.
About Total Quality Logistics
Total Quality Logistics is now the second largest freight brokerage in the nation, with more than $1.3 billion in annual sales. The company, founded in 1997, is privately held and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, with 16 additional satellite locations across the nation. TQL was ranked among the nation’s 150 Top Workplaces in 2013 in one of the largest-ever surveys of U.S. companies, with more than 1 million employees participating nationwide. TQL also was named by Inc. Magazine as a leading company for creating American jobs and by Glassdoor as one of the top companies for career opportunities. TQL employs more than 2,000 nationwide.