Distribution
THE KANSAS CITY REGION: Supply Chain Centered
The Kansas City region has a rich history as a center for commerce. Its heartland, river-based location made it a natural crossroads for transcontinental rail, interstate, and waterway. Through its history, Greater Kansas City has established itself as the leading center for trade and distribution within the central United States. Kansas City is experiencing one of the largest industrial booms in its history and is a center of choice for warehousing, manufacturing and distribution. Business has prospered due in large part to the region’s abundant, multi-modal transportation network.
Kansas City has several key components that make it an excellent hub for all transportation and logistics operations.
Location
Kansas City is the most centrally located major U.S. market. It is the focal point of movement and distribution of goods.
- Located at the intersection of four of the nation’s major interstate highways (I-35, I-70, I-29, I-49).
- KC is the largest rail center in the U.S. by tonnage.
- Located at the heart of a rail corridor spanning coast to coast across the U.S. and extending from Canada to Mexico (NAFTA Railway)
- The Kansas City International Airport moves more air cargo each year than any air center in a six-state region.
- Located on the largest navigable inland waterway (Missouri/Mississippi River system).
- The Kansas City Foreign Trade Zones handle more volume than those of Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis and St. Louis.
Vertical Ready
4 Intermodal Logistics Parks
With an extensive rail and highway infrastructure, the region is an ideal location for intermodal activity. Kansas City offers manufacturers and distributors direct access to Midwest population centers, coastal market and North America. The four intermodal parks in the Kansas City region provide companies with multiple options for state-of-the-art warehousing, distribution and manufacturing facilities that are located near a major transportation hub.
I-49 Logistics Center
- 1,340-acre intermodal facility served by KC Southern Railroad in South Kansas City.
KCI Intermodal BusinessCentre
- 800-acre master planned development with air side access to KCI airport.
Logistics Park KC
- 1,500-acre master-planned distribution and warehouse development served by BNSF Railway.
Northland Park
- Flexible lot sites from 11 to 85+ acres located next to one of Triple Crown Services' key intermodal facilities, also served by Norfolk Southern.
Workforce
Kansas City is a growing distribution market and has a larger portion of employment in the distribution and warehousing sector than the U.S. as a whole. The KC region has 105,080 workers in the transportation and warehouse industry. The industry has proven to be a regional strength over a long period of time. Kansas City mirrors the U.S. regarding employment in distribution and warehousing, therefore proving to be a stable industry over a long period of time. For a closer look at KC's logistics workforce click on the Logistics Occupations link below.
Occupation |
Employment |
Median Wage |
KC Concentration Compared to National Average |
TOTAL Transportation & Material Moving Occupations |
105,080 |
$42,090 |
108% |
Transportation, Storage & Distribution Managers
|
1,070 |
$99,790 |
76% |
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation & Material Moving Workers
|
4,620 |
$61,980 |
109% |
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
|
18,800 |
$57,110 |
129% |
Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers
|
7,620 |
$44,000 |
107% |
Industrial Truck & Tractor Operators
|
7,390 |
$49,000 |
134% |
Cleaners of Vehicles & Equipment
|
3,080 |
$34,060 |
119% |
Laborers & Freight, Stock & Material Movers, Hand
|
19,800 |
$38,990 |
93% |
Packers & Packagers, Hand
|
4,740 |
$36,210 |
103% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment, May 2023.
For more information regarding logistics in the Kansas City region, visit KC SmartPort's website or contact:
CHRIS GUTIERREZ
President | KC SmartPort
Email | LinkedIn
816.591.7311
ELLI BOWEN
Vice President | KC SmartPort
Email | LinkedIn
816.579.3370
JILL McCARTHY
Senior Vice President, Corporate Attraction | KCADC
Email | LinkedIn
816.591.1834