Orgill and Sikeston team up to take message over the road

SIKESTON – Orgill, Inc. and Sikeston’s Area Economic Development Corporation have teamed together to try and let people, manufacturers and suppliers in 11 states know that Sikeston is a strategic location for business and industry.

Beginning in November, a map will be seen on some Orgill trailers that will show Sikeston’s location, featuring its short distance from major cities, near the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, at the junction of Interstates 55 and 57 and home of an Orgill Distribution Center. The trailer boards also point out that Sikeston is located along the future Interstate 57.

“We felt this was an opportunity we could not pass up to get our message out across the mid-section of the country,” said Mike Marshall, president and CEO of the Sikeston Regional Chamber of Commerce and Area Economic Development Corporation.

According to Orgill, an average of 32 tractor-trailers leave the Sikeston Distribution Center each day with destinations in 18 states. Those tractor-trailers go to places such as Detroit, Michigan; Omaha, Nebraska; Minneapolis, Minnesota and Little Rock, Arkansas.

Orgill’s trucks pass through Chicago, St. Louis, Louisville, Memphis and Nashville daily and each truck averages just under 1,000 miles per trip on Interstates 24, 40, 55, 57, 70 and 80.

Denny Koonce, manager of Orgill’s Sikeston Distribution Center said Sikeston is an excellent location for Orgill and the city has been a great partner.

“For years we have thought of our trucks as rolling billboards,” Koonce said. “This is an opportunity to share the benefits of Sikeston throughout the eighteen states we serve.”

Marshall applauded Koonce for providing his guidance and helping make the project a reality.

“Sikeston is very fortunate to have several national and regional manufacturers and distribution companies. We have built strong partnerships with those companies and Sikeston’s Regional Chamber and Area Economic Development,” added Marshall. “That is key to retaining and growing jobs and our quality of life.”