What's New

Walker will exhibit at the Logistics Conference 2010 of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) for the fifth consecutive year.

We will demonstrate the firm’s proprietary site selection optimization model, WISER, which builds on network analyses to optimize labor costs, taxes, labor availability, labor union avoidance, and other critical quantitative and qualitative site selection objectives.

The 2010 conference, held February 21 – 24 in Orlando, FL, will focus on the following strategic areas and speaking tracks:

• Distribution
• Transportation
• International Logistics & Sourcing
• Legislative & Regulatory Issues
• Sustainability
• Workforce Diversity & Inclusion

The conference brings together representatives of all major retail and consumer product segments, along with relevant solutions providers. Top supply chain executives from the largest, fastest growing and most innovative retailers attend RILA's Logistics Conference.

Raymond Walker, President, will attend The Logistics & Supply Chain Forum in Scottsdale, AZ.  This fast-paced, two-day event hosts 180 senior logistics and supply chain executives from top companies.  Conference sessions are given by industry experts who have a clear understanding of the business obstacles inherent in the logistics and supply chain sector.

Through workshops, roundtables, seminars and speed networking, logistics and supply chain professionals share best practices and successful case studies with top industry decision-makers.

Walker will be one of approximately 40 exhibitors at the SCOPE (Supply Chain Operations Private Exposition) West Conference in Las Vegas, NV, August 19-21, 2009.

This exclusive, invitation-only event for senior level executives in supply chain management, logistics and material handling focuses on best practices in consumer goods, 3PL/distribution, and manufacturing.

Raymond Walker, President, and Nicole Bennett, Executive Level Business Development, will represent The Walker Companies at the conference.

Walker was also an exhibitor at the SCOPE East Conference held in Orlando, FL, in April 2009.

John Warden, Executive Vice President, will participate  in a panel discussion at the annual conference of the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) in  Point Clear, AL on August 18. The panel will be discussing recent trends in site location searches.

The Walker Companies have joined CORFAC International as the organization’s first Consulting Affiliate member. CORFAC is a global alliance of leading entrepreneurial and privately held commercial real estate and industrial firms serving more than 150 markets worldwide. President Raymond Walker will attend the conferences listed below to promote The Walker Companies’ strategic partnership with CORFAC.

• CORFAC Southeastern Regional Conference – Charlotte, NC – February 10-12, 2009
• CORFAC Central Regional Conference – Memphis, TN – March 12-13, 2009
• CORFAC International Spring Summit – San Diego, CA – April 27-30, 2009
• CORFAC Northeast Regional Conference - Wilmington, DE - June 15-17, 2009
• CORFAC International Fall Conference – Charleston, SC – September 1-4, 2009

“Our participation in these conferences will generate invaluable networking opportunities,” stated Raymond Walker, “which will educate both Walker and CORFAC members on the mutual benefits of this strong global alliance.”

The Walker Companies recently joined the 15,000+-member U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a non-profit organization composed of leaders working to promote sustainability in building design and construction.   USGBC is best known for the development of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and the LEED Professional Accreditation program, administered through the Green Building Certification Institute.  Gabe Callol, P.E., Vice President of Development Services at Walker, is currently working toward a LEED Accredited Professional (AP) designation.  To learn more about the USGBC, click here.

Fort Worth, TX - The Walker Companies represented Save-A-Lot (Moran Foods, Inc.) in its lease renewal of a 253,700 SF distribution center on 24 acres in Fort Worth, Texas, from Agellan Capital Partners, Inc. The lease renewal commenced October 2008 and expires September 2018.

Louisville, KY – The Walker Companies has been appointed the exclusive agent of the former Linens ‘N Things distribution center in the Cedar Grove Business Park, Shepherdsville, KY.  Built in 2001, this world-class 611,000 SF facility sits on a 47-acre fenced site with immediate I-65 access. Click here for more information, or contact Raymond Walker at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Danny Wald at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Walker was an exhibitor at the SCOPE (Supply Chain Operations Private Exposition) East Conference in Orlando, FL. This exclusive event offered senior level executives in supply chain, distribution and manufacturing industries a one-stop resource to connect and exchange ideas with influential industry peers.

Several components of the conference included:

• Educational sessions focused on the key areas of "lean, green and visability"
• Case studies co-presented with clients demonstrating actual supply chain challenges and solutions
• Research on the latest technology and innovations from the industry's premier suppliers

Raymond Walker, President, and Nicole Bennett, Executive Level Business Development, represented The Walker Companies at the conference.

For the fourth consecutive year, The Walker Companies exhibited at the Retail Industry Leaders Association's (RILA) 2009 Logistics Conference. Walker hosted an exhibit demonstrating the firm’s proprietary site selection optimization model, WISER, which builds on network analyses to optimize for labor costs, taxes, labor availability, labor union avoidance, and other critical quantitative and qualitative site selection objectives.

“While the economy is weak, we are very pleased at the number of executives who see an immediate application for WISER in their ongoing goal to squeeze cost out of the supply chain,” according to Raymond Walker.

Kevin Hourican, SVP of Direct to Consumer Logistics for Macy’s, Inc., showcased how their new Goodyear, AZ distribution center solved one of the retail giant’s supply chain challenges. Walker advised Macy’s on site selection, incentive and real estate negotiations and project management for the 600,000 SF fulfillment center, which Hourican cited as the top performer in Macy’s six facility DC network. Hourican attributed much of the success of the Arizona facility, which opened in June 2008, to Walker’s comprehensive operating cost analysis, labor assessment and project coordination.  Click here to view Macy's presentation.

The Walker Companies’ were one of three Atlanta businesses whose proactive marketing strategies in a difficult economy were featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article—“Smart Companies Stay Busy.” To read how Walker implemented its business development plan, click here.

The Walker Companies have represented the following clients...

• Macy's, Inc. in its selection of Goodyear, AZ for its 603,000 square foot direct-to-consumer distribution facility.
• Longs Drugs Stores in the site selection and development of a new 810,000 square foot distribution facility in Patterson, CA and the sale leaseback of a 436,000 square foot facility in Lathrop, CA.
• AutoZone for location consulting, incentive negotiation and turnkey development of a 600,000 square foot distribution center in Hazleton, PA.
• AutoZone in the disposition of a 463,000 square foot distribution facility in Lafayette, LA.
• EFACEC Group of Portgual in its site selection of Effingham County, GA for its 450,000 square foot manufacturing facility.
• North American Pipe Corporation for site selection and development of a 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility to be located in Yucca, AZ.
• Macy's, Inc. in the acquistion of an 850,000 square foot distribution in Minooka, IL.

The Walker Companies have been engaged by:

• Project Yankee (confidential client) for site selection and development of a 150,000 square foot refrigerated warehouse in the northeastern U.S.
• Project Highland (confidential client) for site selection of an industrial facility in the Midwest U.S.

John Warden, Executive Vice President of The Walker Companies, was recently interviewed by Site Selection magazine for his expertise in evaluating the information found on economic development web sites. Click here to read the article in its entirety to find out which economic development web sites Mr. Warden ranks among the best.

Hazleton, PA - AutoZone, the nation's largest auto parts retailer, constructed a 600,000 sq. ft. distribution center in Pennsylvania. AutoZone was represented by Walker, who advised the company on site selection and development of the facility. The building is located on 60 acres in the Humboldt Industrial Park North, Hazleton (Luzerne County), PA. When fully operational, the distribution center will employ approximately 400 employees and distribute parts and products to AutoZone stores in the Northeast.

Walker assisted AutoZone with location analysis, operating cost studies, incentive negotiations, real estate acquisition, and construction management.

Monroe, OH –The Walker Companies has sold 81 acres of prime industrial land located in the northern-Cincinnati suburb of Monroe, Ohio to Atlanta-based IDI. Daniel Wald of The Walker Companies and Si Pitstick of Cincinnati Commercial Realtors represented the seller in the transaction. A Walker-sponsored partnership acquired the former farm property in May 2006. Walker completed the planning and design for the development of up to 1.2 million square feet of industrial space and negotiated a comprehensive tax incentive agreement with the City of Monroe and local school district prior to the sale to IDI.

Walker, based in Atlanta, Georgia, advises major corporations seeking a new distribution center or manufacturing plant. The Walker Way assures companies the most thorough location analysis, the most favorable real estate acquisition terms, the most productive incentive negotiations and the most innovative building design and construction solutions.

Walker Represents Macy's, Inc. - 10/30/07
with two separate distribution center transactions.

Goodyear, AZ - The Walker Companies represented Macy's in its selection of Goodyear, AZ for its newest fulfillment center. This direct-to-consumer distribution facility, serving the western U.S., will be 603,000 SF with an investment of almost $100 million. Phase I of the new operation will employ approximately 500 full-time associates. The Arizona distribution center is designed to accommodate a future expansion of 400,000 SF.

Walker assisted Macy's with location analysis, operating cost studies, incentive negotiations, real estate acquisition (36 acres) and preconstruction planning. Construction for the Goodyear, AZ facility (located in the western suburb of Phoenix) will begin in spring 2007 and is scheduled for completion in spring 2008.

Minooka, IL - Raymond Walker, SIOR and Daniel Wald of The Walker Companies represented Macy’s Retail Holdings, Inc. in the acquisition of an 850,000 square foot distribution center in Minooka, IL. The facility, which is located in Minooka Ridge Business Park (approximately 50 miles southwest of Chicago), was purchased from Opus North Corporation. The Walker Companies were assisted in the transaction by Trevor Ragsdale of the Chicago office of The Staubach Company.

The facility, initially employing an estimated 210 full- and part-time associates, is scheduled to open in early spring 2008. It will be operated by the Macy's Logistics and Operations division. As the new facility is phased in, Macy's will phase out operations at an existing multi-story distribution center in downtown Chicago, built beginning in the 1930s.

Macy's, Inc., with corporate offices in Cincinnati and New York, is one of the nation's premier retailers, with fiscal 2006 sales of $27 billion. The company operates more than 850 department stores in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico under the names of Macy's and Bloomingdale's. Prior to June 1, 2007, Macy's, Inc. was known as Federated Department Stores, Inc.