Freight Carrier Expands Norwalk, Conn., Presence

    Feb. 24, 2006
    Established in 1999 when it acquired the assets of Southern Air Transport Inc. of Columbus, Ohio, Southern Air Inc. bought two vacant Norwalk buildings from Sorteberg Controls last summer with the goal of expanding its operations.

    Source The Stamford Advocate

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    Feb. 23 -- Southwestern Connecticut is home to units of passenger carriers Virgin Atlantic Airlines and JetBlue Airways, but also here and poised for growth is a freight carrier that already is serving customers as far away as Korea.

    Established in 1999 when it acquired the assets of Southern Air Transport Inc. of Columbus, Ohio, Southern Air Inc. bought two vacant Norwalk buildings from Sorteberg Controls last summer with the goal of expanding its operations.

    The carrier, which moved its operations center from 67 Glover Ave. to larger space at 117 Glover Ave., last year, now owns seven acres on the west side of the roadway.

    "We believe in this area. It's a great place to do business," said Brian Neff, chief financial officer of the airline, touting the access to Interstate 95 and the Merritt Parkway.

    Its building at 117 Glover Ave., houses 55 employees who work in three shifts around the clock, Neff said

    By acquiring 109 and 111 Glover Ave. from Sorteberg, Southern has been able to capture a string of contiguous properties, including 67, 69, 79, 87, 109, 111 and 117 Glover Ave.

    It is now seeking a tenant for the recently renovated 6,300-square-foot building at 67 Glover Ave.

    "It was extremely important that they should have those buildings," said Bob Virgulak, a principal in Desmond, Virgulak, Brown Commercial Realty Inc. in Norwalk, who brokered the deal between Sorteberg and Southern Air.

    Southern is reserving 109 and 111 Glover Ave. for future expansion, deciding to leave them vacant so it can make immediate improvements when needed as the company adds employees and expands its fleet of transport jets. Few renovations should be needed, aside from roof repairs, Neff said.

    "Within the next year, we'll be making a decision" about fixing up the buildings, he said.

    Southern Air's biggest customer is Korean Airlines, which uses the Norwalk carrier's services most often when its own freight transports are at capacity. Southern Air provides both aircraft and crew.

    The state of international commerce couldn't be any better for Southern Air, which flies five Boeing 747-200 freight transports, said Brendon Fried, executive director of the Air Forwarders Association in Washington, D.C.

    "Korean Airlines has one of the biggest cargo operations in the world," said Fried. "There is so much freight coming out of the Far East. Finding space to the West is difficult. Planes flying to the Far East run half full."

    Southern Air, which has a 130-person flight crew, plans slow, controlled growth, adding one aircraft a year to meet the demand, Neff said. He declined to discuss the company's revenue.

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