WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The Port of Palm Beach District today selected Florida Crystals as its partner to develop the South Florida Regional Intermodal Logistic Center in western Palm Beach County in order to strategically meet the demands of future cargo traffic.

"We are very pleased by the Port of Palm Beach Commissioners' selection of Florida Crystals as their partner in the pursuit of an Inland Logistics Center at the Okeelanta site," said Gaston Cantens, Vice President of Florida Crystals. "We look forward to working with port officials as well as other governmental agencies to ensure a development schedule that will accomplish the port's goals and provide much-needed economic opportunities and jobs for western Palm Beach County."

Western Palm Beach County has struggled with soaring unemployment rates of more than 40 percent and little or no economic activity. The Inland Logistics Center has the potential to create 600 jobs per one million square feet of distribution space.

"We are hopeful now that the local governments have spoken Governor Crist will put aside his recent differences with Florida Crystals and not continue to cause economic harm to the residents of western Palm Beach County," said Cantens.

A 2007 Florida Department of Transportation feasibility study conducted by Cambridge Systematics, Inc. identified western Palm Beach County, along the US 27 corridor, as the ideal location for such a facility to meet the South Florida region's future needs for warehouse, storage and distribution space.

Florida Crystals is a leading domestic sugar producer and North America's first fully integrated cane sugar company, guiding its sugar from the field to the table. Florida Crystals is the country's first and only producer of certified organic sugar 100 percent made in the USA. Florida Crystals also generates clean, renewable energy in North America's largest biomass power plant, which supplies reliable power to its sugar operations and nearly 60,000 Florida homes. For more information, visit www.floridacrystals.com.

    Contact:
    Gaston Cantens
    561-248-1953

SOURCE Florida Crystals