Shipping Giant Relocates DMV Operations from Maryland to Northern Virginia

logística assessment points to three candidate sites near washington with distinct advantages: one adjacent to the airport for rapid courier throughput, one along a major line for bulk document handling, and a third site that supports an integrated manufacturing processing workflow. each option affects location strategy and risk differently. This large advantage will attract new lines of business.

Three-site analysis indicates that the new hub could accommodate a workforce expansion and a more efficient processing line. The location would centralize services for customers in this region and support nearby manufacturing suppliers. The plan considers workers whose duties span licensing checks, identity verification, and document processing.

In a public briefing, spokesperson matan carranza described the initiative as a large step forward. He cited three moves: consolidate workflows in proximity to airport access, expand the location footprint, and safeguard continuity for workers.

The phased approach ensures a smooth transition this year, with three distinct milestones and measurable processing improvements, including a plan to double capacity where feasible. The team will coordinate with local vendors to support logística and help expand small business access to services while maintaining a robust line of services in the metro area.

Ultimately, the relocation aligns with broader regional goals, improving washington-area connectivity, support for manufacturing clusters, and the ability to expand capacity in a central hub. This effort emphasizes processing efficiency and location resilience, while keeping moves minimal for workers and partners.

DMV Relocation and DHL Distribution Moves: Practical Planning Guide

Set a day-definite go-live date for the new footprint and pre-stage critical assets two weeks ahead; lock the cutover window to 72 hours and rehearse a full-cycle test with inbound parcels and outbound loads. This ensures a clean start and minimizes disruption to customers and employees.

Conduct a space-centric layout review: assign three core zones–receiving, storage, and processing–and inventory door counts, dock locations, and clearance paths. For each zone, specify material flow, equipment needs, and aisle widths to prevent bottlenecks and to support efficient loading and unloading at the doors. Include a port or airport access plan for high-priority cargos and long-haul movements.

Design a logistics network with day-definite transit targets, balancing moves across three main corridors, and identify a primary carrier roster. If located in proximity to a Florida hub or other regional nodes, leverage those links to reduce dwell time for parcels and ecommerces. Ensure the total transit time from dock to customer satisfies service-level commitments and that the port and airport options are integrated into the routing logic.

Assign leadership: matan leads the core logistics vector and alejandra heads the employee transition and training; whose collaborative oversight aligns procurement, warehousing, and human resources across the move. Establish a single source of truth for task ownership and daily stand-ups to track progress.

Map total throughput across three product families and ensure that manufacturing and processing steps align with new facility features. For each product group, define a part itinerary, from intake to final parcel, and confirm that packaging, labeling, and palletization match the space, dock, and loading-door specs.

Implement a unified data platform: integrate order data, inventory levels, and parcels tracking with ecommerces partners; enable real-time visibility into every node of the move; use automation to reduce manual touches and improve accuracy. The system should have alerts for deviations so the team can respond quickly and keep fruits of the plan growing.

Prepare a risk registry with day-definite triggers and predefined mitigations: backup power, alternate loading paths, and alternate carriers. Validate third-party support for critical functions and set a clear escalation path for issues that affect doors, freight handling, or returns processing.

Define KPIs: on-time share, total cost per parcel, space utilization, and throughput per shift. Use a post-move audit to compare actuals against targets and adjust the plan to continue improving reliability and cost discipline.

Establish weekly review cadences and concise stakeholder briefings that cover progress, risk, and next steps; this keeps relocating stakeholders aligned and reduces surprises for employees and partners. Document lessons learned and update the playbook accordingly so future moves continue to benefit.

This approach combines practical steps, clear ownership, and measurable outcomes to keep the transition aligned with business goals, ensuring that the new site becomes a center for efficient logistics and faster deliveries.

Shipping Giant Moves DMV Operations from Maryland to Northern Virginia; DHL eCommerce relocates distribution center from Maryland to Virginia; DHL distribution center in Elkridge set to close relocate in February 2024; – Recommended Reading; DHL relocated Maryland e-commerce distribution center to Virginia; In the News Shipping Giant Moves DMV Operation from Maryland to Northern Virginia; Inbound Logistics March 2024

Recommendation: Move the e-commerce hub into a single large facility along the interstate corridor that feeds markets including Florida; aim for 700,000 square feet of space, 50 dock doors, a two-level plan with mezzanine rooms to handle high-volume parcels and shipments. Include an airport-adjacent option for day-definite deliveries and a dedicated area for fruits and other perishables, with robust inbound logistics to support rapid handling and turnover.

A spokesperson, Alejandra Carranza, announced the plan to consolidate three divisions into one site near Manassas and the Washington metro corridor, designed to better serve the Americas with integrated e-commerce capabilities. The move is expected to expand the footprint to roughly 1,000–1,200 employees, supported by three line configurations that optimize shipments, including double-shift coverage during peak days. The facility will feature doors and docks sized to accommodate large volumes and a flexible layout that supports continual growth across the day and night cycles.

Timeline and milestones: DMV move, E‑commerce DC relocation, and February 2024 Elkridge closure

Recommendation: implement a staged reassignment that drives more processing into large centers along the interstate corridor, enabling better throughput and faster fulfillment in each city while minimizing days of disruption.

1. Planning and designation – Completed designations for three built centers, with total size exceeding 2.0 million square feet and more than 40 doors per facility. This phase established the location strategy, aligned with a broad logistics plan, and defined room allocations across the warehouses.
2. Build‑out and ramp‑up – Construction materials and finishing work were scheduled to support a fast transition, with rooms configured for e-commerce, bulk processing, and cross‑docking. The plan includes adjacent centers to expand capacity, improve processing throughput, and reduce handling times by days, which is critical for high‑volume orders.
3. E‑commerce DC relocation – The new distribution hubs will absorb most volumes from high‑demand product lines, with a clearer designation for inbound and outbound lanes. The locations were chosen for proximity to port access and airport corridors, which helps shorten total transit times and improve carrier service levels.
4. February 2024 Elkridge closure – The closure was executed over a tightly coordinated window, including inventory transfers, data synchronization, and decommissioning. The process spanned a defined 30‑ to 45‑day period, with final doors closed and all large material handling equipment accounted for in the records.
5. Post‑closure optimization – After the Elkridge shutdown, the network was tuned to increase throughput, streamline processing steps, and finalize the matan‑style routing for the interstate corridors. This phase emphasizes better utilization of the built centers and the airport‑adjacent nodes.

Key capabilities and features driving the timeline include: a more resilient processing flow, room‑level zoning to separate high‑volume e‑commerce from standard processing, and scalable designs that accommodate incremental growth in volume and the addition of new centers over time.

• Location and access – The centers are positioned to optimize intermodal moves, with direct access to major arteries and ports, plus dedicated cargo corridors to support rapid transfers.
• Size and layout – Each building offers a large footprint, optimized for bulk inbound, cross‑dock, and outbound processing. The interior includes configurable rooms and flexible bays to adapt to changing product mixes.
• Doors and docks – A robust dock system with multiple door bays supports continuous operations and reduces wait times during peak periods.
• Materials and build quality – High‑performing construction materials ensure long‑term durability and manageable maintenance, aligning with the plan to expand processing capacity without sacrificing reliability.
• Logistics and corridors – The interstate network, alongside dedicated corridors such as the carranza‑aligned route and the matan logistics lane, supports faster movement to the port and nearby centers.
• Volumes and throughput – The configuration targets a total daily processing capacity that scales with demand, enabling more orders to be fulfilled from fewer handling steps and reducing cycle times.
• Projection and stability – The plan anticipates expansion into additional centers to handle growing e‑commerce volumes, with a built pathway to add rooms, materials, and equipment as needed.
• Operational designation – A formal designation framework guides which centers handle inbound, outbound, and reverse logistics, improving clarity for carriers and internal teams.
• Risk management – Contingency routes are mapped for disruptions, with backup processing rooms and alternate load plans to maintain continuity.

Which outcomes drive the approach: more reliable processing, faster processing cycles, better service levels, and a scalable footprint that can accommodate future growth in the city network, adjacent regions, and cross‑border commerce via port and airport access. This plan emphasizes a location‑driven strategy, with features tailored to high‑volume e‑commerce and multi‑center distribution, ensuring the long‑term capacity and flexibility required by a fast‑moving logistics ecosystem.

Facility footprint and site selection: Northern Virginia facilities vs. Elkridge

Recommendation: The corporate move should establish a scalable facility footprint around 1.2 million square feet, with a flexible cross-dock zone of 450k–600k square feet and 60–70 acres of yard. The site must offer direct access to key highways and a regional port to support rapid e-commerce cycles. Elkridge delivers a compact, cost-efficient option with shorter travel times to washington metro area clusters; another viable option lies along the beltway corridor with a larger building footprint for a broader product mix, including fruits and non-perishables. The building should include 32 loading docks, high-bay storage of roughly 180k square feet, and automation to move materials between staging and warehouse spaces.

Located near major freight corridors, the Elkridge site supports a relocated flow that reduces dwell times. A spokesperson will share minutes from the review meeting, noting that the plan continue to address the needs of employees and workers in the washington metro region. The building footprint will permit materials to flow dock to pallet and then to warehouse storage with minimal handling. The location supports a corporate move where the team can continue to scale operations over the next quarters.

Staffing and product mix: the site must support a diverse product range, including dole fruits for e-commerce orders; inbound flow for packaging materials, and a returns loop. Key stakeholders include alejandra, matan, and carranza who lead site coordination with the corporate group. Employees in the region will be located close to the building to minimize turnover; workers will continue to train on safety and dock operations.

Logistics and cost considerations: comparing location costs, Elkridge presents lower real estate leasing rates and shorter permitting cycles, while the regional corridor offers larger parcels for future expansion. For port access, Baltimore enables direct shipments for certain lines and supports cross-docking with laredo benchmarking on volumes. The plan also considers perishables, such as vegetables and fruits, and the need to maintain temperature control where applicable. Each scenario aims to minimize total landed cost while maximizing service levels for e-commerce and ecommerces offerings.

Operational cadence: minutes from the steering committee indicate milestones for relocating, with alejandra leading the planning, and carranza coordinating with the local team and port partners. The workers and employees will be informed about the located site and operational changes, with a continued emphasis on safety, equipment maintenance, and process standardization. The relocated facility will integrate a building management system and continuous improvement programs to support ongoing efficiency gains over the coming months, whose success will be tracked by the spokesperson and reviewed in regular meetings.

E‑commerce fulfillment transition: Maryland to Virginia impact on capacity and throughput

Recommendation: consolidate ecommerces fulfillment into three facilities along the interstate corridor, designate a large central hub located near the Washington metro, and operate two satellite centers to sustain throughput during relocating three facilities.

Capacity snapshot: the three facilities combined will span approximately 2.5–3.0 million square feet, with 40–52 dock bays and enough space to handle 1.2–1.6 million parcels daily, including large parcels. Storage rooms will be organized in a three-room grading system to optimize pick paths, while cross-dock lanes shorten inbound-to-outbound times to minutes rather than hours. The move aims to reduce intersite transfers and improve line-haul reliability across the interstate network.

Leadership and staffing: alejandra carranza, a division spokesperson, announced the plan and highlighted that workers will be relocated with help from the washington team. The transition will be executed in three phases over days, with overlapping windows to protect service levels and minimize downtime. The central hub will absorb the majority of volume, while the two satellites provide overflow and returns capacity.

Site design and designation: the layout combines three zones–central fulfillment, returns, and reserve storage–under one designation for rapid redeployment during peak periods. The central facility will feature wide docks, ample space for pallets, and room to expand scalable equipment, enabling quick reconfiguration of aisles and pickers during the three shift windows.

Impact for customers and carrier networks: capacity gains translate to faster processing of large parcels and more reliable delivery windows, with outbound parcels moving from dock to trucks in fewer steps. Expanded space near port-adjacent corridors improves last-mile speed and reduces days in backlog during flash sales and seasonal peaks. With more rooms and space, the division can combine orders more efficiently and serve more ecommerces with consistent throughput even when volumes spike.

Network and carrier implications: DHL eCommerce routing, last‑mile coverage, and transit adjustments

Recommendation: route DHL eCommerce traffic through the manassas hub and build a dedicated last‑mile network to ensure day‑definite delivery with minimal dwell time; after intake, processing should continue within 30–60 minutes and handoff should occur at the designated dock.

Designation and routing: implement an optebulk designation that channels each parcel along a fixed path from intake to final‑mile handoff; this reduces touches and preserves the warehouse footprint, where rooms are clearly separated for receiving, processing, packing, and returns.

Last‑mile coverage: the network prioritizes service in manassas, Centreville, Woodbridge, and surrounding towns within a 60‑mile radius; local carriers within this footprint can reach most parcels in day‑definite windows, aided by a multi‑tier pick‑up and drop‑off cadence that minimizes dwell time and keeps service levels high.

Transit adjustments: cross‑border flows for international shipments use the port network including Laredo for initial consolidation; shipments then combine in the hub and move via rail or intercity trucks toward the east‑coast corridor, reducing intra‑hub transit minutes and improving overall cycle time for parcels.

Operational note: a corporate spokesperson located at the site highlights that the building features multiple rooms and a clear e‑commerce designation; the operation relocated to the manassas location to handle volume, with a continuous processing line that ensures fruits handling and other items such as dole crates are moved with care, which helps maintain product integrity and service levels.

Customer impact and communications: SLAs, delivery windows, and order processing changes

Implement a unified SLAs framework now: publish concrete day-definite delivery windows for all shipments and parcels, with explicit processing times and explicit options for expedited e-commerce deliveries.

Alejandra will serve as the primary liaison for updates about the move, new doors and delivery windows, and any delays. Communications will be delivered within minutes via email, SMS, and the customer portal, with a single, consistent cadence across channels to reduce confusion.

Processing workflows will double throughput by consolidating tasks across facilities located near the city hub in virginia. The network combines large centers with multiple rooms and doors to smooth handoffs, improve total cycle times, and support day-definite pickups and deliveries. Fruit shipments and other perishable items will receive dedicated temperature-controlled spaces when needed.

The approach leverages optebulk analytics to forecast shipments volume and to schedule door openings and labor. This ensures that days of operation stay predictable even on peak periods, and enables customers to continue receiving steady service with double the transparency. For high-volume days, a reserve window is provided and expedited options remain available to maintain e-commerce speed.

Further reading and primary sources: Inbound Logistics coverage and related reports

Check Inbound Logistics coverage for primary sources on relocation patterns in a large florida city with relocating logistics hubs; it combines double-airport access and a building line whose location is defined by a division. The ecommerces part spans three centers, with size features built around a dock and feet-wide berths to serve shipments and continue volume, expand better for each employee. matan notes a definite footprint and a growing employee count to support capacity gains.

For actionable guidance, use the table below to identify primary sources that cover facility design, center location strategies, and capacity expansion, with emphasis on e-commerce fulfillment, dock operations, and airport access across different regions.