The “cool” choice in logistics. A Virginia Beach Company went from 22,000 sf to 275,000 sf in six years

December 16, 2020

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (December 16, 2020) — Eimskip, founded in 1914, is a logistics company headquartered out of Iceland. Eimskip's slogan is the "cool choice in logistics" which could stand for the cool temperatures in Iceland and/or the reefer cargo specialization. In 1985, Eimskip opened its first office in Hampton Roads after having sailed container ships to the USA since 1915. Locally, Eimskip operates three main divisions: freight forwarding, truck brokerage, and warehousing. As part of the Virginia Beach expansion, the company will be leasing 108,000 sq. ft of space at 5816 Ward Court.

"It has been quite the Cinderella story here in Hampton Roads. We went from 22,000 sq. ft. at 10 percent utilization to 275,000 sq. ft. at 90 percent utilization in a matter of six years, making us one of the logistic warehouse leaders in Hampton Roads. We are a one-stop-shop for all logistic needs with an emphasis on high level, personal service which has resonated with the business community,” said Gylfi Aron Gylfason, Vice President of Eimskip Logistics.

Locally, Eimskip handles a broad spectrum of freight including food, solar, industrial, military & household goods. In recent years, Eimskip has differentiated itself by going after labor-intensive warehousing services. Today, approximately 60 percent of Eimskip’s total volume arrives floor-loaded in containers, as opposed to being on pallets.

“We are excited about the continued growth of Eimskip in our Airport Industrial Park. With three facilities now in Virginia Beach, we continue to support their efforts as one of the largest logistics operations in our region,” said Raymond White, Virginia Beach’s Business Development Coordinator.

“Year to date, we have unloaded over one million rolls of toilet paper and paper towels in addition to a large number of various food products, many of which are going to food banks. With the onset of COVID-19, it has been a privilege to play a part in keeping the supply chains moving and the economy healthy and safe. With vaccines around the corner, we are extremely excited about our current eCommerce project where we will be unloading and shipping 90,000 Christmas trees to families all around the country. I think we all deserve to end this year with a big smile and a Merry Christmas,” added Gylfi Aron Gylfason, Vice President of Eimskip Logistics.

The mission of the Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development is to attract and retain national and international businesses to stimulate capital investment and create jobs. Virginia Beach was named America’s #1 Best Big City to Live in and 3^rd Hardest-Working City in America by wallethub.com. For more information, visit www.yesvirginiabeach.com.

###