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VENEZIA ON THE MOVE
-Special to The Mercury. |
LIMERICK --
Launched in the mid 1960s as a father-and-son mission, Venezia Transport Services Inc. has
skyrocketed into a national shipping authority, boasting annual revenue upward of $45
million.
With growth -- 1999 saw Venezia’s total holdings increase 30 percent -- comes the
inevitable need for expansion. And the company run by brothers Frank, John and Andrew
Venezia is expanding its operation to the tune of a new $3 million, 45,000-square-foot
headquarters and main terminal facility situated on 25 acres behind the Pottstown/Limerick
Airport.
Vice President of Operations Louis Capolino described the new building as a
"state-of-the-art facility that will finally give us enough space to move
around."
"As you can see, we’re really cramped here," said Capolino, referring to
the company’s current site. "This new facility will allow us to spread
out."
The company is currently stationed on Ridge Pike, but when the new headquarters is
completed next summer, it won’t be the first time Venezia Transport has moved around
the area.
In 1967, the late Joseph Venezia and his oldest son Frank formed Venezia Transport in
Trooper with only one truck, limiting them to local deliveries, explained 34-year-old
Andrew, who also serves as executive vice president of operations.
Now, the company has more than 350 drivers transporting an assortment of goods between
terminals positioned throughout New Jersey, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania -- including
its headquarters in Limerick.
"We have the authority as well as the ability to operate nationwide and in Canada,
but most of our business is conducted east of the Mississippi," Capolino explained.
In addition to transporting all types of liquids (fuel, oil, etc.) and dry-bulk
construction materials, the company also ships finished goods for large chain stores like
Circuit City.
"We’re involved in a lot of long-distance transportation of finished retail
goods," Andrew said. "Our drivers pick up the products at the warehouse and
deliver them to the retail stores."
Right now, Venezia is currently assisting with some of the on-site storage while Route 202
is under construction.
"We’re actually quite diversified, and since April we’re now in the propane
business," said Andrew. "We’re always looking for new ventures to expand
into and new acquisitions."
Since the company has called western Montgomery County home for more than 30 years, the
Venezia brothers were determined to remain locally when it began the search for a new
corporate headquarters.
"This is where it began for us, and this is where we wanted to stay," Andrew
said.
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| ©The Mercury 2000 |
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