One thousand jobs staying in Maryland – and the prospect of another 500 coming in the next few years – are reasons to celebrate, and Coastal Companies did just that on July 27. Governor Larry Hogan, Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill, and Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman joined John Corso, CEO of The Coastal Companies, and company executives to celebrate the company's continued growth, and officially open its new headquarters and cold storage facility at 9001 Whiskey Bottom Road in Laurel, Md.

Coastal, which processes and distributes fresh produce and dairy products throughout the Mid-Atlantic, has tripled in size in recent years and the trend shows no signs of stopping. To accommodate the growth, Coastal explored options ranging from staying in Howard County and Maryland, to relocating to one of several states that attempted to lure the company from Maryland. A $1 million conditional loan from the Maryland Department of Commerce and $150,000 in property tax credits from Howard County facilitated the decision to remain in Maryland.

The Coastal Companies, which had been located in Savage, Md., broke ground on the property in 2014 and moved into the new 330,000 square-foot building in just 36 hours over Memorial Day weekend this year. The new facility houses Coastal's operating divisions – Coastal Sunbelt Produce, East Coast Fresh, Cold Chain Logistics, and Cold Chain Imports – as well as The Coastal Companies Foundation.

"There are three things that are really important to us: food, people and relationships," said Mr. Corso, "and this building captures that spirit."

Built on property owned by the Duval family for more than a century, Coastal's new home is ultra-modern. State-of-the art infrastructure and equipment – as well as restricted, security-controlled access to the 33-acre campus – ensure food safety, drive efficiency, and guarantee proper handling of the company's broad product offering.

The design of the building – coupled with the approach of Coastal's leadership – fosters communication and cooperation among all employees. Light streams into the building from large windows, and bright collaboration spaces encourage interaction and idea sharing among co-workers. All day, every day, employees have access to most areas of the facility simply by swiping their Coastal badges.

"We are open-door, open-minded and open to change," said Mr. Corso.

From its focus on personalized customer service to its commitment to providing the freshest produce and fruit, Coastal lives out its motto, "We Make It Happen". In fact, several walls in the new building are painted with that slogan as well as "Relationships Matter" and "Yes" – bold reminders of the corporate culture.

Long-tenured employees are recognized in Coastal's Hall of Fame, where framed sports jerseys featuring their names line the walls of a main hallway. In recognition of the diversity of its team members – and to foster inclusion – Coastal displays the flags of the 47 countries represented among its employees.

Coastal's steady growth is continuing, as the company plans to add as many as 400 new team members by 2018 and another 100 soon after. With a team-oriented workplace, family-supporting wages, and a full range of employee benefits, Coastal should have no problem attracting workers from among Maryland's highly-skilled workforce. To explore job openings with The Coastal Companies,click here.