ArcBest Breaks Ground on New Headquarters

On Wednesday, April 15, ArcBest Corporation officials along with Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson broke ground on the new ArcBest corporate headquarters in Fort Smith.

ArcBest President and CEO Judy R. McReynolds called the event “another milestone” for the organization and noted the company’s new beginnings are “built upon our success firmly rooted in the past.”

Hutchinson said ArcBest, a transportation and logistics company, is paving the way for growth throughout the state with its plan to add 975 jobs through 2021. “ArcBest is a great company to represent Fort Smith,” he said, adding, “They’re an incredible, wonderful corporate citizen for the state of Arkansas.”

“This area has a great pool of potential employees available to us who not only fit our culture but are highly skilled and have a strong work ethic,” McReynolds said. “Our employees are our greatest asset, and we want them to not just have a job, but a career with ArcBest.”

Nearly 100 people attended the ceremony. Breaking ground were McReynolds, Hutchinson, ArcBest Chairman of the Board Robert A. Young III, Fort Smith Mayor Sandy Sanders and Arkansas Economic Development Commission Executive Director Mike Preston. Notably, Young used a shovel used at a 1970 company groundbreaking event.

In May 2014, ArcBest announced plans to build the new headquarters on 40 acres at Chaffee Crossing. The four-story facility will encompass about 200,000 square feet; completion is anticipated in late 2016. It will house about 850 employees of ArcBest corporate and ABF Logistics, as well as Panther Premium Logistics® personnel who work in Fort Smith. Employees of ABF Freight and ArcBest Technologies will remain at the current office at 3801 Old Greenwood Road. That site, completed in 1995, will undergo renovations once the new building is finished.

The new headquarters, along with an option to purchase an additional 30 acres, also will allow for future expansion. The location, at Chaffee Crossing in east Fort Smith, also will include easily accessible bike and walking trails.