Expeditors buys land for data center

Expeditors International of Washington Inc., a sort of travel agent for cargo, has purchased 3.4 acres in Airway Heights for a future data center, says a real estate agent involved in the transaction.

The company intends to move its data center from Seattle, where it is headquartered, to Airway Heights, said Earl Engle, of NAI Black. The facility might be 25,000- to 30,000-square-feet, he said.

As a logistics company, Expeditors helps clients consolidate and manage orders for shipment by air and sea, and offers services like insurance and help with customs. The corporation has seen rapid growth: It had revenues of $5.2 billion last year, up from $2.6 billion in 2003.

Although Expeditors looked for land as far away as Liberty Lake, “They wanted to be near the airport because they’ll have people coming in and out and they felt that would be quite convenient,” Engle said.