Spatial Analysis of Warehouses and Distribution Centers in Southern California

Abstract

This paper analyzes the concentration of warehouses and distribution centers (W&DCs) in five counties in Southern California between 1998 and 2014, and it explores spatial relationships between W&DCs and other industry sectors through centrographic and econometric modeling techniques. Furthermore, the authors estimate factors that explain the concentration of W&DCs in the area. The analyses used aggregate establishment, employment, and other socioeconomic data for different industries, complemented with transportation-related variables. The results confirm the existence of logistics sprawl, although the analyses indicate that this trend did not continue to increase after 2007. Additional results follow: ( a) W&DCs showed a lower spatial correlation compared with other industries, ( b) the locations of the weighted geometric center shifted slightly differently for the W&DC industry and within its subindustries, ( c) concentration levels for some subindustries were much lower than for the aggregated W&DC industry, and ( d) the number of W&DCs could be explained by the number of establishments in the manufacturing and transportation service industries, proximity to highways and intermodal facilities, the number of W&DCs and accommodation and food services in neighboring zip codes, population, the number of adults using public transit, and per capita income.