Steering growth in Paducah
Marquette Transportation anchors state at heart of inland waterways
AT THE CONFLUENCE of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers, with the Cumberland and the Mississippi upstream and downstream, Paducah is a logical, historic hub of America’s inland waterways system and home to one of the nation’s largest providers of marine transportation services, Marquette Transportation.
Founded by Ray Eckstein, Marquette operates more than 1,000 barges and 130 boats, transporting a long list of cargo, including corn, soybeans, fertilizer, construction materials and steel products.
Since the company’s headquarters moved from Wisconsin to Kentucky 33 years ago, the workforce has grown from about 150 employees in 1992 to more than 1,500 mariners and a team of about 250 shore-based staff.
A $5 million expansion of its Paducah facility is projected to add jobs, a training center, warehouse and office space.
“We are proud to be headquartered in Paducah, and we appreciate the governor, the state of Kentucky and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development for their dedication to fostering business growth across the commonwealth,” says Damon Judd, president and CEO of Marquette.
“Marquette’s investment in a new training facility and the additional jobs is affirmation that Paducah continues to be the epicenter of the inland waterways corridor,” says Paducah Mayor George Bray.
Served by Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative, also headquartered in Paducah, Marquette and the Eckstein family’s charitable foundation, the Ray & Kay Eckstein Charitable Trust, are recognized as community pillars.
“We are so proud to serve Marquette Transportation,” says Greg Grissom, the electric cooperative’s president and CEO. “This company not only sets a high bar for safety and efficiency, but its commitment to community is second to none.”
Across more than 6,000 miles of America’s inland waterways, Marquette operates towboats on the Mississippi River System, Gulf-Intracoastal Waterway and near-shore coastwise market. The company has additional offices in Louisiana and Texas, giving it a diverse portfolio to meet customer needs.
But, make no mistake, Paducah is the towboat capital of the U.S.
“Paducah plays a central role to America’s inland waterway industry,” Judd says. “We are thankful that we are able to offer hardworking Kentuckians a rewarding career with great advancement opportunities in the marine transportation industry.”
