Ergon Marine & Industrial Supply (EMIS), Vicksburg, Miss., has opened a third location in Wood River, Ill., expanding its network of marine service facilities along the Mississippi River.
The new site marks EMIS’s first in the Upper Mississippi region and will provide vessels with fueling, oil supply, grocery delivery, drop shipping, and waste removal services, including slop and oil.
Company officials said the expansion is part of a broader effort to meet customer requests for greater connectivity along the river. Chris Maxwell, EMIS vice president of marine operations, said in a statement that the company’s outreach to industry partners indicated a need for such services in the Wood River area.
“We continuously meet with industry partners to learn about our customers’ pain points and support them with the solutions they need,” Maxwell said. “Through this, we have learned there is a desire for our service in other locations, including Wood River. We are excited to bring our customer-focused service and fair market pricing to the Wood River area.”
The Mississippi River carries an average of 80 million tons of cargo each year, making time savings on the water a priority for vessel operators. EMIS has served the river community for more than 50 years, supplying fuel and other provisions directly on the water to reduce downtime, the company statement said.
