Memories of visiting family members on the Eastern Shore prompted Charles Boyd to ‘look across the bridge’ to establish a home for his new logistics company Safe Chain Solutions.

After considering options in Caroline, Dorchester and Talbot counties, he settled on Cambridge at the former Hi-Tech Plastics plant on Chesapeake Avenue.

“Dorchester County Economic Development was a huge help in establishing our location,” said Boyd, reminiscing back to 2011 when DCED staff members met with him on weekends and holidays to tour warehouse locations in the County. “They really went the extra mile on our behalf.”

More than half of the initial funding he needed came via the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Revolving Loan Fund.

Today, Safe Chain, a 3PL company (third-party logistics), allows companies to reduce costs and focus on the sales function while providing warehousing, distribution, fulfillment and other supply chain solutions. Clients include companies in pharmaceuticals, health supplements, beverages, apparel, cosmetics and biotech.

“One of the big selling points of our location,” said Boyd, “is that we can hit 70 percent of the U.S. population within three days using the most economical shipping methods.”

Boyd says business is growing and he would eventually like to buy the property and expand. In the mean time, he is looking for another 60,000 square feet of warehouse space in the Cambridge area.

“There are great things going on in Cambridge,” he said, “and we would love to be here as long as we can.”

Safe Chain currently has 18 full- and part-time employees (95 percent are Dorchester residents). They strive to deliver on the company’s motto every day: “The success of our business relies solely on the success of our customers.”