Purolator USA, the American subsidiary of Canada's big package freight express service company, has selected the Raleigh-Durham area for its southern regional headquarters, a statement issued by the company said.

The new Raleigh-Durham hub will support the company's customers from the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee.

According to the statement, Purolator selected the Raleigh-Durham/Southeast region due to its significant contribution to the US-Canada trade.

"Our recognised expertise and nation-wide coverage throughout Canada normally means fewer trans-border issues, quicker distribution and lower costs for our US customers," says Tammy Fairbanks, the newly appointed RDU branch manager for the company.

Later this year, the Raleigh Durham operation will move to a permanent location near the RDU airport that will house both administrative offices and a package consolidation area. South eastern customers are now being served from temporary facilities.

Nationwide, Purolator USA has been growing rapidly and has doubled the size of its branch network over the past 12 months.