Activity by air freight and third-party logistics firms looking to establish a presence in the areas around the Los Angeles ports continues to be brisk in what is otherwise a lackluster South Bay industrial market, Quinlan says.

Hong Kong-based CTSI Logistics, which moved its Los Angeles warehouse-distribution center to the Carson Town Center in January, has signed a four-year lease expansion taking an additional 17,942 sf and increasing its presence at Carson Town Center to 48,482 sf. The building, located at 21023 S. Main St., features office space, easy-access freight doors, new dock positions, and a mezzanine for future expansion. The new facility features supply chain activities such as pick/pack and cross-docking operations as well as inbound and outbound air/ocean freight consolidation. Gregg Boehm of The Klabin Co. represented CTSI.

OMS, a logistics company specializing in the importing of clothing, shoes and other garments from Asia, has signed a new five-year lease and expansion at 21175 S. Main St. One year after locating its 42,000-sf foot West Coast Distribution Center at the Carson Town Center, New York-based OMS will take an additional 53,000 sf and will occupy approximately half of the 188,360-sf building. According to its broker, OMS is taking advantage of the Asian manufacturing boom; the firm's distribution center in Carson Town Center is its gateway to the Pacific Rim. Brian Polkinghorne in the Torrance office of CB Richard Ellis represented the tenant.

Deutsche Post Global Mail, the U.S. subsidiary of Deutsche Post World Net, Europe's largest postal company, is relocating its West Coast mail handling and freight forwarding center from 4949 W. 145th St. in Hawthorne after signing a six-year lease for 42,826 sf. Deutsche will occupy approximately half of the 89,600-sf building at 21046 Figueroa St. The tenant was represented by Harvey Beesen and Luke Staubitz of The Klabin Co., and Richard Graubard of the Ezra Co.

UTi Worldwide, a supply chain management corporation with more than 80 logistics centers in 49 countries, will consolidate its West Coast logistics center, principal support group office, and global support staff headquarters to 21023 S. Main St. after signing a seven-year lease for 66,824 sf. Klabin's Beesen and Staubitz and Carter USA's Dan Rose represented the tenant in the transaction.

The AMB Property Corp. and Mar Ventures alliance that owns Carson Town Center specializes in the conversion of former industrial sites into mixed-use developments. The center's 14 buildings, half of which are either fully leased or sold, are designed for R&D, light manufacturing, warehouse and distribution uses. The buildings range in size from 19,000 to 190,000 sf. In addition to the commercial and industrial buildings, Carson Town Center includes a Super Kmart store and Burger King restaurant. Other planned retail operations include a Starbucks, Togo's, Baskin Robbins, Chile Verde and Panda Bowl.