HMSHost Corporation, the world's largest provider of food, beverage and retail concessions to the travelling public, is expanding its headquarters in Maryland, US, by adding a 150-person National Processing Centre.
"This addition to our company will centralise data compilation, allowing us to respond more quickly and efficiently with services and concepts to meet traveller demands," said HMSHost CEO John J. McCarthy.
The centre will occupy 25,000 square feet at the company's headquarters in Bethesda. Currently HMSHost is one of the largest employers in the area.
In 2001, the company reported a combined total of $78 million ($83m) in gross sales at BWI and at the turnpike concessions, and contributed $19 million to the state. The company also paid a total $35 million in wages to nearly 1,500 employees.
The company served 350 million travellers last year. And while it was impacted by the events related to the attacks on September 11, the company claims that sales are now starting to recover.
HMSHost has revenues of $1.6 billion and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Autogrill. With operations in nineteen countries around the globe, the combined company has annual revenues of over $2.6 billion.