Axle Logistics grows to 600 workers. The Knoxville company plans to double that by 2027

It seems like you can't go anywhere in Knoxville without seeing the Axle Logistics logo. The company's sign peeking over Interstate 40 is hard to miss.

That reflects the growth happening inside the company, too.

With 600 employees, the company has more than doubled its workforce in the last four years and plans to double again by 2027.

Many of those future 1,200 employees will work out of Axle's under construction 85,000-square-foot building along North Central Street, which will open in spring 2025.

Getting to 1,200 employees puts Axle among those employers Knoxville relies on most. The Tennessee Valley Authority, for example, has 1,184 employees in the Knoxville area.

Axle was founded in 2012 by University of Tennessee at Knoxville graduates Jon Clay and Drew Johnson. The homegrown company's rapid growth might seem surprising to some, but when you talk to people on the inside, it's not that far of a stretch.

Ali Fraley, vice president of learning and development at Axle, told Knox News the company's growth can be attributed to three things:

• Retaining current employees

• Strong recruiting plan

• Strong community presence

The average pay at Axle is $117,000. The company intends for those high-paying jobs to stay in Knoxville.

"You see a lot of other organizations in our space have offices all over the country, and not to say that we would never open an office outside of Tennessee, but with the growth that we've had, and that tight-knit company culture, it makes sense to grow where the growth is happening," Fraley said.

What success of Axle Logistics means for Knoxville

The success story of a homegrown company is great for Knoxville and shows the city has the tools to compete on a global scale, Knoxville Chamber Vice President of Economic Development Doug Lawyer told Knox News.

"Beyond the impact of jobs being created and the wages they will generate, Axle helps to retain young professional talent to Knoxville who have recently graduated from our higher education institutions," Lawyer said. "Communities that retain and attract young talent are the communities that will win job creation projects."

Axle received a 15-year PILOT program from the city of Knoxville in 2020, and promised to create 263 jobs in five years. It has more than doubled that promise a year ahead of schedule.

"It's always great to see any business expand, create jobs and help grow our local economy," Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon wrote in a statement. "But in the case of Axle Logistics, it's doubly gratifying, because it's proof positive of the power of partnerships. When local government and the private sector collaborate, good things happen."

What the Axle Logistics headquarters is like

Stepping into Axle's Central Street headquarters, you can't help but feel energized and ready to work.

You're greeted in the lobby by a fountain shaped like their logo, a gym and a swag gift shop. You can hear music bumping and the commotion of people working upstairs.

You'll find signs above offices with motivational phrases such as "play like a champion today." It's an established company, but it still feels very much like a startup you'd see in the movies.

"We're continuously looking to find those unique and diverse people to bring their perspectives professionally, personally, to elevate the company culture that we have and be positive additives," Fraley said.

The new building will only further this energy with a basketball court, gym and landscaped patio.

Axle Logistics recruits from University of Tennessee

To improve its recruitment and thus drive that workforce growth, Axle partnered with the Haslam College of Business at UT to create a sales internship.

"(We've) really further ingrained our recruiting efforts in the business college. So we're super thankful for that," Fraley said. "The combination of the young professional network we've developed in this region along with strong collegiate relationships throughout the southeast have really been able to help us propel to 600."

Fraley has described Axle as a "rocket ship" in the past, and that sentiment can be felt throughout the office, with pictures of rockets everywhere.

The company leans into that analogy even more with its "Launchpad," a room on the bottom floor of the Central Street headquarters dedicated to training new employees.

The six-week training program helps new hires hit the ground running when they move upstairs and into their roles.

With its launchpad set, the Knoxville rocket ship is ready to continue its journey through the stars.

"We couldn't have done this without the community wrapping their hands around Axle to help lift us up," Fraley said. "I'm just thrilled to see what the next 12 years look like."

Silas Sloan is the growth and development reporter. Email silas.sloan@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter @silasloan. Instagram @knox.growth.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Axle Logistics in Knoxville will create hundreds of jobs by 2027