A logistics specialist told the Indiana Economic Development Corp. that it will invest $885,000 to lease and equip an existing 20,000-square-foot headquarters facility in Johnson County, bringing new jobs, the state agency announced today.

The state agency also announced state grants and state and county tax breaks for Avram Worldwide.

IndyStar.com first reported Sept. 23 that Avram Worldwide is occupying a 20,000-square-foot, previously constructed facility at 2020 S. Ind. 135 in White River Township, south of Olive Branch Road. The facility holds Avram’s headquarters and distribution operations, and the headquarters brings the company’s operations, management and client services operations together in one location.

Avram provides logistics services, including transactional brokerage; transportation management; domestic and international freight forwarding; warehouse, distribution and fulfillment; and technology.

Avram, a minority-owned business with eight executives, plans to begin hiring additional client services and administrative support employees this month through December. It plans to create 78 jobs by 2013.

Avram has 15 employees at the Johnson County headquarters and at an office in South Africa. The company’s executive teams consists of several former employees of MegaSys Inc., a local third-party logistics company that reached $125 million in sales before being acquired by Yellow Transportation in 2002.

“The fundamental issue of the fulfillment and distribution process is delivering the right product to the right customer on time and at a cost-effective price,” said Rob Richardson, president of Avram Worldwide, in the statement today from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. “With all of our resources now under one roof, we are positioned to be an even stronger resource for companies throughout the world that seek superior logistics solutions.”

The IEDC, the state’s business growth arm, offered Avram Worldwide up to $900,000 in performance-based tax credits and up to $40,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans.

The Johnson County Board of Commissioners offered personal property tax abatement at the request of the Johnson County Development Corporation.

Indiana, the fifth-busiest state for commercial freight traffic in the nation, remains an attractive place for companies to locate warehouse and transport service operations.