NOTED: Supply Chain Highlights

Good Works

• Toyota Material Handling Solutions (TMHS) donated $2,500 to The Foodbank of Southern California. TMHS associates (pictured) also collected 500 pounds of canned goods to accompany the cash donation.
• The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) launched an initiative funded through a Walmart Foundation grant to provide disaster-focused non-profits with the opportunity to apply best supply chain practices gleaned from other humanitarian organizations as well as the commercial logistics community.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services was inducted into the Anderson Assembly at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, a society created to recognize philanthropic donors who have made a lifetime commitment to supporting the mission of MD Anderson. J.B. Hunt created The J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. Cancer Prevention and Control Endowment with a $1 million gift to MD Anderson.

Up the Chain

• Amy’s Kitchen announced several new supply chain leadership roles. Oksana Woloszczuk joins in the newly created executive role of chief supply chain officer. Steve Kravariotis joins as vice president of supply chain planning and David Griego as senior director of engineering.

M&A

• Material handling automation integrator Hy-Tek has acquired Winchester Industrial Controls, which provides control systems for automated material handling systems.
• GEODIS has signed an agreement to acquire trans-o-flex, which specializes in temperature-controlled transport for pharmaceutical products as well as time-definite delivery of products for the cosmetics and high-tech industries.
• Creopack, a company that designs and manufactures custom protective packaging, acquired Emballages Montreal Express, which offers handling, packaging, and storage services for oversized equipment. The deal gives Creopack 35,000 square feet of additional storage space equipped with a high-capacity overhead crane.
• Descartes, a global supply chain technology company, purchased Supply Vision, which provides modular applications that help logistics service providers coordinate shipments from end to end.
• RoadOne IntermodaLogistics, a single-source intermodal, warehouse and logistics services company, acquired The Transporter, a regional intermodal service provider with office locations in Houston, Dallas, and Laredo, Texas.
• Jones Logistics, a national specialized transportation and logistics company, acquired Nationwide Express, which provides dedicated trucking services, warehousing, and 3PL services. Its geographic footprint includes operations in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.

Sealed Deals

• To improve efficiencies in its main U.S. warehouse near Cleveland, wholesale sealing supplier anyseal implemented AutoStore empowered by Kardex. The high-density storage and retrieval solution optimizes available space, enabling anyseal to manage large SKU counts more efficiently.
• Onia and WeWoreWhat have partnered with 3PL fulfillment company Boxzooka to handle their drop-shipping and B2C fulfillment needs, as well as enabling international shipping with its proprietary landed-cost technology.
• ArrowStream has partnered with Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, which operates 100,000 restaurant locations with 1,300 distribution locations. The ArrowStream Central solution allows Freddy’s to quickly identify overcharges and reduce pricing errors by streamlining its update and communication process.
• Everything But Water, a women’s swimwear and resortwear retailer, has deployed several Manhattan Active Omni offerings in retail locations across the country. The platform breaks down silos between digital and physical systems, allowing store associates a 360-degree view of customer information and the ability to transact against merchandise regardless of where the item physically resides.
• Renfro Brands, a designer and manufacturer of socks and legwear, has selected the TrusTrace platform to centralize its current supply chain data for continued compliance, as well as to measure and document progress toward its sustainability goals.
• Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply has renewed its partnership with Tecsys to provide order management software across the retailer’s online and physical stores. Tecsys’ Omni OMS provides Murdoch’s shoppers with an enhanced digital experience, while improving shipping speed and order consolidation.
• Speedheater, a supplier of innovative paint removal products, entered into an agreement with 3PL American MetsCube to facilitate its expansion into the United States.

Green Seeds

• DSV launched an initiative to reduce its environmental footprint by refurbishing rather than replacing its trailers. In 2023, the transport and logistics company will double the life of 1,100 trailers, kicking off a new trailer refurbishment program through which all DSV-owned trailers in its European network will undergo refurbishment at least once before the company returns the trailers to the manufacturer.
• American Airlines Cargo is transitioning to a biodegradable plastic wrap for use in its cargo operations. The carrier has begun to replace its current plastic products with BioNatur Plastics, launched by M&G Packaging. The adoption has allowed American to reduce its long-term plastic waste in landfills by more than 130,000 pounds, or 6.4 million water bottles, in 2022 alone.

Recognition

• Global logistics company Ascent earned recognition as a Partner-level supplier for 2022 in the John Deere Achieving Excellence Program for the eighth consecutive year. The honor recognizes Ascent’s dedication to providing products and service of outstanding quality as well as its commitment to continuous improvement.
• Leonard’s Express won the 47th annual Truckload Carriers Association Fleet Safety Award for fleets that travel between 50 and 100 million miles. Winners are selected based on the carrier’s accident-to-mileage ratio, a metric used to show how many on-road accidents a fleet has in a calendar year.
• Supply chain provider NFI was recognized in InHerSight’s recent list of The Top 20 Best Logistics and Supply Chain Companies to Work For: As Rated by the Women Who Work There. NFI earned the ninth spot on the list by offering equal opportunities for women and men, flexible work hours, and women in leadership.