NOTED: Supply Chain Highlights
M & A
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics acquired PKZ Group, its long-standing air and sea freight partner in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, establishing its own Slovakian national company.
• Advantive, a software provider for specialty manufacturing and distribution businesses, made two recent acquisitions: VeraCore, an SaaS order and warehouse management software provider for fulfillment companies and 3PLs and ParityFactory, a food and beverage manufacturing software company rooted in food safety.
• Aptean, a global provider of enterprise software solutions, acquired TOTALogistix, a provider of cloud-based transportation management systems to manufacturers, retailers, and distributors in North America.
• Flowspace, a fulfillment software platform, acquired RetailOps, a software company that enables omnichannel brands to optimize supply chain operations.
• Total Distribution purchased the assets of Presidential Express Trucking and Presidential Express Warehousing & Distribution, based in Bayonne, New Jersey.
• To enhance its in-house customs brokerage services, Worldwide Logistics Group (WWL), a global integrated logistics services provider, acquired P. W. Bellingall, a customs brokerage house based in San Francisco.
• STG Logistics expanded its port-to-door supply chain solutions through the acquisition of Best Dedicated Solutions, an over-the-road transportation provider. The acquisition adds expedited, dry van, temperature control, and flatbed solutions to STG’s existing intermodal, drayage, and facility-based containerized logistics services.
• GEODIS acquired Southern Companies, a U.S. drayage provider that handles all phases of the import and export process.
• RIST Transport purchased AMA Transportation Company, based in Billerica, Massachusetts. The acquisition expands direct over-the-road service routes throughout New England and improves customer service solutions and technological advancements for both companies.
Up the Chain
• Liz Door is Ford’s new chief supply chain officer. She previously led Whirlpool’s global strategic sourcing.
• Dave Bozeman was appointed CEO and a Board of Directors member at C.H. Robinson. He brings 30+ years of supply chain experience.
• Renault Group named Denis Le Vot as chief supply chain officer. Le Vot, who has been CEO of the group’s Dacia brand since 2021, will retain both positions.
• Banyan Technology appointed Rick Chappel as its new COO, responsible for leading the company’s client operations and product management.
• Marine terminal operator and stevedore Ports America named Matthew Hoag as its new executive vice president and chief operating officer. In addition to this role, Hoag will also have direct responsibility over Pacific and Gulf operations. He has served in various senior leadership roles internationally, most recently leading global operations and engineering at DP World.
Recognition
• BNSF President and CEO Katie Farmer will be honored with the Intermodal Association of North America’s 2023 Silver Kingpin Award during Intermodal EXPO 2023. The award, which was started in 1977 by the National Piggyback Association, recognizes Farmer’s long-term contribution to intermodalism.
• Landstar System, a technology-enabled, asset-light provider of integrated transportation management solutions, was named to the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations by revenue. With revenue of approximately $7.4 billion in fiscal year 2022, Landstar landed at number 489 on the list.
• OTTO Motors’ autonomous forklift, OTTO Lifter (pictured), was recognized as the SupplyTech Breakthrough Material Handling Solution of the Year for its innovative approach to automating manual pallet transport workflows.
Shovel Ready
• Cardinal Health Canada will open a new distribution center in the Greater Toronto Area, expanding its distribution footprint to nine strategic locations. The 163,000-square-foot facility will integrate state-of-the-art robotic technologies to deliver operational efficiencies as well as enhanced employee, customer, and supplier experiences.
Sealed Deals
• Accell Group, an e-bike and bicycle parts and accessories supplier, deployed the Kinaxis RapidResponse platform to digitize its supply chain, gain visibility, and better plan for disruptions.
• PFS launched a global order fulfillment solution for Kosas Cosmetics from the United States. PFS provides international direct-to-consumer order fulfillment to Kosas’ ecommerce customers and business-to-business retail partners. In addition, Kosas is utilizing PFS’ transportation management services for inbound freight and outbound parcel management.
• Global lifestyle brand GUESS expanded its warehouse in Poland through a partnership with Arvato. The expansion project was fully complete within 3 months and increased storage capacity from 960,000 to 1.6 million fashion articles, added pack stations, and optimized product storage and packaging.
• GANT, an American sportswear brand, partnered with Anaplan and Bedford Consulting to improve supply chain and operations planning, including demand planning, supply planning, and S&OP.
• D.I.MAR, an Italian leader in the frozen food industry, selected ToolsGroup to heighten its supply chain performance, bolster supplier relationships, and drive enhanced business results. The solution equips D.I.MAR with an automated, AI-driven supply chain featuring built-in probabilistic forecasting that can anticipate market changes and adapt quickly to satisfy customer demand regardless of uncertainty.
• Colgate-Palmolive Company partnered with Aera Technology to automate complex decision-making for its fast-growing Hill’s Pet Nutrition division. Colgate-Palmolive will use the capabilities of Aera Decision CloudTM to optimize product deployment decisions across its fulfillment network of Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet plants, and mixing and distribution centers.
Good Works
• CSX gifted $5 million to the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Museum in Baltimore, toward the museum’s $30-million capital campaign in anticipation of the B&O railroad’s bicentennial anniversary in 2027. The donation will be used to build the CSX Bicentennial Garden, an amphitheater and multi-use space that can host local organizations and hold community gatherings.
• Carolina Handling donated a Raymond forklift (pictured) to Trucker’s Safety, Support & Supply Fleet in College Park, Georgia. The donation will help the nonprofit organization unload truckloads of food, clothing and other goods donated to assist low-income families in South Fulton and surrounding communities.
• Global transport and logistics company DSV donated transport equipment to Ukraine’s 15th and 21st brigades. The donation includes buses, trucks, and trailers, as well as additional transportation equipment.
Green Seeds
• DHL is introducing its first truck fleet that runs on biofuel, deploying 18 new trucks to support Formula 1 in its goal of becoming Net Zero by 2030. The new trucks, capable of running on HVO100 drop-in fuel (hydrotreated vegetable oil), will be delivering at all European Formula 1 races in 2023.
Recognition
• Uline, a shipping, industrial and packaging materials distributor, presented regional LTL service provider Dayton Freight Lines’ Hudson, Wisconsin team (pictured) with the 2022 Exceptional Performance Award. Dayton Freight was measured on late shipment percentage, error rate percentage, and shipment tracing by consignees.
• Global4PL was presented with the 2023 President’s “E Star” Award for its significant contributions to expanding U.S. business in international markets.
• LogiFlow, a transportation management technology and logistics provider, was recognized with a Hall of Fame award from John Deere. The agricultural machinery company honors suppliers who reach partner status for five consecutive years in its Achieving Excellence supplier program. The program evaluates supplier capabilities in quality, delivery, process alignment, relationship, and value creation.
• Omni Logistics, a global multimodal logistics solutions provider, was recognized as Toyota’s 2023 Service Over the Road Supplier of the Year for its strong performance, reliability, communication, and safety practices.