Noted: The Supply Chain in Brief-Dec 2019

Shovel Ready

  • Food and beverage distributor Ben E. Keith broke ground on its new foodservice distribution center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Expected to be completed in November 2021, the 261,000-square-foot facility will include Dematic Multi-Shuttles, Frick refrigeration and security systems, LED lighting, warehouse management systems, a test kitchen, and a training center.

Green Seeds

  • As part of its global sustainability program, air cargo handler Worldwide Flight Services is converting most plastic products used in its cargo handling operations to the BioNatur Plastics line manufactured by M&G Packaging. The biodegradable plastic products reduce fossil fuel-based plastic usage and greenhouse gas generation.

M&A

  • A&R Logistics, a supply chain services provider for the chemical industry, acquired Plantgistix Holdings, a provider of packaging, warehousing, and export services to the plastic resin sector.
  • Canadian Pacific acquired Central Maine & Quebec Railway (CMQ) from Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors. CMQ owns 481 miles of rail lines primarily in Maine and Quebec.
  • MODE Transportation merged with SunteckTTS to form a 3PL that will operate under the MODE name.
  • Kerry Logistics Network Limited acquired a majority interest in Turkey’s Asav Lojistik Hizmetleri Anonim Sirketi to further expand its global network.
  • Refrigerated warehouse owner Lineage Logistics bought cold-storage company Emergent Cold to increase space for chilled and frozen foods moving through the Port of Charleston.
  • Roadrunner Transportation Systems sold its intermodal services business to Universal Logistics Holdings.
  • Manitoulin Global Forwarding acquired Associated Cargo Specialists (Canada), which operates as ACS Logistics.

Up the Chain

Alicia Cano was signed by womenswear company Gerry Weber as director of supply chain management. Cano is responsible for optimizing supply chain processes and operations at the retailer, which is currently undergoing a restructuring process.

Sealed Deals

  • Hair styling tools maker T3 Micro tapped into 3PL ODW Logistics’ new fulfillment service. ODW Logistics provides T3 Micro with order fulfillment technology, kitting, customized packaging, labeling, delivery execution, and transportation management, supporting the luxury brand’s premium packaging and delivery services throughout North America.
  • Vestiaire Collective, a platform for pre-owned fashion, implemented Descartes’ CustomsInfo solution to support its classification determinations and reduce duty spend for international e-commerce operations outside of Europe. By implementing the solution, which calculates the customs duties and taxes applicable to any online purchase, Vestiaire Collective is now available in 21 new countries, including Brazil and South Africa.

Good Works

DHL Express delivered 500 fresh-cut Christmas trees, thousands of handwritten letters, menorahs, decorations, and other gifts to U.S. troops stationed at U.S. bases in Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Kuwait. DHL Operation Holiday Cheer, a charitable program DHL runs in partnership with the New York community, is now in its 16th year.

3PL Sunset Transportation delivered more than 614,000 pounds of donated food during the one-day Scouting for Food drive in November 2019. In partnership with the Greater St. Louis Area Council Boy Scouts of America, the 3PL handled the logistics of the event, which included transporting donations from 36 St. Louis area firehouse collection sites to the St. Louis Food Bank and then distributing the donated food to more than 500 food pantries and banks.


Raymond raised a total of $15,370 for breast cancer awareness during the sixth annual Pink Pallet Jack Project online auction. The company auctioned off three Raymond 8210 powered pallet jacks on eBay, splitting proceeds between the New York-based Tina Fund and the California-based HERS Breast Cancer Foundation and Breast Cancer Angels.

Recognition

  • Averitt Express won the First Place LTL Fleet Safety Award from the Tennessee Trucking Association. The Fleet Safety Awards recognize an organization’s safe driving record.
  • The Association of American Railroads gave CSX Transportation’s Brian Zacker the 2019 Professional Environmental Excellence Award for integrating environmental stewardship across multiple departments at CSX. As senior manager of environmental field services, he reshaped how the railroad stages rail materials to ensure supplies are reused and recycled, reducing costs and eliminating stormwater impacts from stray materials.
  • Old Dominion Freight Line was named the Overall Winner of the Mastio Quality Award for national LTL carriers for the 10th year in a row. Old Dominion topped the list of 25 LTL carriers assessed in the annual Mastio & Company survey, which measures 35 key attributes, including damage-free delivery and on-time pickup.
  • The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) recognized Dupre Logistics and YRC Worldwide as 2019 Top Companies for Women to Work For in Transportation. WIT recognizes companies for fostering gender diversity, offering competitive compensation and benefits, providing flexible hours and work requirements, and encouraging professional development and career advancement.