Noted: The Supply Chain in Brief-May 2020

Good Works

  • Fresh Del Monte Produce donated 919,000 pounds of fresh fruit to the Houston Food Bank to help those affected by COVID-19. The company has donated more than 1.1 million pounds to the food bank in 2020.
  • Agriculture equipment maker Deere & Company is producing protective face shields for healthcare workers in Moline, Illinois, in collaboration with the United Auto Workers, Iowa Department of Homeland Security, and the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. Deere expects to produce 25,000 face shields initially, and ordered supplies to provide an additional 200,000.
  • Food distribution center McFoods partnered with LogistiCare, a nonemergency medical transportation company and transportation vendor for New Jersey Medicaid participants, to create a home delivery program that serves local food pantries, community members, and those who previously relied on public transportation to buy food.

  • Nestle mobilized its supply chain, distribution, and retail partners to launch a global COVID-19 response, which includes partnering with Freshly and Meals on Wheels to provide 40,000 meals to at-risk, homebound senior citizens. The company will also deliver 52,000 bottles of water to residents in Flint, Michigan.

M&A

  • Global integrated container logistics company Maersk acquired Performance Team, a U.S.-based warehousing and distribution company.
  • Less-than-truckload transportation company Polaris Transportation acquired PRI Logistics, a third-party logistics provider.
  • Third-party logistics provider BlueGrace Logistics acquired Anthym Logistics, a freight broker with primary offices in Tampa, Florida, and Chicago, Illinois.
  • Transportation provider Atlas World Group announced that its subsidiary, Atlas Logistics, has acquired retail home delivery company TopHAT Logistical Solutions.
  • Bulkmatic, a North American bulk transporter, acquired Illinois-based Paris Transport.
  • FOG Software Group, a division of Vela Software and Constellation Software, acquired enterprise parcel shipping solutions provider ProShip.
  • Materials handling solutions provider Hy-Tek Material Handling acquired Atlanta-based Johnson Stephens Consulting, a supply chain operations consultancy serving retailers, wholesalers, and distributors.
  • Allen Lund Company, a transportation and logistics provider, acquired Des Moines Truck Brokers.

Up the Chain

  • Athersys appointed Maia Hansen as its senior vice president of operations and supply chain to establish sustainable operations that enable large-scale commercial manufacturing and distribution capabilities. Prior to joining Athersys, Hansen was a senior partner at management consulting firm McKinsey & Company.

Green Seeds

  • The Port of Seattle plans to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 per a contract with U.S. Gain for Renewable Natural Gas, a natural gas alternative that recycles existing carbon. The port can purchase enough fuel to heat 55% of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport terminal and power its entire bus fleet.
  • Toshiba America Business Solutions recycled nearly 187 tons of e-waste from spent toner consumables with its EcoSmart Toner Recycling Program. The programs allows customers to recycle spent Toshiba imaging supplies so they can be turned into new useful materials.
  • FourKites launched new sustainability dashboards to provide customers with visibility into the environmental impact of their supply chain operations. The dashboard identifies specific areas contributing high levels of greenhouse gas emissions so companies can develop effective sustainability strategies.

Sealed Deals

  • Frayt, a technology company that provides an app for on-demand shipping, partnered with 21 Kroger Marketplace stores in Ohio and Kentucky to provide same-day delivery of large outdoor items, including patio sets, grills, and mulch.
  • General Motors appointed CEVA Logistics to manage its ventilator production supply chain. Under GM’s contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CEVA will deliver hundreds of parts used to make the Ventec Life Systems V+Pro critical care ventilator at General Motors’ Kokomo, Indiana, factory.

Recognition

  • Shape Technologies Group received the 2019 Overall Landstar MUST Customer of the Year Award from Landstar Transportation Logistics. The Mutual Understanding of Safety Together (MUST) program involves an on-site review of a customer’s facility, followed by an analysis of its safety and security practices.
  • Command Alkon was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in the logistics category by Fast Company, earning a top 10 finish for its CONNEX Platform. The logistics company was also presented with a Bronze Stevie Award in the Best Customer Engagement category.
  • Toronto-based logistics solutions provider Rodair received Canada’s Best-Managed Companies award for overall business performance and sustained growth.

Shovel Ready

  • Domino’s is constructing a 59,000-square-foot supply chain center in Katy, Texas. The building will produce fresh pizza dough for more than 300 Domino’s stores in the region. The space incorporates automated technology, including ingredient batching, mixing and portioning, weight adjustment, and tray stacking.
  • Transwestern Development broke ground on a 225,185-square-foot warehouse in Colton, California. Near the junction of Interstates 215 and 10, the facility provides access to both thoroughfares and the greater Southern California region.
  • Amazon is opening a 250,000-square-foot warehouse in Sonoma Valley, California, in fall 2020 before the holiday season. The facility will serve as the last stop for e-commerce packages before they are delivered to customers.