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NOTED: The Supply Chain in Brief-Sep 2020

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Good Works

  • Transfesa Logistics transported 60 shipments of humanitarian aid in July 2020, delivering 66 tons of medical equipment and necessities to vulnerable populations. The Spain-based logistics company also donated respirator masks and ozone equipment to help clean and disinfect public service vehicles.
  • Logistics service provider Deutsche Post DHL Group provided volunteer support for the COVID-19 response in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, and the United States.
  • Partnering with Meals on Wheels, IFCO, a supplier of reusable plastic containers, donated 160 containers to store and deliver 5,600 frozen meals weekly to homebound seniors throughout Montgomery County, Texas.


Recognition

  • Logistyx Technologies was named Best SaaS for Shipping, Inventory, or Vehicle Logistics in the 2020 SaaS Awards program, which celebrates excellence in software. The company was honored for its innovative transportation management solution that helps shippers reduce costs and streamline the customer experience.
  • Blue Ridge’s Price Optimization software received a Bronze Stevie from the American Business Awards for best new supply chain management solution. The software leverages machine learning to identify opportunities and simulate pricing strategies.

Up the Chain

  • North American transportation and logistics company CN tapped Dominique Malenfant to be its executive vice president and chief information and technology officer. Malenfant will lead digitization efforts to improve inspection reliability, provide rich data analytics, generate automation, and drive capacity and safety. Malenfant brings nearly 30 years of global leadership experience in the transportation industry, most recently as senior vice president of engineering and chief technology officer at Wabtec, a supplier of freight car and locomotive products.
  • BDA, a distributor in the North American promotional products industry, named Eric Kang its new division vice president of global supply chain. Kang is responsible for centralizing domestic and international supply chain operations and oversees product development, sourcing, purchasing logistics, and supplier services. Kang began his career with Gap Inc. and has more than 10 years of experience managing operations and supply chains for brands including Classic Accessories, Sur La Table, and ZoomSystems.

Green Seeds

  • The Port of Oakland’s largest marine terminal cut diesel emissions from all 13 of its massive yard cranes by 95% after retrofitting them with hybrid electric engines. The project will eliminate about 1,200 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually from each crane and result in a 93% reduction in diesel fuel.
  • The Panama Canal welcomed the 10,000th Neopanamax vessel through the expanded canal, marking a new milestone for the waterway’s liquefied natural gas segment. The milestone trip was completed by the SK Resolute liquefied natural gas vessel, traveling southbound from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
  • Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific plans to reduce its single-use plastic footprint by 50% and remove 189 million pieces of single-use plastic items from its annual operations by the end of 2022. The company has added six new fuel-efficient Airbus A350s to its fleet.

Sealed Deals

  • Delivery and fulfillment platform Bringg is partnering with party goods retailer Party City to transform the customer experience at each step of the delivery cycle. Bringg’s platform provides customers with alternative fulfillment models, including curbside pickup and same-day delivery, as well as real-time visibility into order status.
  • National Food Group deployed BluJay Solutions’ transportation management platform to improve its execution and customer service. The system helps the food company reduce freight spend and manual work, increase visibility, better manage carrier performance, and use data intelligence to quickly identify trends.

M&A

  • Flatbed transportation solutions provider PS Logistics acquired the assets of Diamond State Trucking, based in Malvern, Arkansas.
  • European logistics service provider H.Essers bought Norwegian-French company Tank Management, which specializes in multimodal transport services for liquid chemicals.
  • A&R Logistics, a North American provider of chemical supply chain services, acquired L.T. Harnett, a bulk liquid transportation and logistics service provider for the chemical industry.
  • Supply chain solutions provider NFI bought CAI Logistics, the non-asset logistics division of CAI International.

Shovel Ready

  • The Home Depot is opening three new distribution centers in the greater Atlanta area to meet growing demand for flexible delivery and pickup options for its professional and DIY customers. The largest of the new facilities is a 657,600-square-foot distribution center in Locust Grove focused on fast replenishment to stores in the Southeast.
  • PepsiCo Beverages North America signed a lease for a 283,500-square-foot, built-to-suit building at the Pecos Logistics Park project that broke ground near Denver, Colorado. The park will provide more than 1.15 million square feet of commercial space, and is at the center of three major interstate highways. The Pepsi building, part of the first phase, is expected to be completed in September 2021.