NOTED: Supply Chain Highlights

Good Works

• Reusable packaging company ORBIS Corporation hosted its third annual ORBIS Good Days for Kids golf outing, which raised more than $330,000 for the Children’s Wisconsin Pediatric Simulation and Resuscitation Program, the region’s only independent healthcare system dedicated to the health and well-being of children.

• American Airlines Cargo is the first U.S. airline and cargo carrier to join United for Wildlife, a group dedicated to ending the illegal trafficking of wildlife.

• During its annual Geeks for Kids Delivery Day Celebration, LEARN Science & Math Club, a non-profit organization based in Kansas City, Missouri, gave away more than 60 customized electric cars and assistive devices for children with mobility limitations. Long-time partner and sponsor Wagner Logistics used its specialized handling skills to transport and deliver the vehicles.

Green Seeds

• Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and CSX Corporation entered into a joint venture to build and deploy hydrogen locomotive conversion kits for diesel electric locomotives. As an initial step, CSX will convert one of its diesel locomotives using a hydrogen conversion kit developed by CPKC.

Shovel Ready

• Tippmann Group and Cold-Link Logistics broke ground on a new 198,000-square-foot cold storage facility in Ellisville, Mississippi. The state-of-the-art food-grade warehouse will offer nearly 27,000 pallet positions of frozen and refrigerated storage space.

M & A

• Crowley has purchased Tamarind Consolidated, a logistics company serving the United States to the British Virgin Islands, to enhance end-to-end supply chain capabilities for the Caribbean region.

• Global logistics services provider Alba Wheels Up acquired VT Mancusi, a provider of customs brokerage and trade compliance services primarily for the flavors and fragrances end markets.

• Dupré Logistics, a Louisiana-based transportation company, acquired Interstate Transport, Inc., a temperature-controlled and time-sensitive food and beverage logistics services provider based in St. Petersburg, Florida.

• Logistics Plus, a worldwide provider of transportation, logistics, and supply chain solutions, acquired Jan Krediet, a logistics company with offices and warehouses in the Netherlands.

• Supply chain services provider Redwood Logistics acquired Rockfarm Supply Chain Solutions and Global Distribution and Logistics. The acquisition supplements Redwood’s growing tech-enabled managed services.

Recognition

• GEODIS was named Vendor of the Year by Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas, a leading manufacturer and provider of material handling, automation, and fleet solutions. GEODIS in Americas was selected out of 1,100 suppliers and is the first service provider recognized in the award’s seven-year history.

• PLS Logistics Services is the recipient of the Mars Wrigley Broker Carrier of the Year award.

• Ernst & Young (EY) honored AIT Executive Chairman and CEO Vaughn Moore as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 Midwest. EY recognized Moore’s accomplishment of building AIT from a mid-size domestic forwarder to a global logistics enterprise.

• Two Southeastern Freight Lines drivers—Larry Spinks and Michael Crapps—were recognized for joining Malcolm Bryant as the only three truck drivers in the company’s history to drive for 50 years with no accidents.

Sealed Deals

• Brooks Running, a global performance running footwear and apparel company, selected the TrusTrace platform to deepen visibility across its manufacturing supply chain and help identify and mitigate responsible sourcing and business continuity risks.

• High Ridge Brands, an independent branded personal care company, engaged ODW Logistics to help streamline communications through multiple third-party logistics providers. Integrating transportation and warehousing with ODW Logistics allowed for operation efficiencies including strategic load planning and freight consolidation solutions into major retailers.

• Footwear and lifestyle brand TOMS selected Cart.com as its U.S. fulfillment partner. The partnership enables TOMS to meet increasing consumer demand by leveraging Cart.com’s inventory management, 3PL, and fulfillment capabilities.

Up the Chain

Lance D. Roberts

• The supervisory board of Hellmann Worldwide Logistics appointed Jens Drewes as chief executive officer to succeed Reiner Heiken, who will retire in 2024.

• Lance D. Roberts was named chief operating officer for Candor Expedite. He is responsible for sales, trucking, production, and human resources as well as the company’s long-term direction and performance.

• Union Pacific announced that Jim Vena will become CEO, Beth Whited will become president, and Mike McCarthy will become chairman of the company. They succeed current Chairman, CEO and President Lance Fritz, who is stepping down. As part of the transition, the company’s supply chain, operations, finance, marketing and sales, and technology functions will report directly to Vena.

Melissa Nick

• ShipBob hired Melissa Nick as its first chief supply chain officer. She most recently served as Amazon’s vice president of North America customer fulfillment, where she led operations, planning, and engineering teams across more than 250 fulfillment centers.