Distribution Centers

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

   In an attempt to unify supply chain activities, eBizNET Solutions and SPS Commerce announced a deal to develop a cloud-based service that focuses on retail, e-commerce, distribution and manufacturing companies.    eBizNet will bring its software-as-a-service (SaaS) supply chain applications, while SPS will mix in its on-demand supply chain management services. The integrated service is expected to provide connections to more than 1,500 customers.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

   Kuehne + Nagel said a unit in Japan has been granted by the Chiba prefecture government a manufacturing license for packaging, labeling and storage of medical devices at its logistics facility in Ichikawa.    “The license is a huge step forward for Kuehne + Nagel to expand its position as a leading logistics provider to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry,” said Tadhg Meaney, president of Kuehne + Nagel Japan, in a statement.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

   Amware Logistics Services said Tuesday it has acquired Parcel Port, a small non-asset based warehousing, distribution and fulfillment company based in Arizona that has a strong focus on managing e-commerce parcel delivery.    Amware, headquartered in Eagle, Colo., is an Eastern provider of warehousing and transportation services that bought Parcel Port to expand to new locations and take on direct consumer fulfillment for Internet-based and catalog retailers, said Vin Gulisano, Am...

Thursday, May 10, 2012

   XPO Logistics said it had a net loss of $2.7 million for the first quarter, compared to a profit of $1.1 million for the same 2011 period.    Total revenue was $44.6 million for the quarter, a 7.4 percent increase from the same period last year.    Bradley Jacobs, XPO's chairman and chief executive officer, said the company has a strategy to "scale up our operations through acquisitions, cold-starts and organic growth" and had made its first acquisition this we...

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

   Ryder System, a third-party logistics services provider, has expanded its food packaging and distribution capability through enhancements at its facility in Beaver Dam, Wis.    The Beaver Dam Logistics Center (BDLC) serves food manufacturers with frozen and refrigerated requirements.    BDLC was recently expanded with a 15,000-square-foot, temperature-controlled addition Ryder will use to target companies needing to package refrigerated and frozen foods, vegetables, frui...

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

   The supply chain management company CEVA Logistics, which is majority owned by Apollo Global Management, is planning an initial public stock offering to raise up to $400 million, according to a report by Reuters .    It also said the company plans to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange.    Meanwhile, CEVA reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of 66 million British pounds ($106 million) in the first quarter of 2012, a ...

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Murphy    Richard T. Murphy Sr., long-time head of Murphy Warehouse Co. in Minneapolis, died on May 1 at the age of 87.    Murphy was the third generation to operate the family transportation and warehousing company founded in 1904. He began his formal career as a dispatcher in 1948, and at the age of 27, was named president of the company.    He retired from day-to-day management in 1993, but continued to be active on the board and as a strategic advisor. Today, Murphy ope...

Monday, May 07, 2012

   Third-party logistics services provider Damco said its South Asia operation is focusing on the pharmaceutical industry by offering "green" logistics in India.    The company has started offering a Dynamic Flow Control tool which it says helps static supply chains evolve into "dynamic" systems with a focus on reducing carbon footprints. The company said it expects the system to save companies double-digit percentages on cost.    Gre...

Monday, May 07, 2012

   The FBI last week made arrests in what it said was “the largest takedown in U.S. history involving cargo theft."    Eleven people were indicted.    John V. Gillies, special agent in charge for FBI Miami, said the theft involved more than $100 million, including $80 million worth of pharmaceuticals and "dealt a major blow to this Miami-based criminal organization."    Operation Southern Hospitality, as the investigation was dubbed, targeted individuals invol...

Monday, May 07, 2012

   RedPrairie Corp., a supply chain and retail technology provider, released its 2012.1 product Monday.    The company said the new release aims to connect supply chain execution capabilities with stores and commerce sites to improve visibility for retailers, manufacturers and distributors. Additions to its service include new integrations, global labor standards compliance, support of industry standards such as GS1 barcoding requirements, and a new traceability offering. &...

Thursday, May 03, 2012

   Panalpina Group, a global third-party logistics provider, has partnered with RedPrairie to include the Atlanta-based supply chain and retail technology supplier's applications in its systems.    Through the partnership, Panalpina plans to boost its value-added logistics services and enhance automation and efficiency.       One feature that RedPrairie’s system will give Panalpina is a standardized global platform to build customized ...

Thursday, May 03, 2012

   Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Kenco, a provider of distribution, warehousing, transportation and information technology, is offering new international retail and logistics services with Germany’s Hermes Fulfilment.    The companies said the goal is to serve shippers on both sides of the Atlantic. In the United States, Kenco will provide warehouseing and distribution of online orders through more than 100 distribution centers and Hermes will provide online support for business...

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

   OTS Logistics, operator of multiple neutral non-vessel-operating common carrier brands, said Chief Executive Officer Charles Brennan will retire from the group.    Brennan will be succeeded by Biju Kewalram, currently chief operating officer, and Haydn O'Brien, head of East Asia, who will become co-CEOs of the group. Kewalram will continue to be based in Carson, Calif., while O'Brien will remain in Hong Kong.    “We believe that with their complementary experience they a...

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

   Global commercial real estate service provider CBRE has advised DHL Real Estate to sell a 15,000 square-meter warehouse facility that it's developing in Leipzig, Germany to international property fund manager, Cordea Savills.    The move marks the beginning of a new program around direct development by DHL Real Estate in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.    DHL said Leipzig is a strategic location within its European network and plans to develop nearly ...

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

   Miami-based Ryder Systems has reported a 37 percent increase in profit largely due to stronger used-vehicle sales and revenue from a recent addition to its fleet management business, the United Kingdom's Hill Hire purchased in June.    The company said its first-quarter net income rose to $34.3 million from $25.1 million in 2011, while revenue climbed to $1.54 billion, above the $1.48 billion forecast by analysts.    Ryder's fleet management segment, ...

Monday, April 30, 2012

   Hong Kong-based Kerry Logistics said on Monday that it has acquired Taiwan-based Trustspeed Medicine Logistics.    The acquisition will strengthen Kerry’s capabilities in the pharmaceutical and healthcare logistics sector and extend its Asian distribution network in the market, the company said.    “This is a major step forward for Kerry Logistics to expand its presence in Taiwan’s dynamic and growing pharmaceutical and healthcare sector. We aim to tap into the huge...

Monday, April 30, 2012

   Crane Worldwide Logistics has moved to its new headquarters in Houston, a facility that houses both its offices and warehouse operations.    Crane said its expansion will better facilitate its freight forwarding and third-party logistics services for deliveries by air, land and ocean.    The new facility doubles Crane's warehouse space, including a larger storage yard, which the company said will allow it to process a higher volume of goods and accommodate...

Thursday, April 26, 2012

   Aspen Logistics has appointed Christopher Ticknor as its executive director of business development.    Ticknor will be responsible for leading Aspen’s work in brand recognition and drumming up new clients.    He started at Aspen in 2008 as marketing manager.    Aspen, a third-party logistics firm, operates about 2 million square feet of refrigerated and ambient warehousing along with a fleet of trucks. 

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

   Calogi, a Dubai-based Internet service portal offering global air cargo services, recently launched a new third-party logistics named c-Plus and a separate insurance offering.    c-Plus offers services to both 3PLs and their users by allowing customers to book and pay for transportation, warehousing, customs brokerage, insurance, road feeder, and packaging services in a single interface. Calogi said 3PLs can also set up products, services, and rates through a set of flexible,...

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

   The third-party logistics services company Weber Distribution has appointed Des Sugrue as its new vice president of customer experience.    Sugrue will be responsible for customer service, information technology, and operational quality and consistency across Weber’s 17 distribution centers and freight terminals in the western United States, the company said.    Prior to joining Weber, Sugrue ran his own management consulting firm, Sugrue & Associates, which advised ...

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

   DB Schenker Logistics is investing roughly 27 million euros ($35.7 million) to build a new logistics center in the Ilsfeld, Germany’s Untere Bustadt industrial park.    The company said construction on the 60,000-square-meter space will begin early this summer and, once completed by fall 2013, will employ about 500.    Schenker Deutschland AG said hopes to continue its growth in this region of the country, which is why it selected a location that was near ...

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

   foodcareplus, an Antwerp-based logistics services provider specializing in food products, has joined with Nova Fresh Logistics to deliver an all-in-one logistics offering for the seafood industry.    Nova Fresh Logistics is involved in the food supply chain and part of Belgium-based Nova Natie Group.    The companies said the joint service will cover shipping, handling, and distribution of seafood, while offering complete cost control and regulatory compliance. ...

Monday, April 23, 2012

   Accellos Inc., a provider of supply chain software based in Colorado Springs, Colo., has launched a cloud-managed service for its existing AccellosOne Enterprise 3PL product.    The service will be offered to both existing and new customers running Accellos’ third-party logistics management software. It will include the provisioning of the computing infrastructure required to run the system with its database, as well as administrative and technical support services.   &n...

Thursday, April 19, 2012

   Bobcat Co., with its partner Menlo Worldwide Logistics, said it will expand the operations of its manufacturing support center in Bismarck, N.D.    The skid-steer maker also plans to buy additional land at the Northern Plains Commerce Center (NPCC) to concentrate its product development and testing.    Production of Bobcat’s compact attachments will begin moving to the new manufacturing support center (formerly Bobcat’s production facility) immediately. Menlo h...

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

   Cimetra Warehousing & Distribution (CWD), a Nashville, Tenn.-based logistics and warehousing company, will add 6,000 square feet to its temperature-controlled space, expecting to open the addition on June 1.    CWD, an offshoot of the New York-based Cimetra, offers third-party logistics services such as inbound quality checks, pick-and-pack order management, order fulfillment, customs documentation, and kitting.    The new Tennessee branch operates two ware...

Monday, April 16, 2012

   The Inter-American Development Bank last month finalized a $20 million loan to Plaza Logistica SRL for construction of two logistics parks outside Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to the multilateral bank's Website .      It is the first time the IDB has ever approved a private sector loan to finance a logistics project in Latin American and the Caribbean.    The logistics parks in Escobar and Pilar will have a combined 85,000 square meters of warehouse space for ...

Monday, April 09, 2012

   Federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration searched a Walgreens distribution center in Jupiter, Fla., and six of its drug stores in central Florida to see if the company or its employees had sold or distributed an excessive numbers of pain pills, authorities said Friday.    Walgreens is the latest to come under scrutiny over the sale of prescription drugs as DEA named Florida the biggest source of narcotic pain pills in the Southeast.    ...

Monday, April 09, 2012

   South Korean firm Pantos Logistics said it has won a contract to provide warehousing at its logistics center in Cibitung, Jakarta, for Coca-Cola in Indonesia.    Pantos will handle distribution of Coca-Cola products to wholesalers around the country.    Pantos said it's also expanding its warehousing arrangement with Coca-Cola to Medan, Sumatra Island.

Friday, April 06, 2012

   The U.S. Postal Service wants more warehouse business and it's turning to technology service partners, such as DYMO Endicia, to help broaden its base.    DYMO Endicia, a technology partner to USPS since 2000, is expanding its existing services for printing postage from a shipping station in tandem with the Postal Service's effort to cover more smaller markets.    DYMO Endicia builds software that allows companies to access USPS in the same wa...

Friday, April 06, 2012

   FORTE, a consulting firm for supply chain and distribution, has hired Eric E. Clark as its new chief information officer.    Clark will be responsible for technology strategy, services, and sales support of FORTE’s Smart Warehouse Suite of warehouse management software. He will also play a role in the development of new products and functionality.    Clark previously spent four years as vice president of enterprise systems for United Natural Foods, a national food distri...

Friday, March 30, 2012

   Port Logistics Group, a provider of gateway logistics services, and Coastal Logistics Group, with operations in the Southeast, will partner to extend their geographic reach.    The partnership allows the pair to offer logistics services at all major U.S. import and export gateways, the companies said in a statement.    Before the partnership, Port Logistics operated more than 4 million square feet of warehouse space in and near the ports of New York/New Jersey, ...

Friday, March 30, 2012

   Keppel Telecommunications & Transportation has announced that its subsidiaries have recently secured new joint venture agreements.    The first agreement is between Keppel Jilin Logistics Park (Keppel Jilin) and the Jilin City government's Jilin Sino-Singapore Food Zone Development Co. The pair will jointly develop and operate the Sino-Singapore Jilin Food Zone International Logistics Park to serve the Sino-Singapore Jilin Food Zone.    The zone joint venture will be...

Thursday, March 29, 2012

   Menzies Distribution, a newspaper distribution specialist, has produced a mobile application designed to allow retail staff to manage stock claims directly from the retail floor level.    The i-Menzies app – available on the iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices – was downloaded by more than 500 retailers during a three-month trial and is now being offered to all of its 12,000 customers, the company said.    The app is a mobile extension of its existing online services ...

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

   Swiss freight forwarder Kuehne + Nagel Group said Tuesday it's introducing a new product for the pharmaceutical and health care industry.    KN PharmaChain will give shippers door-to-door temperature control, a 24-hour alert system, and optional wireless temperature measuring.    “KN PharmaChain is Kuehne + Nagel’s response to the pharmaceutical industry’s requirements for effective and proper air freight transportation solutions,” the company said. “If not cor...

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

   Damco, the logistics arm of A.P. Moller-Maersk, has launched a new supply chain service that it says will more efficiently deal with continual changes on the demand and supply side of logistics management.    Damco’s Dynamic Flow Control allows supply chain managers to continually re-plan shipments and redefine what is the most important aspect of the shipment, such as date, cost, or carbon footprint.    The company said the system eliminates the manu...

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

   Franklin, Mass.-based Barrett Distribution Centers, a family owned third-party logistics company, has chosen Scott Hothem as its new senior vice president of customer solutions.    Hothem has held senior leadership positions with Matson Integrated Logistics (which acquired Pacific American Services while Hothem was president), Circuit City Stores, Merisel, Arvato and Bertelsmann AG.    Barrett operates a network of 13 distribution centers in the United States, ...

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

   Interest in providing logistics services to life science companies remains high, as highlighted by two recent acquisitions of companies in the same-day and overnight delivery business.    Earlier this month AmerisourceBergen Corp. of Valley Forge, Pa., announced plans to buy World Courier Group of Stamford, Conn. for $520 million in cash. AmerisourceBergen, one of the three largest drug distribution companies along with Cardinal Health and McKesson, said it expected to close o...

Monday, March 26, 2012

   SATO, a provider of barcode printing, labeling, and radio frequency identification device technologies, will acquire Achernar, a privately held firm based in Buenos Aires.    Achernar, founded in 1971, is one the region’s largest providers of adhesive labeling services to industries including food, cosmetics, electronics and postal services.    SATO said the acquisition is part of a larger plan to expand its offerings and coverage in So...

Monday, March 26, 2012

   Hugo Boss, a German fashion provider, has partnered with DHL Supply Chain to improve its logistics operations in Mexico.    DHL Supply Chain, a sister-company to Exel, will provide inventory management, labeling and packing shipments according to the specifications of Hugo Boss clothing retailers, as well as reverse logistics processing of items that are returned at the end of a season or collection.    Hugo Boss will also have access to services from DHL ...

Friday, March 23, 2012

   Good360, a company that focuses on philanthropy efforts, opened its new national sorting and distribution center in Omaha, Neb.    The nonprofit consolidated several warehouses where it stores and sends product donations for thousands of charities into the new Omaha facility. Goods were previously stored in 12 cities in the United States and Canada.    In January, Good360 began to finish the consolidation with support from The UPS Foundation and The H...

Friday, March 23, 2012

   Leading Edge Logistics (LEL), a non-asset based third party logistics company, has acquired C&F Logistics of San Juan, Puerto Rico and will roll those operations into its Puerto Rico division LEL Caribe.    By acquiring C&F, a non-vessel-operating common carrier, LEL hopes to become a top NVO in the Caribbean. For its North American operations, LEL has warehouse and cross-dock facilities in Elizabeth, N.J.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Miami; Los Angeles; and San Juan.   &...

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

   3PL Global has signed a lease for 270,764-square-feet in the ProLogis South Bay Distribution Center in Carson, Calif.    The ProLogis building is located about 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, with close proximity to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.    3PL Global, based in Irvine, Calif., plans to relocate its corporate operations to the building this summer.    "The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the two busiest in t...

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

   Amazon.com will spend $775 million in cash for Kiva Systems, a material handling technology company that’s known for its automated warehouse fulfillment systems.    The acquisition is part of Amazon’s continued spending on facilities and operations to enhance its growing business. This is Amazon’s second largest acquisition behind its $896.4 million purchase of Zappos.com in 2009.    Kiva’s stockholders have already approved the deal and the companies expect to...

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

    Intelligrated has relocated its Dallas-based southwest regional operations to larger facilities in Coppell, Texas.    Headquartered in Cincinnati, Intelligrated makes and installs material handling automation systems such as conveyor and sorting systems, palletizers and robotics, order fulfillment systems, warehouse control software and advanced machine controls.    The company said the facility move was due to growth and successful bidding on several recent orders...

Friday, March 16, 2012

   Third party logistics services provider OHL has expanded its network with a new 400,000-square-foot facility in Plainfield, Ind., and a 200,000 square-foot expansion in St. Louis to fill orders for on-line retailers.    The company offers warehousing and transportation management services for electronic retailers, including five out of the top 25 so-called e-tailers, said Bob Spieth, president of OHL. “This expansion in our campus network will enable us to meet the needs of O...

Friday, March 16, 2012

   LogFire, a cloud-based supply chain services provider based in Atlanta, has expanded its existing warehouse management software (WMS) to include a new transload and deconsolidation function for third-party logistics providers.    The LogFire WMS Trans Load and Deconsolidation capabilities will help 3PLs move freight from ocean containers to outbound trailerloads based on destination, purchase order, and stock-keeping unit. LogFire said this function will allow 3PLs to do these act...

Thursday, March 15, 2012

   India is seeing an increased demand for the third party logistics services due to a new focus on supply chain management and bids for deeper market penetration, according to a new report from RNCOS.    RNCOS’ 3rd Party Logistics Market in India says India has seen a continuous improvement to its logistics infrastructure which has had the effect of making 3PL services perceived as a better way to control internal and external processes.    Consumer elecontrics an...

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

   Vangard Voice Systems and BellHawk Systems Corp. have announced a joint collaboration effort to create a set of voice-directed productivity enhancements to cloud-based warehouse management systems, manufacturing and supply chain management solutions.    The partnership will focus on Vangard’s cloud-based mobile voice service built for hands-free voice productivity to mid-sized industrial organizations such as manufacturers and food processors.    The WMS service, built on...

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

   Asda, a U.K. supermarket chain and subsidiary of Wal-Mart, has selected the supply chain technology service of ediTRACK to manage the franchises for its fashion and clothing brand, George.     ediTRACK's software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform will show inventory at distribution hubs and container freight stations from the United Kingdom to China and the Middle East, updating each product’s progress along the way via control checks. The platform can als...

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

   Prologis, an industrial real estate developer, said it will operate more than 1 million square feet of warehousing for freight forwarder Geodis in Europe.    Geodis’ lease is made up of a renewal for 749,000 square feet from two buildings at Prologis Park Evry in Evry Lisses, south of Paris, and another 266,000 square feet through a new lease in that park which is expected to be delivered in 2013.    "The development of Geodis' large state-of-the-art facility is indicativ...

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

   Kenco, a provider of distribution, warehousing, transportation and information technology, has promoted three executives to vice president.    Brad Liddie was named vice president of operations, responsible for supporting Kenco’s service to Stryker-Medical. He joined Kenco in 2001 as an operations supervisor and most recently supported Stryker’s regional distribution center network rollout.    Shanon Weber was appointed vice president of operations for Kenco’s Green Mount...

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

   U-Freight Group has revamped a warehouse at Tsing Yi near the Hong Kong airport to cater to the region’s apparel and accessories shippers.    The company leased the 39,000-square-foot facility that offers about 1,350 pallet positions. The changes, which took two months, have already attracted one new “fast fashion” customer, said Simon Wong, U-Freight’s chief executive officer.    The warehouse offers cross-docking, storage and daily delivery to stores within the Special ...

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

   The inland services division of APM Terminals has entered into a joint venture with MIV Logistics to develop a container freight station (CFS) for India's provincial government of Kerala.    The CFS will be located in Vallarpadam, a port near Kochi with deep water that is expected to become a major gateway for South Asia.    The project involves the construction of an 18-acre facility with capacity to handle 100,000 TEUs a year. The CFS is scheduled to open in 2013....

Monday, March 05, 2012

   Aspen Logistics and United National Consumer Suppliers (UNCS) have entered an agreement that will cover the purchase, warehousing, and shipping of products into new online markets.    The agreement emerged in response to an increase in Internet shopping, especially online contest and daily deals that have enhanced the momentum of immediacy and whim shopping.    Aspen is a third-party logistics firm that has lanes starting at its operations in the ...

Friday, March 02, 2012

   Kuehne+Nagel said it's introducing newly developed active wireless sensors which record and transmit the temperature of pharmaceutical air freight shipments as part of its KN PharmaChain product.    The Swiss forwarder said use of these sensors is a major achievement in the segment of "seamless" air freight cold chains for pharmaceutical products.    Generally, security rules prohibit the active use of mobile sensors during air transport. However, together with...

Friday, March 02, 2012

   Pantos Logistics of South Korea has recently opened its Ssangyong Motor European Parts Logistics Center (SEPC) in the Netherlands.    The SEPC is located in Breda near the Port of Rotterdam and will serve Ssangyong by supplying vehicle parts throughout Europe. The warehouse is about 9,400-square-meters and will store roughly 470,000 parts – made from 15,000 different components. Currently, Ssangyong sends auto parts to 27 European countries.    Pantos said it's aimi...

Thursday, March 01, 2012

   Express consignment carrier DHL announced Thursday that Home Shopping Europe 24 (HSE24) has extended its package delivery contract and placed all its logistics requirements with DHL as of the middle of next year. DHL is expanding its role by taking over warehousing services for the Munich-based multi-channel mail order company that were outsourced to a competitor in 2010.    The Deutsche Post subsidiary said it will increase the size of its logistics center in Greven, Germany, by ...

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

     U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Wednesday published a notice of proposed rulemaking that would make substantial changes to the way imported merchandise is transported inland under a bond, enabling the cargo owner to defer payment of duties until it reaches the destination port or is exported.     The primary fixes involve making the in-bond process electronic and tightening up procedures to better track merchandise and prevent diversion. In the past, CBP has...

Monday, February 20, 2012

      SourceProcureDeliver.com (SPD), based in Mumbai, India, has launched a new supply chain and distribution platform.    The service is initially aimed at suppliers looking to enter the Indian market. SPD said companies currently face a risky choice of either shipping stock against confirmed advance paid orders or entering the market on their own without an existing order base.    SPD’s platform introduces a supplier to its target segment and tak...

Monday, February 20, 2012

   WOW Logistics has appointed Mike Gebhardt as its director of business development.    Gebhardt, previously with OHL and Saddle Creek Corp., comes to WOW with a background in the warehousing and distribution industry.    Based in Appleton, Wis., WOW is a third party logistics services firm with 7 million square feet of warehouse space in 23 locations across three states.