Monday, February 29, 2016

11th Annual CECP Board of Boards Convenes and Recognizes UPS’s David Abney

Abney Honored with Strong Start CEO Force for Good Award; Recognized for Efforts to Address Societal Challenges and Build Business for the Future

New York City, February 29, 2016 – Fifty CEOs, including David Abney, Chairman and CEO of UPS (NYSE:UPS), today convened at CECP’s 11th annual Board of Boards: Competing for the Long Run, February 29, 2016 in New York City. A Forbes-named top three “power player” event for CEOs, the Board of Boards is a closed-door, CEO-to-CEO forum on the case for thinking long-term about business and societal strategies.

At this year’s event, Abney was awarded the CECP’s first-ever Strong Start CEO Force for Good Award, which honors CEOs new to their positions who have in their short tenures made outsized impacts within their companies and community.

In 2015, UPS employees logged 2.35 million volunteer hours, putting the company well on its way to achieving its goal of recording 20 million hours by the end of 2020, and the UPS Foundation funded the programs of more than 4,000 community-based nonprofits and NGOs worldwide. Additionally, UPS already reached more than half of its goal for its alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet to drive a billion miles by the end of 2017.  When completed, this accomplishment will enable UPS to have avoided as much as 12 percent of its annual conventional ground fuel use.

“There’s no other forum of CEOs that focuses on bringing balance to long- and short-term business strategies for the benefit of business and society,” stated Daryl Brewster, CEO, CECP. “These CEOs bring purpose to their businesses by aligning with and investing in society.  It builds trust. It engages employees. It improves the business reputation. It opens up new opportunities for the long run. And we are seeing increased evidence that it is leading to superior performance.”

Executives at the event share insights and best practices to help advance the impact of corporate community investment, while tapping strategies that are a competitive advantage.

While the Boards of Boards was a closed-door event, a high-level summary including live polling results, images and highlight videos will be available on the CECP website.

CECP, a coalition of CEOs who believe that societal improvement is an essential measure of business performance, was founded by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman and recognized by Forbes as a leading convener of “power players” in business.

About The UPS Foundation

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Since its founding in 1907, UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programs that provide long-term solutions to community needs. Founded in 1951, The UPS Foundation leads its global citizenship programs and is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national, and global communities. In 2015, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $110 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/Foundation. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

About CECP: The CEO Force for Good

CECP is a coalition of CEOs who believe societal improvement is an essential measure of business performance. Through convenings and thought leadership, CECP fosters collaboration among Fortune 500 companies striving to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems through the skills and resources of their companies. CECP, a global nonprofit organization, counts more than 150 affiliated at the CEO level and 50 at the company level. Companies affiliated with CECP together have more than $6.5 trillion in annual revenue and more than 14.5 million employees, and invest more than $14 billion annually in cash and non-cash in the communities around them. For more information visit cecp.co.

Americold and Feed the Children Supply 500 Backpacks to Seaborn Lee Elementary School

ATLANTA, Georgia - (February 29, 2016) - Americold, a global leader in temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics to the food industry, and Feed the Children are providing 500 backpacks to students at Seaborn Lee Elementary School (4600 Scarborough Road) in Atlanta, GA in a backpack build activity.

The event, sponsored by Americold, involved 300 of the company’s associates building the backpacks for distribution. The backpacks will afford local Atlanta, GA students an equal opportunity to succeed in the classroom, creating a brighter future for those who otherwise may not have had enough to continue in school.

Each backpack built during the event contained school supplies and basic hygiene essentials. Dozens of similar backpack builds happen around the country in conjunction with Feed the Children’s Homeless Education and Literacy Program (H.E.L.P), and this is Americold’s second program contribution.

In the United States, more than one million students are considered homeless. The issue is too big to tackle alone. Because of likeminded corporate, church, and homeless liaison partners, Feed the Children’s H.E.L.P. and backpack builds are able to reach homeless children in every state across the nation.

“In our first year of partnership, we’re proud to have ‘pick ‘n packed’ 500 backpacks with school supplies for Atlanta children, and donated more than $30,000 in food transportation services with 20 full semi-truck loads supporting the Home Front Harvest and Feed the Children summer meal programs. In all, we’ve enabled more than one million pounds of donated food to get to more than 5,000 deserving families,” said Fred Boehler, Americold’s President and CEO. “In our second year of partnership, we’re aiming to better that, starting now with almost 300 of our associates donating their time to put together hundreds of packs with much-needed school supplies to help children in the local community. It’s been a lot of fun and very rewarding for all of us.”

“We are always delighted when local organizations form partnerships with our schools to enhance student learning. Not only are you providing a gift that is useful right now, you are also inspiring students—through your story—to think about the future,” said Kenneth Zeff, Interim Superintendent for Fulton County Schools. “We appreciate Feed the Children and Americold sponsoring this donation of backpacks for our Seaborn Lee Elementary School students and look forward to collaborating more in the future.”
“It’s because of partners like Americold that this vital effort is possible. Together, we can help these children succeed and work toward the greater goal of breaking the cycle of poverty,” said J.C. Watts, Jr., Feed the Children President and CEO.


About Feed the Children

Feed the Children believes that it can create a world where no child goes to bed hungry. Since 1979, Feed the Children has grown into one of the largest U.S.-based charities. It is accredited by GuideStar Exchange and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, maintains a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, and is also a member of InterAction. Through its network of agencies, Feed the Children distributed more than $344 million in food, essentials, educational supplies, and medicine, impacting close to 9 million individuals in the U.S. and more than 4.9 million individuals internationally, for a total of 13.9 million individuals globally in fiscal year 2014.  Visit www.feedthechildren.org for more information.

About the Fulton County School System

The Fulton County School System is the fourth largest school system in Georgia. Approximately 96,000 students attend 101 schools in the cities of Alpharetta, Chattahoochee Hills, College Park, East Point, Fairburn, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Palmetto, Roswell, Sandy Springs, and Union City. The district also serves students in unincorporated Fulton County.

About Americold

Americold is a global leader in temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics to the food industry, offering the most comprehensive warehousing, transportation and logistics solutions in the world. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Americold owns and operates over 180 temperature-controlled warehouses, with 1 billion cubic feet of storage, in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina and Canada. Americold’s facilities are an integral component of the supply chain connecting food producers, processors, distributors, and retailers to consumers. Americold serves more than 3,000 customers and employs 11,000 associates worldwide.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

CN Announcement

JJ Ruest, CN executive vice-president and chief marketing officer, to address J.P. Morgan Aviation, Transportation & Industrials Conference March 10

MONTREAL, Feb. 25, 2016 -- JJ Ruest, executive vice-president and chief marketing officer of CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI), will address the J.P. Morgan Aviation, Transportation & Industrials Conference on March 10, 2016, starting at 9.15 a.m. Eastern Time.

Ruest will discuss CN's continued focus on supply chain collaboration and Operational and Service Excellence.

CN will provide a live audio webcast of Ruest's remarks and post his presentation on the Investors' section of the Company's website, www.cn.ca/en/investors

CN's team of approximately 23,000 railroaders transports more than C$250 billion worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors, ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer goods, across a rail network of approximately 20,000 route-miles spanning Canada and mid-America. CN – Canadian National Railway Company, along with its operating railway subsidiaries – serves the cities and ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Chicago, Memphis, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America. For more information about CN, visit the Company's website at www.cn.ca.

Finalists Chosen for 2nd Annual ‘Distinguished Woman in Logistics’ Award

Elizabeth Fretheim, Liz Lasater and Shelley Simpson selected from Field of Nominees; 
Winner to be Announced April 8 During TIA ‘Capital Ideas’ Conference in San Antonio

PLOVER, Wisconsin, February 24, 2016 — The Women In Trucking (WIT) Association today announced the finalists for the 2nd Annual “Distinguished Woman in Logistics” award established to promote the achievements of women employed in the North American transportation industry. Finalists for the award are Elizabeth Fretheim, director, Logistics Sustainability, Walmart; Liz Lasater, chief executive officer, Red Arrow Logistics; and Shelley Simpson, chief marketing officer, executive vice president and president, Integrated Capacity Solutions and Truck, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.

The winner will be announced by joint program sponsors TMW Systems and Truckstop.com on behalf of WIT on Friday, April 8, during the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) 2016 “Capital Ideas” Conference and Exhibition in San Antonio, Texas.

The award highlights the vital roles of leading women in the dynamic and increasingly influential field of commercial transportation and logistics, which encompasses both logistics service providers as well as motor carriers.

The finalists for the 2016 “Distinguished Woman in Logistics” award lead businesses or operating units that have achieved significant regional, national and/or global scale and which serve many of the industry’s premier shippers as transportation service providers. Each has demonstrated superior leadership within their company as well as with other professional, educational or philanthropic organizations.

In her role as Director of Logistics Sustainability for Walmart Stores, Inc., Liz Fretheim provides strategic direction to sustainability efforts for the logistics division including the third largest private truck fleet in North America and more than 150 distribution centers. She has driven strategic sustainability initiatives that saved more than $3.5 billion in 10 years and is credited with leading the achievement of doubling freight efficiency for the multinational retailer. Fretheim is a sought-after speaker at industry events and the recipient of the Green Biz coveted VERGE 25 Smarter Supply Chain award.

Founder and Red Arrow Logistics Chief Executive Officer Liz Lasater holds more than 20 years broad international and domestic experience in global transportation and logistics. She has created solutions for clients that encompass international trade and logistics, manufacturing support services, warehousing, distribution and technology. Lasater speaks worldwide on supply chain trends and technology solutions. She sits on a number of boards including the Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition, Win With Washington (state), The Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing and serves as an advisor for the Lake Washington Technical Institute Transportation & Logistics Management program. Both Lasater and Red Arrow Logistics have been honored and recognized by many regional and national organizations.

Shelley Simpson is Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and President of Integrated Capacity Solutions and Truckload for J.B. Hunt. Her accomplishments include helping J.B. Hunt increase revenue from $4.5 to $6.2 billion over five years and leading her business unit to a nearly billion-dollar entity through strategic guidance and innovative ideas. The business unit is now among the top five of 3rd party logistics companies in the trucking industry. Simpson holds several board positions and is involved with Women in Supply Chain Excellence at her alma mater, the University of Arkansas.

Finalists were selected from an extensive field of high-performing women representing warehousing, traffic and shipping, third-party logistics, supply chain management and related functional disciplines. Members of the judging panel were: Kate Miller, president, Blue Edge Marketing Ltd.; Diane A. Mollenkopf, Ph.D., McCormick associate professor of logistics and director, Ph.D. program in supply chain management, University of Tennessee; Fred Moody, editor and publisher, Logistics Quarterly; and Ellen Voie, CAE, president and CEO, Women in Trucking, Inc.

The winner of the 2016 award will be announced Friday morning, April 8, during the TIA Annual Business Meeting and Opening Session at the Grand Hyatt, San Antonio, TX.

To learn more about the award and related events, please visit www.womenintrucking.org.



XPO Logistics Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015 Results

Comments on XPO Logistics' Performance from XPO's CEO, Bradley Jacobs

Greenwich, Conn. - February 24, 2016 - Bradley Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of XPO Logistics, said, "In the fourth quarter, we delivered organic adjusted EBITDA growth of 33%, and organic revenue growth of 8.4% ex-fuel. EBITDA growth in our transportation segment was led by our asset-light freight brokerage business, which continues to improve productivity through technology and the increasing tenure of our sales force. For freight brokerage, last mile, expedite and global forwarding combined, we grew organic net revenue margin by 280 basis points to 21.7%. In our logistics segment, we realized higher-than-expected EBITDA and operating income, led by our European logistics business. We're winning multi-year contracts with world-class customers in Europe, some of which can use our new last mile network. Globally, our transportation and logistics segments both have deep roots in e-commerce, the single biggest growth trend in retail.

"We completed the Con-way transaction one month into the quarter. The integration is going extremely well, and we've already taken out over $50 million of costs in annual savings in the first three months, while improving customer service levels. We're on track with our plan to deliver $170 million to $210 million of profit improvement within two years."

Jacobs continued, "Looking at 2016, we have a high-impact agenda that includes accelerated cross-selling, the strategic sourcing of nearly $3 billion of spend, the optimization of our purchased transportation, and the global integration of corporate services. These and other major initiatives give us the ability to grow the business across a range of economic conditions."
Fourth Quarter 2015 Results by Segment
Transportation: The company's transportation segment generated total gross revenue of $2.1 billion for the quarter, a 216.8% increase from the same period in 2014. The year-over-year increase in revenue was primarily due to the acquisitions of Norbert Dentressangle, Con-way, Bridge Terminal Transport, and UX Specialized Logistics, and to organic revenue growth led by the last mile and freight brokerage businesses.

Net revenue margin for the fourth quarter improved to 27.3%, compared with 20.0% in 2014. The increase in segment net revenue margin was primarily due to the acquisition of the less-than-truckload business, and to significant year-over-year margin improvements in all of the company's existing businesses, including freight brokerage, last mile, expedite and global forwarding. The improvements in existing operations were largely driven by better pricing, lower purchased transportation costs, and the shedding of unprofitable business.

Fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA for the segment improved to $151.4 million, compared with $31.6 million a year ago. Fourth quarter operating loss was $6.1 million, compared with operating income of $10.7 million a year ago. The increase in adjusted EBITDA primarily reflects the impact of acquisitions, as well as improved profitability led by freight brokerage. The decrease in operating income reflects non-cash depreciation and amortization expenses, as well as one-time transaction-related costs. A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to operating income for the transportation segment is provided in the attached financial tables.
Logistics: The company's logistics segment generated gross revenue of $1.3 billion, compared with $166.5 million from the same period in 2014. Gross margin was $166.4 million, up from $25.2 million a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA was $98.5 million, up from $26.0 million a year ago. Operating income for the fourth quarter was $34.8 million, versus $13.1 million a year ago.

In the logistics segment, the year-over-year increases in gross revenue and gross margin, adjusted EBITDA and operating income were primarily due to the 2015 acquisitions of Norbert Dentressangle and Con-way, as well as organic growth. Adjusted EBITDA and operating income were both higher than expected in the quarter, primarily due to operational improvements, strong demand from the retail and e-commerce sectors, and the shedding of unprofitable business. A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to operating income for the logistics segment is provided in the attached financial tables.
Corporate: Corporate SG&A expense was $66.6 million, compared with $17.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2014. The increase was largely due to one-time transaction-related costs, as well as higher incentive compensation, health insurance and legal costs.
Full Year 2015 Financial Results
For the full year 2015, the company reported total revenue of $7.6 billion, a 223.5% increase from 2014.

On a GAAP basis, the company reported a net loss of $191.6 million for the full year 2015, compared with a net loss of $63.6 million last year. The net loss attributable to common shareholders was $245.9 million, or a loss of $2.65 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $107.4 million, or a loss of $2.00 per diluted share, for 2014. The 2015 GAAP net loss includes: $165.2 million of one-time after-tax transaction-related costs net of noncontrolling interests; a $102.2 million non-cash after-tax amortization charges; and $52.0 million of non-cash accounting charges related to the beneficial conversion features of the $1.26 billion equity private placement in June 2015.

The adjusted net loss attributable to common shareholders, a non-GAAP measure, was $36.9 million, or a loss of $0.40 per share for 2015, excluding the items detailed below. This compares with an adjusted net loss attributable to common shareholders of $33.0 million, or a loss of $0.62 per share, for 2014.

Adjusted net loss attributable to common shareholders for 2015 excludes: $220.7 million, or $165.2 million after tax, of one-time transaction-related costs net of noncontrolling interests; $52 million of non-cash accounting charges related to the beneficial conversion features of the $1.26 billion equity private placement; $10.0 million, or $8.2 million after-tax, of costs related to the conversion of convertible senior notes; $2.4 million, or $1.5 million after-tax of accelerated amortization of trade names; $12.0 million of unrealized foreign exchange benefit, net of tax; and a $9.5 million benefit, or $5.9 million after-tax, related to the gain on sale of intermodal equipment. Reconciliations of adjusted net loss to common shareholders and adjusted EPS are provided in the attached financial tables.

Adjusted EBITDA for 2015 improved to $493.1 million, compared with $81.4 million for 2014. Adjusted EBITDA for 2015 excludes $201.0 million of one-time transaction-related costs; and a $9.5 million benefit related to the gain on sale of intermodal equipment assets. A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net loss is provided in the attached financial tables.

XPO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: XPO) is a top ten global provider of cutting-edge supply chain solutions. The company provides services for truckload brokerage and transportation, last mile logistics, engineered supply chain solutions, high-value-add warehousing and distribution, ground and air expedite, less-than-truckload transportation, intermodal, drayage, managed transportation and global forwarding. XPO serves more than 50,000 customers with a highly integrated network of over 89,000 employees and 1,443 locations in 33 countries. XPO's corporate headquarters is in Greenwich, Conn., USA, and its European headquarters is in Lyon, France. www.xpo.com

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined under Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") rules, such as adjusted net loss attributable to common shareholders, adjusted diluted loss per share ("EPS"), and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("adjusted EBITDA"), in each case for the three- and twelve-month periods ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, and earnings before interest, taxes, deprecation and amortization ("EBITDA") for the Transportation and Logistics segments for the quarters ended December 31, 2015 and 2014. As required by SEC rules, we provide reconciliations of these measures to the most directly comparable measure under United States generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), which are set forth in the attachments to this release. We believe that adjusted net loss attributable to common shareholders and adjusted diluted loss per share improves comparability from period to period by removing the impact of nonrecurring expense items, including preferred stock beneficial conversion charge, acquisition-related transaction and integration costs; debt commitment fees; costs related to the rebranding to XPO Logistics (including accelerated amortization of trade names); loss on the conversion of the company's convertible senior notes; impact of non-controlling interests; and gain on sale of intermodal equipment. We believe that EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA improve comparability from period to period by removing the impact of our capital structure (interest expense from our outstanding debt), asset base (depreciation and amortization) tax consequences, and the nonrecurring expense items noted above. In addition to its use by management, we believe that EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are measures widely used by securities analysts, investors and others to evaluate the financial performance of companies in our industry. Other companies may calculate EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA differently, and therefore our measure may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are not measures of financial performance or liquidity under GAAP and should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to net income, cash flows from operating activities and other measures determined in accordance with GAAP. Items excluded from EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are significant and necessary components of the operations of our business, and, therefore, EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA should only be used as a supplemental measure of our operating performance.

Forward-looking Statements
This document includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including the expected maturity of the company's debt, the expected customer interest in our last mile network in Europe, the expected ability to integrate operations, cross-sell services, realize cost savings, synergies and profit improvement opportunities, expected market trends and growth, the expected performance of our business units in economic downturns and our 2016 and 2018 financial targets. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "continue," "could," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "should," "will," "expect," "objective," "projection," "forecast," "goal," "guidance," "outlook," "effort," "target" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terms. However, the absence of these words does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by us in light of our experience and our perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors we believe are appropriate in the circumstances.

These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to a material difference include those discussed in XPO's filings with the SEC and the following: economic conditions generally; competition and pricing pressure; the expected impact of recent acquisitions and the related financing, including the expected impact on XPO's results of operations; XPO's ability to successfully integrate and realize anticipated synergies, cost savings and profit improvement opportunities; XPO's ability to attract and retain key employees to execute its growth strategy; litigation, including litigation related to alleged misclassification of independent contractors; the ability to develop and implement suitable information technology systems; the ability to maintain positive relationships with XPO's networks of third-party transportation providers; XPO's ability to attract and retain qualified drivers; XPO's ability to retain and add customers; XPO's ability to find suitable acquisition candidates and execute its acquisition strategy; XPO's ability to raise debt and equity capital; fuel price or fuel surcharge changes; rail and other network changes; labor matters; weather and other service disruptions; and governmental regulation. All forward-looking statements set forth in this document are qualified by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, XPO or its businesses or operations. Forward-looking statements set forth in this document speak only as of the date hereof, and XPO undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, changes in expectations or the occurrence of unanticipated events except to the extent required by law.

Minister Garneau Tables the Canada Transportation Act Review Report

February 25, 2016 – Ottawa – Transport Canada - The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, issued the following statement today. “As Minister of Transport, I am pleased to table the Canada Transportation Act Review Report in Parliament.

“Over a period of 18 months, the Review undertook a broad examination and heard from more than 300 Canadian transportation and trade stakeholders, including provinces and territories, to ensure that the national transportation system continues to support Canada’s international competitiveness, trade, and prosperity.

“The Government of Canada will carefully consider the findings contained in the Report and any actions required to further strengthen the safety, efficiency, and competitiveness of Canada’s transportation system.

“As Minister of Transport, I am committed to lead a new and modern vision for transportation in Canada. The Report looks ahead, over the next 20 to 30 years, to examine how we can maximize the contribution of our transportation system to support Canada’s economic growth.

“The government is interested in hearing the perspectives of federal colleagues, provincial and territorial counterparts, indigenous communities, and private and public stakeholders in the coming weeks and months regarding the issues raised by the report.

“Collaboration with all key partners will be essential to move forward and ensure Canada’s transportation system is well positioned to capitalize on global opportunities, contribute to a high-performing economy, and meet the evolving needs of Canadians.”

The report can be found at www.tc.gc.ca/ctareview2014.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Finalists Chosen for 2nd Annual ‘Distinguished Woman in Logistics’ Award

Elizabeth Fretheim, Liz Lasater and Shelley Simpson selected from Field of Nominees;
Winner to be Announced April 8 During TIA ‘Capital Ideas’ Conference in San Antonio

PLOVER, Wisconsin, February 24, 2016 — The Women In Trucking (WIT) Association today announced the finalists for the 2nd Annual “Distinguished Woman in Logistics” award established to promote the achievements of women employed in the North American transportation industry. Finalists for the award are Elizabeth Fretheim, director, Logistics Sustainability, Walmart; Liz Lasater, chief executive officer, Red Arrow Logistics; and Shelley Simpson, chief marketing officer, executive vice president and president, Integrated Capacity Solutions and Truck, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. The winner will be announced by joint program sponsors TMW Systems and Truckstop.com on behalf of WIT on Friday, April 8, during the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) 2016 “Capital Ideas” Conference and Exhibition in San Antonio, Texas.

The award highlights the vital roles of leading women in the dynamic and increasingly influential field of commercial transportation and logistics, which encompasses both logistics service providers as well as motor carriers.

The finalists for the 2016 “Distinguished Woman in Logistics” award lead businesses or operating units that have achieved significant regional, national and/or global scale and which serve many of the industry’s premier shippers as transportation service providers. Each has demonstrated superior leadership within their company as well as with other professional, educational or philanthropic organizations.

In her role as Director of Logistics Sustainability for Walmart Stores, Inc., Fretheim provides strategic direction to sustainability efforts for the logistics division including the third largest private truck fleet in North America and more than 150 distribution centers. She has driven strategic sustainability initiatives that saved more than $3.5 billion in four years and is credited with leading the achievement of doubling freight efficiency for the multinational retailer. Fretheim is a sought-after speaker at industry events and the recipient of the Green Biz coveted VERGE 25 Smarter Supply Chain award.

Founder and Red Arrow Logistics Chief Executive Officer Liz Lasater holds more than 20 years broad international and domestic experience in global transportation and logistics. She has created solutions for clients that encompass international trade and logistics, manufacturing support services, warehousing, distribution and technology. Lasater speaks worldwide on supply chain trends and technology solutions. She sits on a number of boards including the Pacific Northwest Defense Coalition, Win With Washington (state), The Center of Excellence for Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing and serves as an advisor for the Lake Washington Technical Institute Transportation & Logistics Management program. Both Lasater and Red Arrow Logistics have been honored and recognized by many regional and national organizations.

Shelley Simpson is Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and President of Integrated Capacity Solutions and Truckload for J.B. Hunt. Her accomplishments include helping J.B. Hunt increase revenue from $4.5 to $6.2 billion over five years and leading her business unit to a nearly billion-dollar entity through strategic guidance and innovative ideas. The business unit is now among the top five of 3rd party logistics companies in the trucking industry. Simpson holds several board positions and is involved with Women in Supply Chain Excellence at her alma mater, the University of Arkansas.

Finalists were selected from an extensive field of high-performing women representing warehousing, traffic and shipping, third-party logistics, supply chain management and related functional disciplines. Members of the judging panel were: Kate Miller, president, Blue Edge Marketing Ltd.; Diane A. Mollenkopf, Ph.D., McCormick associate professor of logistics and director, Ph.D. program in supply chain management, University of Tennessee; Fred Moody, editor and publisher, Logistics Quarterly; and Ellen Voie, CAE, president and CEO, Women in Trucking, Inc.

The winner of the 2016 award will be announced Friday morning, April 8, during the TIA Annual Business Meeting and Opening Session at the Grand Hyatt, San Antonio, TX.

To learn more about the award and related events, please visit www.womenintrucking.org.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Announcement: Australia based Supply Chain Cover becomes Crimson & Co

Supply chain consultancy celebrates 16 month relationship by integrating with Crimson & Co’s global business

February 23, 2016, London - Crimson & Co, the global supply chain consultancy, has announced that Australian supply chain company Supply Chain Cover is now fully integrated into its business. This is the culmination of an exceptionally strong working relationship, which will allow the global business to build on its offering of best-in-class supply chain consultancy for global, UK and Australasian businesses.

In 2014 Crimson & Co embarked on a global expansion strategy. This included opening a new office in Singapore and being joined in North America and India by The Progress Group and in Australia and New Zealand by Supply Chain Cover. In 2015 they expanded into Latin America with the opening of an office in Brazil. Following 16 months together, Supply Chain Cover is now taking the next step and becoming fully part of the Crimson & Co global business.

As of 25th February 2016, Supply Chain Cover will officially become part of the Crimson & Co business for Australia and New Zealand. Located in Melbourne and Sydney, Crimson & Co’s Australasian operation will advise clients across Australia and New Zealand on procurement, planning, manufacturing, logistics, supply chain systems and supply chain strategy.

In Australia and New Zealand, Crimson & Co will be led by Frans Verheij and Peter Quine. Both directors have extensive experience in worldwide supply chain development and consultancy and head up a team with over 200 years’ supply chain experience across Australia and New Zealand.

Richard Powell, Global CEO of Crimson & Co commented: “Today’s announcement celebrates the success of the particularly close relationship between Supply Chain Cover and Crimson & Co over the past year. We share a common approach to consulting and a single belief that the only thing that matters is making a real difference for our clients. We are thrilled that Supply Chain Cover has integrated into our global business.”

Frans Verheij, founder of Supply Chain Cover commented in a press release:  “We are building on the strong foundation and exceptional team we have developed over the past eight years as Supply Chain Cover. We are now taking the next step in our development by joining Crimson & Co. The decision to become a Crimson & Co business was simple and logical and we are excited about the long-term prospects for our local and global clients and our people.”

About Crimson & Co:
Crimson & Co is a global supply chain consultancy that thinks differently. It stands shoulder to shoulder with clients as it develops outstanding supply chains, using deep operational experience and broad-based business skills to challenge, guide and implement. Its strength is its consulting team, which it nurtures with care, and it has an approach and culture that its clients believe is unique.
The company was founded in 2003 as a breakaway from one of the major consultancies and its scope spans supply chain strategy, planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics and customer channels. It operates on all continents, with offices in London, Atlanta, Mumbai, Melbourne, São Paulo and Singapore, and typical clients are blue-chip organisations such as Sony, Diageo, Carlsberg, BAT, GSK, Tesco and Merck. For more information, please see: www.crimsonandco.com

TMW Systems to Showcase Time and Money Saving

TMW Systems to Showcase Time and Money Saving New Maintenance Solutions During TMC Annual Meeting and Exhibition

CLEVELAND, Ohio, February 22, 2016 – TMW Systems will showcase three innovative time and money saving fleet maintenance solutions during the 2016 Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, Feb. 29 through March 3, 2016, in Nashville, Tenn. Fleet operations and maintenance professionals are invited to see these and other solutions in action by visiting the TMW exhibit, booth No. 2038.

The featured solutions include fully automated electronic Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (eDVIR) management, resolution and reporting capability for users of TMT Fleet Maintenance software and PeopleNet mobile communication technology; a TMT Mobile Mechanic Workstation app that captures all repair activities and related information in conjunction with in-field repairs; and extensive new TMW business intelligence resources that enable fleets to identify and eliminate inefficiencies in the maintenance area through deep insight into daily activities and industry best practices.

“Commercial vehicle fleets have significant opportunities to reduce the costs associated with preventive maintenance, vehicle downtime, labor, parts inventories and compliance through solutions that automate, simplify and provide increased visibility into daily operations,” said Rod Strata, executive vice president, Operations, TMW Systems. “We encourage TMC attendees to explore the latest capabilities of our TMT software and breakthrough business intelligence offerings as a means to eliminate unnecessary complexity and expense from their maintenance operations.”

The integration of PeopleNet-generated eDVIR reports with TMT Fleet Maintenance software provides a comprehensive, closed-loop solution for capturing and managing inspection information and more quickly and efficiently resolving maintenance issues. eDVIR inspection results flow electronically into vehicle inspection tickets within the TMT solution, where reported defects are assigned to a technician. Upon completion of the repair, an electronic notification is sent to the driver. This seamless flow of information forms an electronic log of defects by driver, repair information by technician, and acknowledgement of each resolved issue – all while eliminating the extra time, cost and potential errors associated with manual processes.

The recently released TMT Mobile Workstation app enables technicians to capture critical information and accelerate the repair process when working on equipment either on the road or in the yard. Compatible with Android phones and tablets, the app can be used to quickly create new work orders or sections; manage existing work orders; track labor time; find, price and request parts; capture vehicle mileage and technician notes; track the technician’s time card; log indirect labor time, and more.

TMW also has extended its business intelligence solutions to help fleets achieve step-change productivity, efficiency and cost improvements within their maintenance operations. These tools include an array of dashboard-based analytics that provide deep visibility into key maintenance measures, such as Direct vs. Indirect Labor; Shop Productivity; Employee Efficiency; Top 10 Costs Incurred by VMRS by System Code; Top “X” Part Used; Top Component Codes Reported in Breakdowns; Open Vendor Repairs; PM/Safety Compliance; and Budget Compliance.


About TMW Systems
TMW is a leading transportation software provider to commercial and private fleets, brokerage and 3PL organizations. Founded in 1983, TMW has focused on providing enterprise software to the transportation industry, including asset-based and non-asset-based operations as well as heavy-duty vehicle service centers. With offices in Cleveland, Dallas, Indianapolis, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Raleigh, and Vancouver, the company serves over 2,000 customers, including many of the largest, most sophisticated and complex transportation service companies in North America. TMW is a Trimble Company (NASDAQ: TRMB) and part of its international Transportation and Logistics Division.www.tmwsystems.com

Kenco Partners with University of Tennessee on Study Examining Key Shortfalls in the Management of 3PLs

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.—Feb. 23, 2016 —More than 80 percent of domestic Fortune 500 companies outsource their logistics operations and most expect to use third party logistics (3PL) providers more in the coming years, according to the University of Tennessee (UT) study sponsored by Kenco.

The study—Selecting and Managing a Third Party Logistics Provider—finds that companies are still struggling to optimize their use of 3PLs despite growth in every sector of the supply chain over the last quarter century.

“Today’s 3PL is not your grandfather’s 3PL,” says Paul Dittmann, executive director of the Global Supply Chain Institute (GSCI) at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business. “The scope of third party logistics has widely increased and expectations of them accelerated, but that does not mean firms are using 3PLs to their full advantage.”

Dittmann partnered with Kate Vitasek, author of “The Vested Way,” to find the best practices for creating competitive advantages through use of a 3PL. Their research resulted in the GSCI’s latest white paper.

More than 60 executives interviewed for the study said the biggest mistake they made was not doing a thorough needs assessment before hiring a 3PL. The report also found that many, if not most, bids for third party logistics providers contained unrealistic data on company operations. Omitting business leaders from the selection process was another common pitfall, leading to a lack of business-wide strategy for the partnership.

Selecting and Managing a Third Party Logistics Provider is the second in UT’s Innovations in Supply Chain Series. Kenco  a Chattanooga-based provider of integrated logistics solutions and technology, sponsored the report.

“Communication is key to helping our clients succeed,” said David Caines, chief operating officer at Kenco. “The companies that connect us with the right people and have clear strategies in place are the ones we can help the most. This paper reflects that and gives insight into how 3PLs can be better partners as well.”

The study emphasizes clarity of expectations and a balance between accountability and independence for best management of 3PLs. The most successful 3PL partnerships employ elements of Vested methodologies, focusing on outcomes instead of processes, and implementing contracts that provide incentives for 3PLs.


About the Haslam College of Business
The Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, founded in 1914, consists of approximately 5,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Its six departments, nine centers and institutes, three forums, and graduate and executive education programs reach across the for profit, not-for-profit and governmental sectors of business, with a heavy emphasis on practical research. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was founded in 1794 and was designated Tennessee’s land-grant institution in 1879.

About Kenco
Kenco is a third-party logistics provider with more than 65 years of experience serving customers throughout North America. By optimizing people, processes, and technology, Kenco supports peak supply chain performance with vertically integrated capabilities that include: value-added warehousing; distribution and fulfillment; comprehensive transportation management; material handling services; real estate management; and information technology—all engineered for operational excellence. Kenco is a privately owned and diversity-certified company that delivers common sense solutions for uncommon value. Learn more at www.kencogroup.com

NEW SUEZ CANAL TO BENEFIT FROM ‘ONE BELT ONE ROAD’ AND AN OPENED UP IRAN

February 23, 2016 - London - The new deeper Suez Canal will be a beneficiary of the ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative taken by China’s leader, Xi Jinping, especially when it comes to the opening up of the Iranian market following the lifting of international sanctions and the moving into importance of the Indian refinery markets, according to a press release statement by Denis Petropoulos, President of Braemar Shipping Services Asia.

Speaking at the 1st Suez Canal Global Conference in Cairo, Mr Petropoulos said ‘One Belt One Road’ was not just about China but reached into around 60 countries: “many with increasing energy needs, and the Suez Canal playing its very essential part.”

Iran is probably the most notable frontier for new business within ‘One Belt One Road’, delegates were told. “Its trading alliances in Asia remain strong but with the lifting of sanctions the opportunities for Iran are opened further, with long standing historical trading partners in Southern Europe and their demand for Iranian crude oil, all likely to be transported through the Suez Canal and the Sumed pipeline,” said Mr Petropoulos.

“In the 1970s and 1980s, the trend for crude oil produced in the Middle East was for Western demand but by the turn of this century the trend reversed with Middle East producers supplying the East. However Middle East refineries are also producing products for the region and are now exporting large amounts of products to global destinations as profitable trade, as well as a hedge to reduction in OPEC crude quotas. North East Asia is also producing gasoil which will find itself in the West. Major traders are fixing new building aframaxes and suezmaxes to load cargos of gasoil from refineries in Japan and Korea all transiting the Suez Canal,” he said.

As Mr Petropoulos stressed, in addition, India’s refinery programmes in the private sector have been very forward looking and they now export products with limited or reduced refinery capacity, particularly in North West Europe. “Those cargoes will transit the Suez Canal. With the demand for power combined with emissions, the LNG space is growing significantly and there has been an increase in LNG transiting the Suez Canal in the last 10 years.”

Since the completion of the new dual carriage, the new Suez Canal will be able to handle almost twice the traffic, delegates heard. “And providing it remains commercially viable, this will lead to greater numbers of vessels navigating at both Suez and Port Said. In any environment where there is increased traffic there is increased risk of incident,” he warned.

Jeff Wilson, Director of Marine Consulting (Europe) at Braemar Salvage Association, told delegates that the planned increase in traffic that will come from the development of the ‘One Belt One Road’ “will inevitably result in more vessels transiting and awaiting transit of the Canal at either end, and this will require careful planning and handling to mitigate the risk of increased traffic.”

He said: “It may be useful at this point to remind ourselves of the most common types of marine casualty and consider how that feeds into a discussion on mitigating that risk. We’ve been gathering data on casualties since the business started, and we still maintain a casualty database that allows our friends and clients to accurately identify the risks that are relevant to their work or their projects.”

Braemar Shipping Services Plc is a leading international provider of broking, consultancy, technical and other services to the shipping, marine, energy and insurance industries. Its shares are listed in the premium segment of the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and are admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market for listed securities in the Industrial Transport Sector.
www.braemarplc.com It business is organised into four divisions: Shipbroking, Technical, Logistics and Environmental.

CLEARPATH JOINS JOHN DEERE SUPPLY BASE

(Kitchener, ON, Canada – February 23, 2016) - Clearpath, developer of OTTO – the self-driving vehicle designed exclusively for material transport, has been chosen to supply self-driving vehicles for assembly line conveyance to John Deere’s operation in Horicon, Wisconsin.

“Clearpath’s goal is to redefine manufacturing with OTTO self-driving vehicles,” said Matt Rendall, Chief Executive Officer at Clearpath Robotics.  “John Deere is a pillar of America’s manufacturing economy and we are thrilled to supply them with OTTO vehicles to drive productivity.”

OTTO enables customers to improve throughput, reduce costs, and to stay flexible with the changing needs of their material flow process. The solution provides infrastructure free navigation, obstacle avoidance, human-safe collaboration, and a payload capacity of 3000 lbs.  Customers using OTTO self-driving vehicles typically experience a return on investment in 18-24 months.  For more information about OTTO, visit www.clearpathrobotics.com/otto.

About Clearpath Robotics
Clearpath Robotics Inc. develops self-driving vehicles for industrial material transport. The company provides hardware, software and services to enable enterprise self-driving vehicle development, deployment and fleet operation. Clearpath works with over 500 of the world’s most innovative brands in over 40 countries, serving markets that span industrial materials handling, mining, military, agriculture, aerospace and academia. Clearpath is an award-winning company with recent awards, including Robotics Business Review Top 50 Company, Edison Award for Innovation, Business Insider Top 40 under 40, and Canada’s Top 100 Employers. Visit Clearpath Robotics at www.clearpathrobotics.com.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

CN announces US$500-million debt offering

MONTREAL, Feb. 18, 2016 - CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) today announced a public debt offering of US$500 million 2.75% Notes due 2026.  CN expects to close the offering on Feb. 23, 2016, subject to customary closing conditions.

CN plans to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including the redemption and refinancing of outstanding indebtedness, and share repurchases.

The debt offering is being made in the United States under an effective shelf registration statement CN filed on Jan. 5, 2016.  The joint book-running managers of the debt offering are: Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.  The co-managers of the debt offering are BNP PARIBAS, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, BMO Capital Markets, HSBC, MUFG, Scotiabank, SMBC Nikko, TD Securities, and US Bancorp.

A copy of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus for the offering may be obtained by contacting Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, Attention: Prospectus Department, toll free: 1-800-831-9146, email: prospectus@citi.com; Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, 222 Broadway, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10038, Attention: Prospectus Department, toll free: 1-800-294-1322, email: dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com; or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 608 2nd Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Attention: WFS Customer Service, toll free: 1-800-645-3751, email: wfscustomerservice@wellsfargo.com.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information included in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and under Canadian securities laws, including statements relating to potential debt refinancing or potential purchases of common shares for cancellation under a normal course issuer bid as well as with respect to the timing and completion of the proposed debt offering, which is subject to customary termination rights and closing conditions. CN cautions that, by their nature, these forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions, and CN's Board of Directors has discretion in the use of the proceeds from the offering to which this news release relates. The Company cautions that its assumptions may not materialize and that current economic conditions may render such assumptions, although reasonable at the time they were made, subject to greater uncertainty. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results or performance of the Company or the rail industry to be materially different from the outlook or any future results or performance implied by such statements.

Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the effects of general economic and business conditions, industry competition, inflation, currency and interest rate fluctuations, changes in fuel prices, legislative and/or regulatory developments, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, actions by regulators, various events which could disrupt operations, including natural events such as severe weather, droughts, floods and earthquakes, labor negotiations and disruptions, environmental claims, uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation, risks and liabilities arising from derailments, and other risks and assumptions detailed from time to time in reports filed by CN with securities regulators in Canada and the United States.  Reference should be made to "Management's Discussion and Analysis" in CN's annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form and Form 40-F filed with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators, available on CN's website, for a summary of major risks and assumptions.

CN assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable Canadian securities laws. In the event CN does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that CN will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement.

CN's team of approximately 23,000 railroaders transports more than C$250 billion worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors, ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer goods, across a rail network of approximately 20,000 route-miles spanning Canada and mid-America. CN – Canadian National Railway Company, along with its operating railway subsidiaries – serves the cities and ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and the metropolitan areas of Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Chicago, Memphis, Detroit, Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis., and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

CP Announcement

CP launches CPconsolidation.com, new website fully detailing proposed business combination to Norfolk Southern

CALGARY, Feb. 11, 2016 - Canadian Pacific (TSX: CP) (NYSE: CP) today launched a new website highlighting the benefits of its pro-customer, end-to-end, competition-enhancing business combination proposal with Norfolk Southern Corp. (NS).

To learn more about CP's proposal and get more details on the next steps, visit: CPconsolidation.com.
About Canadian Pacific

Canadian Pacific (TSX:CP)(NYSE:CP) is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States with direct links to eight major ports, including Vancouver and Montreal, providing North American customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of Canadian Pacific.
SOURCE: Canadian Pacific

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

UPS EXPANDS AGREEMENT FOR RENEWABLE LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS IN TEXAS

Investment Deepens Commitment to Renewable Fuels

ATLANTA, February 10, 2016 – UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced it has expanded its agreement with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE) to use up to 500,000 gallon equivalents of renewable liquefied natural gas (RLNG) annually in Texas. UPS stations in Houston and Mesquite will dispense the RLNG to a fleet of about 140 UPS tractors. The deal builds on UPS’s current agreement with Clean Energy Fuels whereby UPS is using approximately 1.5 million gallon equivalents of renewable compressed natural gas (RCNG) annually in California where UPS operates nearly 400 CNG vehicles.

“Renewable natural gas is helping us to meet growing customer demand while reducing our environmental impact,” said Mark Wallace, UPS senior vice president, global engineering and sustainability. “Today’s agreement demonstrates UPS’s commitment to develop alternative fuels and advanced technologies. By the end of 2017 we will have driven one billion miles with our alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet.”

Redeem® by Clean Energy is a renewable natural gas program that sources RNG, also known as biomethane, using a variety of methods. It can be  used as CNG or LNG and is derived from many abundant and renewable sources, including decomposing organic waste in landfills, wastewater treatment and agriculture.

“UPS’s continuing commitment to new, clean vehicle fuel is helping to shape the future of transportation,” said Harrison Clay, president of Clean Energy Renewables of Clean Energy. “Our collaboration with UPS builds demand to create and expand markets.”

The deal is part of an initiative announced last year by UPS to significantly expand its use of RNG natural gas in UPS’s alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet. In addition to natural gas, UPS also uses many other alternative fuels in the UPS fleet, including propane, ethanol, renewable diesel, and electricity. In 2014, 5.4 percent of total gas and diesel purchased was displaced by using these alternative fuels.

UPS operates one of the largest private alternative fuel and advanced technology fleets in the U.S. Its fleet includes more than 6,840 all-electric, hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, CNG, LNG, propane and light-weight fuel-saving composite body vehicles.

About UPS

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including transporting packages and freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. UPS is committed to operating more sustainably – for customers, the environment and the communities we serve around the world.  Learn more about our efforts at ups.com/sustainability. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the web at ups.com® and its corporate blog can be found at longitudes.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

HighJump Announcement

Extending the omnichannel ecosystem for the wine industry

COLORADO SPRINGS – February 10, 2016 -- HighJump, a global provider of supply chain network solutions, today announced HighJump Vintners’ Edge, a cloud-based suite of solutions with specific features to address the broad set of omnichannel needs from order capture to fulfillment and delivery required by the growing wine industry.

“HighJump has a long history in the wine industry with hundreds of customers relying upon us for their commerce needs,” said Ross Elliott, co-founder and chief strategy officer of HighJump.  “With Vintners’ Edge, HighJump redefines what a vertical suite should deliver to the wine industry.  Not just eCommerce, but all of the execution tools necessary to assist them in managing growth and profitability.”

HighJump Vintners’ Edge delivers rich cloud-based capabilities centered on key pillars of omnichannel success:

Trading Partner Community – With access to over 10,000 trading partners, HighJump Vintners’ Edge simplifies the connection between you and your major distributors and suppliers through the HighJump global trading network.

Commerce Platform – Based upon the highly successful Nexternal platform, HighJump Vintners’ Edge provides a comprehensive foundation to build your B2B and B2C digital businesses.  Its rich online/mobile store will empower the winery’s sales, streamline your customers’ wholesale orders and enable customer engagement across a broad spectrum of channels.

Wine Club Membership – Extending capabilities beyond the traditional online store, HighJump Vintners’ Edge opens up new revenue opportunities for wineries through a robust club membership toolset.

Clienteling Application – HighJump Engage, available in the iOS App Store, empowers tasting room employees to see customer purchase history, make recommendations, and capture transactions directly from an iPad.

Early Releases and Special Events – A growing number of wineries are finding that events offer a dynamic new revenue source.  Managing them, however, can prove challenging.  HighJump Vintners’ Edge allows forward thinking wineries to plan and execute early releases and special events in a systematic way that delivers high customer satisfaction.

Wine Tasting Appointments – Booking wine tastings is another incremental revenue source that has traditionally been managed with pencil and paper.  HighJump Vintners’ Edge was built to ease the pain of managing reservations by automating the process and the customer interaction leading to increased bookings and higher customer satisfaction.

Master Data Management – HighJump Vintners’ Edge provides robust tools to manage master data for key elements like product information, pricing, customer information, promotions, and much more.

Inventory and Warehouse Management – Providing a clear view of inventory across the enterprise, from the store to the distribution center, allows the HighJump Vintners’ Edge client the ability to more effectively meet customer expectations while improving accuracy and operational effectiveness in the warehouse.

Delivery and Shipping – HighJump Vintners’ Edge delivers a breadth of delivery and shipping options including parcel rating and compliance, integration with its over 2,000 carrier TL and LTL network and direct home/store delivery all done in conjunction with ShipCompliant to assure legal compliance.

Operational Insight – With dashboards and alerts spanning the breadth of the ecosystem, HighJump Vintners’ Edge delivers the right information to the right audience to enable informed decision making.

Business System Integration – HighJump Vintners’ Edge supports prebuilt integrations to leading business systems like QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage and SAP Business One.

About HighJump              
In almost every industry, buyers are becoming more fickle, and more demanding. For logistics executives, effectively meeting buyer needs has become a relentless quest for speed and agility. Traditional supply chain solutions – siloed, complex and hard-to-implement – no longer suffice, as competitors find ways to deliver goods faster and more profitably.

In today’s “now” economy, HighJump helps you stay agile, with adaptable, connected solutions that harness the power of your trading partner community. From the warehouse to the storefront, from the desktop to the driver’s cab, we can help you achieve new levels of supply chain responsiveness, performance and profitability.

HighJump’s suite of warehouse management, business integration, transportation management and retail/DSD solutions form a complete, powerful and adaptable platform that allow you to drive growth, customer satisfaction and revenue. HighJump: supply chain accelerated.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

UPS SHARES VALENTINE’S DAY ‘LOVEGISTICS’

MIAMI, Feb. 9, 2016 – Cupid will receive a helping hand this Valentine’s Day, as UPS® (NYSE: UPS) fills its network this week with flowers, steaks, sweets and gifts.

      UPS will move more than 100 million flowers or 9 million pounds, to love birds around the United States. That’s enough to fill approximately 70 Boeing 767 cargo aircraft. Many of the roses and tropical flowers originate from Latin American countries, primarily Colombia and Ecuador. More than 90% of the imported flowers will travel through Miami International Airport (MIA) where UPS is the largest air cargo carrier. From the flower farm to the importer, the journey takes less than two days.

      According to the National Retail Federation, consumers are expected to spend $147 on Valentine’s gifts, and $41 to buy flowers, on average. U.S. consumers are projected to spend almost $20 billion on Valentine’s presents.

      “Every year we increase our operational resources to expedite incoming flower shipments,” said Domingo Mendez, UPS Air Cargo manager. “This year UPS is moving 560,000 boxes of flowers, that’s more than 8 million dozens of roses!”

      To handle all those blooms, UPS has added 40 additional temperature-controlled flights. The flowers stay fresh in a refrigerated warehouse about the size of 5 basketball courts located in the UPS air cargo facility in Miami, where they are inspected and sorted for travel to their final destinations.

      And for many, Valentine’s Day would not be complete without a romantic dinner. UPS will also move temperature-sensitive dinners from companies such as Omaha Steaks. A recent Omaha Steaks survey revealed nearly 90% of Americans would prefer their significant other to surprise them with dinner at home. Share what you would cook on Valentine’s Day on our Twitter channels @UPS and @OmahaSteaks  using #LoveDelivered.

      Those waiting until the last minute can ship as late as Friday, Feb. 12 using UPS Next Day Air® to have gifts arrive on Valentine’s Day. [Note: Customers must select the Saturday option when creating the shipment. Additional fees may apply.] Click here for the UPS Valentine’s Day Shipping Calendar.

Visit the Longitudes blog to learn more about the logistics of keeping flowers fresh.
About UPS

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including transporting packages and freight; facilitating international trade, and deploying advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the web at ups.com® and its corporate blog can be found at longitudes.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

About Omaha Steaks
Founded in 1917, Omaha Steaks is a fifth-generation, family-owned company known nationwide for the finest in USDA-approved, grain fed beef and gourmet foods. Today, Omaha Steaks is recognized as the nation’s largest direct response marketer of beef and gourmet foods available through multiple marketing channels including by phone at 1-800-228-9055, online at www.OmahaSteaks.com or at retail stores nationwide.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Trailer Wizards Ltd. Announcement

MISSISSAUGA, ON (PRWEB) FEBRUARY 04, 2016 - A Canadian company offering commercial trailer rental, leasing, sales, service, parts and storage, Trailer Wizards Ltd. has announced the appointment of Terry Maw to the position of vice president of sales for the Ontario region.

In this position, Maw will lead the Ontario rental, lease, and dealership sales teams, as well as manage select national and regional accounts.

Mr. Maw joins Trailer Wizards from Wabash Canada, where he most recently held the position of director of corporate sales. Throughout Mr. Maw’s career, he has held positions of increasing responsibility in the transportation industry, in both manufacturing and sales of trailers, including vice president positions with Train Trailer Rentals Ltd. and Manac Trailers.

“Terry brings with him 25 years of experience, knowledge, and a strong reputation in the transportation industry,” said Anne McKee, Trailer Wizards’ Chief Operating Officer, in a press release. “He is well equipped to successfully lead Ontario's sales team and provide our customers with quality trailer solutions, expertise and customer service they have come to expect from Trailer Wizards.“

“I look forward to leading The Trailer Wizards sales team through the quickly changing trailer supplier environment,” said Terry Maw. “We will continue to be the leader in the industry through sound business practices, innovation, and most importantly, customer service.”

About Trailer Wizards Ltd:

Trailer Wizards Ltd. is one of Canada’s largest commercial trailer rental, leasing, sales, service, parts, and storage companies. For over 50 years, Trailer Wizards Ltd. has been delivering professional commercial trailer solutions with fast, customer-friendly service while continuously driving out costs. Trailer Wizards Ltd. is a 2014 winner of Canada’s Best Managed Companies program and provides “Local Service…Nationwide.”

Americold Appoints Fred Boehler to President & Chief Executive Officer Boehler also appointed to Americold Board of Trustees

ATLANTA, Georgia— (February 4, 2016) — Americold (www.americold.com), a global leader in temperature-controlled supply chain solutions, announced today that Fred Boehler, formerly the company’s President & Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed to the role of President & Chief Executive Officer effective immediately.  Mr. Boehler has also been appointed to Americold’s Board of Trustees.  Mr. Boehler was previously appointed President & Chief Operating Officer when Jeffrey M. Gault, now Chairman of the Americold Board of Trustees, retired from the Americold CEO position in March of 2014.

This appointment is recognition of Fred’s achievements in improving the business during his first three years at Americold, while also ensuring the continuity of Americold’s strategies for growing the business and developing innovative, customer-centric temperature-controlled supply chain solutions. Prior to joining Americold, Fred served as Senior Vice President of Supply Chain with SUPERVALU, Inc., a leading grocery retailer and wholesaler supplying more than 4,300 stores. Prior to SUPERVALU, Inc., he was Senior Vice President Logistics & Purchasing at Borders Group, Inc. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Management Science and Operations from Wright State University and a Masters in International Business from Northern Illinois University.

Mr. Gault commented in a press release, “Fred Boehler has been instrumental in Americold’s progress as the temperature-controlled supply chain solutions industry leader.  His promotion reflects the confidence the Americold Board has in him, the expertise the industry acknowledges him for, and his leadership that the 11,000 Americold associates are guided by.  Fred has done a great job as Americold’s top executive since March 2014.  The Board is excited for what lies ahead for the company under Fred’s continued leadership.”

“For the last few years, we’ve been focused on improving our business,” commented Mr. Boehler.  “First and foremost, we’ve brought industry-leading talent to Americold to execute on our Mission to be the global provider of choice for temperature-controlled infrastructure and supply chain solutions through our innovation, experience, and people.   With our superior talent, we’ve driven significant operations improvements with the implementation of the Americold Operating System, providing optimal supply chain solutions and uniform standards of excellence to serve our customers.”

About Americold

Americold is a global leader in temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics to the food industry, offering the most comprehensive warehousing, transportation and logistics solutions in the world. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Americold owns and operates over 175 temperature-controlled warehouses, with 1 billion cubic feet of storage, in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina and Canada. Americold’s facilities are an integral component of the supply chain connecting food producers, processors, distributors, and retailers to consumers. Americold serves more than 3,000 customers and employs 11,000 associates worldwide.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

M&A activity to Remain High in 2016

Greenwood Village, CO February 2, 2015 - The Logistics Industry continues to exercise caution due to high inventories and the decelerating global economic rebound, according to SDR Ventures. The Colorado investment bank’s M&A trends report on the logistics industry shows:

· There is optimism for 2016, despite the uncertain outlook. The industry has responded to economic changes by improving operations, and West Coast ports are expected to return to higher productivity in 2016 as demand normalizes.
· M&A activity will likely remain high in 2016. 45.5% of logistics providers believe that consolidation is helpful in such a fragmented industry and 69% believe millennials will change the way supply chains are managed with the rise of e-commerce and software.
· The logistics industry has responded with mixed sentiment to Congress’s $305-billion FAST Act. In December, congress passed the bill that included funding for U.S. highways and mass-transit projects. Although most industry insiders have praised the bill, some portions of the bill have drawn criticism.

For more information, please visit: http://sdrventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/SDR-2015-Q4-Logistics-Report-FINAL2.pdf

Monday, February 1, 2016

Nadia Ribeiro Returns to CEVA Logistics

Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, 1 February 2016 – CEVA Logistics, one of the world’s largest supply chain management companies, today announced that it has appointed Nadia Ribeiro to the position of Executive Vice President and head of the South America cluster.

Ribeiro has extensive knowledge of the international freight and logistics market and global experience of many vertical markets in both commercial and operational roles.  Ribeiro previously worked for CEVA for 13 years but spent the last three years at Kuehne and Nagel as Managing Director Brazil.

Commenting on her new appointment which is effective February 1st 2016 she says:  “I am delighted to return to CEVA.  A major factor in my decision was the strength and solidity of its new operating model, the experienced management team driving it forward and the way those two things are differentiating the company in the industry.

“The current economic climate means the South American market is in a constant state of transition, but I welcome the opportunities this creates for the team I will lead - providing us with opportunities to grow the business here”.

She adds that Contract Logistics provides opportunities for CEVA across the cluster particularly in the countries outside Brazil.  In Brazil she states that her team will create additional value-added opportunities in full supply chain management for its customers.

Says CEVA Logistics CEO, Xavier Urbain: “I am pleased to welcome Nadia back to the senior management team and am confident she will help us to develop the South America cluster and support our goal of creating strong added value services for our customers”.

Ribeiro has a degree in Social Communications and Advertising from Sao Paulo’s Faculdade Anhembi Morumbi university and is currently studying for a Masters’ degree.

She succeeds Richard Vieites who has moved to the company’s North American operations to become Executive Vice President of Contract Logistics.