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Dachser acquires Transunion

January 17, 2013 by

Dachser is expanding its Air & Sea Logistics business field with 15 additional locations in five countries

Kempten/Valencia, 17.01.2013. Effective retroactively from the beginning of the year, the internationally operating logistics provider, Dachser, has acquired the Spanish air and sea freight forwarder Transunion S. A. subject to approval by the antitrust authorities. The company employs a staff of 235. In addition to nine offices in Spain the company is also represented in Turkey, Argentina, Peru and Mexico.

Dachser is continuing to expand its global logistics network in line with its Global 2.0 strategic growth programme. “The acquisition of the complementary Transunion network allows us to offer our customers even better access to the Latin American market as well as an excellent presence in mainland Spain and Turkey,” Dachser managing director Thomas Reuter, responsible for the Air & Sea Logistics business field explains the acquisition. Founded in 1978, Transunion (TU) is expected to post revenue of EUR 95 million in fiscal 2012.

“We are delighted that the shareholder families of TU have decided to shape the future of the company as an integral part of Dachser,” Reuter says.

For his team and himself, CEO Federico Camáñez, who has in particular decisively influenced the international development of Transunion over the past 20 years, sees the merger with

Thomas Reuter, Managing Director Air & Sea Logistics, Dachser

Dachser as both a challenge and an opportunity for customers and staff. He will continue to be responsible for the management of the entire group and will report directly to Thomas Reuter.

Dachser now considers itself well-positioned in the Spanish market following the buyout of Azkar for the overland freight segment announced just last month. The two transactions enable the company to cover nearly all areas of logistics on the Iberian Peninsula.

”Dachser and Transunion are not only well matched by virtue of their services portfolio in the air and sea freight segment. The fact that both companies are family enterprises also means that they have a very similar mindset,” Reuter says, explaining the rationale behind the merger. Both management and staff will continue to service their customers’ respective markets as competent experts.

The two companies have already cooperated for over 15 years. For the owners of Transunion the most important consideration is to secure the company’s continued existence and the future of its staff within an internationally expanding logistics provider like Dachser.

Overview of Transunion locations and countries:

Spain: head office in Valencia, where the whole TU group is domiciled. Two offices in Valencia, one in Barcelona, Alicante, Murcia, Sevilla, Vigo, Madrid and Bilbao.

Turkey: head office in Izmir, branch offices in Istanbul and Mersin

Peru: Lima

Argentina: Buenos Aires

Mexico: Mexico City

About Dachser:

In 2011, the internationally operating logistics provider, Dachser (www.dachser.com), generated total revenue of EUR 4.3 billion. 21,000 staff working in 315 profit centres worldwide handled 49.3 million consignments weighing a total of 37.1 million tonnes.

About Transunion:

Transunion S. A. generated total revenue of approx. EUR 95 million in 2012 with a staff of 235 employees.

Filed Under: Dachser UK

Menlo Worldwide Logistics Facility Earns Green Business Certification

January 17, 2013 by

Focused on Sustainability, California Facility Exceeds Standards for Waste Reduction, Conservation Methods and Pollution Prevention

SAN FRANCISCO and LIVERMORE, Calif. — Jan. 16, 2013 — Menlo Worldwide Logistics, the global logistics subsidiary of Con-way Inc. (NYSE: CNW), today announced that its Livermore, Calif., facility recently earned the Green Business Certification from the California Green Business Program.

Certification requires a facility to meet program-defined performance levels in the areas of waste reduction, energy conservation, water conservation and pollution prevention. Operations must also be in compliance with local and state regulations regarding air quality, hazardous material management, clean water systems and sewer discharge. Facilities are assessed by program auditors who complete several site visits as well as interviews with facility management.

“Our program seeks to educate and assist local organizations in reducing their carbon footprint and increasing sustainability. We work with companies to determine best practices for decreasing environmental impact and to adopt plans for continuous improvement,” said Pamela Evans, coordinator at the California Green Business Program. “Menlo’s commitment to sustainability is highly commendable and their Livermore facility is a true achievement in efficiency and environmental awareness.”

Sustainability is a primary focus of Menlo Worldwide Logistics, evidenced not only by this certification, but also by the company’s carbon management program, CarbonNetTM. The program combines developed software with expertise in Lean tools and continuous improvement processes to accurately benchmark and measure the carbon footprint of its operations and subsequently capture reduction opportunities.

“Green business practices and Lean principles are a natural couple and together provide the greatest efficiency results,” said Robert L. Bianco Jr., president, Menlo Worldwide Logistics. “We are proud of the Livermore facility for taking additional steps toward sustainability and conservation. This certification is well-deserved and we look forward to other facilities pursuing similar achievements.”

The Livermore facility supports customer supply chain operations with a variety of logistics services including warehousing, inventory control and management, order picking and shipping and transportation management. Operating under the Lean principles of continuous improvement and reduction of waste, the facility comprises 190,000 square feet of warehouse space and employs 150 people.

Follow Menlo Worldwide Logistics on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MenloLogistics

Menlo Worldwide Logistics images are available at www.conway.com/en/about_con_way/newsroom

About Menlo Worldwide Logistics
Menlo Worldwide Logistics, LLC, is a US$1.7 billion global provider of logistics, transportation management and supply chain services with operations in five continents, including North America. As a third-party logistics provider, San Francisco-based Menlo Worldwide Logistics’ services range from dedicated contract logistics to warehouse and distribution management, transportation management, supply chain reengineering and other value-added services including packaging, kitting, order fulfillment and light assembly through a strategic network of multi-client and dedicated facilities. With more than 17 million square feet of dedicated warehouse space in North America, the Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America, and industry-leading technologies, Menlo Worldwide Logistics creates effective, integrated solutions for the transportation and distribution needs of leading businesses around the world.

Menlo Worldwide Logistics, LLC, is a subsidiary of Con-way Inc. (NYSE: CNW), a $5.3 billion diversified freight transportation and logistics company. For more information, please visit us on the Web at www.con-way.com.

Filed Under: Menlo Logistics

ModusLink Names John J. Boucher as new President and CEO

January 15, 2013 by

Brings deep supply chain management experience and strong leadership and operations expertise

WALTHAM, Mass., – January 14, 2013 – ModusLink Global Solutions™, Inc. (NASDAQ: MLNK) today announced that John J. Boucher, 53, will become its President and Chief Executive Officer.  Boucher, who brings more than 30 years of supply chain management experience to his new role, is expected to join the Company on January 28, 2013.

“After a thorough search, we are confident that we have selected the right individual to assume the leadership role at ModusLink,” said Francis J. Jules, chairman of the board of directors.  “John has extensive experience in all facets of supply chain management especially in operations.  He also has deep knowledge of our core technology end-markets, and the proven ability to drive revenue growth and improvement in profitability.  The Board looks forward to working with John to improve financial results and increase shareholder value.”

“I am pleased to join ModusLink, one of the market’s leading outsourced supply chain and logistics providers”, said Mr. Boucher.  “ModusLink has an exceptional client base and has earned an outstanding reputation for client service.  I look forward to working with the Board and employees to build on the Company’s many strengths, enhance operations, improve financial results and drive value for shareholders.”

Boucher joins ModusLink from Symbotic LLC, a global provider of integrated supply network automation solutions for warehouses and distribution centers, where he served as Chief Commercial Officer & Chief Operating Officer.  Prior to this role from 2004 to 2010, Boucher served in executive and leadership positions at Celestica Inc., a major provider of supply chain services to companies in the communications, consumer, computing, and industrial, aerospace and defense, healthcare, green technology, and semiconductor capital equipment globally.  While at Celestica, he held the positions of Executive Vice President of Global Services, Sales & Supply Chain Solutions; Executive Vice President, Supply Chain & Chief Procurement Officer; and President & Senior Vice President, Americas Operations where he had direct accountability for approximately $3 billion of revenue.  Boucher was a member of the founding team at Manufacturers Services Limited prior to its acquisition by Celestica in 2004, and held senior management positions such as Group Vice President of Electronics Manufacturing Services Business Unit and Corporate Vice President, Global Supply Chain Management.  Boucher began his career, and worked for more than 17 years, with Digital Equipment Corporation where he held a number of senior management positions, including managing supply chain strategies for the Company’s personal computer division.  Boucher currently serves on the Consumer & Electronics Advisory Board of Nypro, a leading global solutions provider in the field of manufactured precision plastic products.

About ModusLink Global Solutions, Inc.

ModusLink Global Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: MLNK) executes comprehensive supply chain and logistics services that improve clients’ revenue, cost, sustainability and customer experience objectives. ModusLink is a trusted and integrated provider to the world’s leading companies in consumer electronics, communications, computing, medical devices, software, luxury goods and retail. The Company’s operating infrastructure annually supports more than $80 billion of its clients’ revenue and manages approximately 470 million product shipments through more than 30 sites in 15 countries across North America, Europe, and the Asia/Pacific region. For details on ModusLink’s flexible and scalable solutions visit www.moduslink.com and www.valueunchained.com, the blog for supply chain professionals.

Media:
ModusLink Public Relations
Teresa Osborne, 781-663-5153
teresa_osborne@moduslink.com
or

Investor:
ModusLink Investor Relations
Robert Joyce, 781-663-5120
ir@moduslink.com

Filed Under: Modus Link

Naming Ceremony Held in Korea for Ever Leader Evergreen’s Eighth New 8,452-TEU Ship Christened

January 3, 2013 by

January 3, 2013 :  Ever Leader, the eighth L-type containership of Evergreen Line, was christened by Bronson Hsieh, the Evergreen Group’s Second Vice Group Chairman, at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard today. The ceremonial rope cutting for the new 8,452-TEU vessel was performed by Mrs. Sook-Je Lee in a ceremony attended by dignitaries from Taiwan and abroad.

Ever Leader is owned by Evergreen Marine (Singapore) Pte Ltd. and scheduled to be delivered on January 15, 2013. The L-class containership is 334 meters in length, 45.8 meters wide, with 942 reefer plugs and a draft of 14.2 meters. The vessel is fitted with alternative marine power, ballast water treatment system, electronic-controlled fuel-injection engine that supports slow steaming and many more eco-friendly designs.

For fleet rejuvenation, Evergreen Group commenced a new shipbuilding project in 2010 and ordered 20 L-type vessels from Samsung Heavy Industries. In 2011, Evergreen placed an

Bronson Hsieh, Second Vice Group Chairman of Evergreen Group (third left), Sook-Je Lee, sponsor for the new ship's rope cutting (central) and the crew of Ever Leader

order for another 10 vessels of the same specifications with Taiwan Shipbuilding Corp.  Seven of the thirty newbuildings have been delivered in 2012 with eleven more scheduled to be delivered by the end of this year.

Evergreen Group is committed to environmental excellence. With its forward-looking planning, the latest marine technologies are adopted not only for quality transportation service but also for sustainable development of the marine ecology.

ENDS

Filed Under: Evergreen Line

Eric Martin-Neuville appointed new COO of Geodis Wilson

January 3, 2013 by

Paris,  3 January 2013

Geodis Wilson is pleased to announce the appointment of Eric Martin-Neuville as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Freight Board Member of Geodis Wilson with immediate effect.

Eric-Martin Neuville, COO, Geodis Wilson

Eric will be taking over responsibility from Fernando Gea who is retiring from his position as COO of Geodis Wilson. Eric Martin-Neuville joined the Geodis Group in 1985, and as well as holding the position of Managing Director, Geodis Wilson France, for many years, Eric has spent a considerable time working for the Group in Asia-Pacific. Prior to taking up the post of Deputy COO in July 2011, Eric worked as a consultant for the global NextGen implementation of Geodis Wilson. NextGen is Geodis Wilson’s new Transportation Management System, worth an investment of 20 million Euro.

”Combining the NextGen implementation with a continuous enhancement of our logistics services will enable us to meet our global growth objectives’’, states Eric Martin-Neuville. “Taking this position at a time when operational excellence is a key component of Geodis Wilson’s strategic plan is thrilling.”

ENDS

About Geodis Wilson and the Geodis Group

Geodis Wilson is a leading global freight management company. With 7,400 employees in more than 50 countries the company delivers tailor-made, integrated logistics solutions to customers enabling them to operate as ‘best in class.’ Geodis Wilson is the freight forwarding arm of Geodis Group which became part of the French rail and freight group SNCF in 2008. With its 46.000 employees in 120 countries ‘SNCF GEODIS’ ranks among the top 7 companies in its field in the world.

For more information about Geodis Wilson go to – www.geodiswilson.com

For further information, please contact:

Press Contacts:

Michael Zuchold

Communications Director

Geodis Wilson                        

Tel.: + 49 174 909 8788                                    

E-Mail:michael.zuchold@hq.geodiswilson.com

Filed Under: GEODIS

“K” Line Supports Typhoon Victims in The Philippines

December 31, 2012 by

December 27, 2012

Earlier this month, typhoon No.24 hit the Mindanao Island area in the Philippines with full force causing severe damage and problems for many people.

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) extends deepest condolences to the victims of the typhoon and sincerely hopes for a swift recovery from the disaster that hit the Philippines, the largest supplier of seafarers not only for “K” Line but also for the maritime industry around the world.

“K” Line has decided to donate 2 million yen to Japanese Red Cross Society in support of the relief activities and recovery efforts for afflicted areas.

“K” Line continues to extend various supports through its marine transport and other services.

For further information please contact:

Ryoichi Ikeda

Manager, CSR & Compliance Division,

General Affairs Group

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

Tel: +81-3-3595-5092    Fax: +81-3-3595-6076

Filed Under: "K" Line

ModusLink Advances Corporate Social Responsibility with Full Membership in Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition

December 20, 2012 by

Joins many of its clients on a roster of leading electronics companies working to improve social and environmental issues

WALTHAM, Mass.—Dec. 19, 2012—After two years as an applicant member, ModusLink Global Solutions™ Inc. (NASDAQ: MLNK) has become a full member of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC), which brings a wide range of companies working in the electronics industry together to collectively address issues of social, ethical and environmental concern in the supply chain. EICC’s membership includes the world’s top brands in consumer electronics, enterprise computing, semiconductors and contract manufacturing and more than 40 percent of these leading companies are ModusLink clients.

EICC members adopt a Code of Conduct and an auditing process that is designed to ensure their company operates in compliance with strict guidelines for labor and human rights, worker safety and health, safeguarding the environment, and doing business with a high degree of integrity. Members are also required to have their direct suppliers implement the Code and ModusLink is one of the first supply chain and logistics providers to join the coalition.

“We have long recognized that social and environmental responsibility is an integral part of providing world class service to our clients,” said Scott Crawley, president, global operations, ModusLink. “In fact, this is so important and so widely recognized in the high-tech industry, that it’s becoming a baseline requirement of doing business. Specifically, the EICC Code of Conduct is important to many of our clients and our membership means electronics companies can quickly and easily engage with us for reliable supply chain and logistics services that are verified to be EICC-compliant.”

In addition to ModusLink’s own CSR initiatives, the Company offers many supply chain and logistics services designed to improved clients’ sustainability efforts including:

  • Packaging redesign that can reduce material volume and carbon footprint
  • Component and materials sourcing to eliminate hazardous materials
  • Postponement that reduces transportation costs and carbon footprint
  • Responsible product return, repair and recycling programs, including parts harvesting

Additional Resources

About ModusLink Global Solutions

ModusLink Global Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: MLNK) executes comprehensive supply chain and logistics services that improve clients’ revenue, cost, sustainability and customer experience objectives. ModusLink is a trusted and integrated provider to the world’s leading companies in consumer electronics, communications, computing, medical devices, software, luxury goods and retail. The Company’s operating infrastructure annually supports more than $80 billion of its clients’ revenue and manages approximately 470 million product shipments through more than 30 sites in 15 countries across North America, Europe, and the Asia/Pacific region. For details on ModusLink’s flexible and scalable solutions visit www.moduslink.com and www.valueunchained.com, the blog for supply chain professionals.

Contacts

Media:

Teresa Osborne

ModusLink Public Relations

781-663-5153

teresa_osborne@moduslink.com

Will McClaran

Kemp Goldberg Partners

207-773-0700 x225

wmcclaran@kempgoldberg.com

Investor:

Robert Joyce

ModusLink Investor Relations

781-663-5120

ir@moduslink.com

Filed Under: Modus Link

Liner ‘Cargo Incident Notification System’ is an emerging power

December 20, 2012 by

19th December 2012

As a response to concerns arising from the volume of incidents and problems that regularly disrupt operations and endanger lives, property or the environment, five of the top 20 liner operators created CINS (Cargo Incident Notification System) in late 2010 in order to capture key data. The founding five have now been joined by a further five and, together, have been populating the database – hosted by the COA (Container Owners’ Association) – since launch in September 2011. Participants in CINS now accounts for 52% of container slot capacity (source Alphaliner).

CINS facilitates the capture by liner operators of structured key causal information relating to cargo and container incidents. The information capture explicitly excludes any shipper data in order to preclude an anti-trust concerns; the CINS Organisation is committed to comply with the US Sherman Act, Article 101 and 102 of EU treaty and any other similar competition law. The information gathered provides an early warning of worrying trends, whether relating to cargoes that display dangerous characteristics, but have not yet been recognised as such in the IMDG Code, or continuing or emerging unsafe practices in the unit load industry. At the heart of this initiative is a quest for quality – both in terms of pure service delivery, ensuring the cargo arrives in sound condition on time, and also improving the way in which all parties in the supply chain carry out their obligations and communicate.

The incident data captured since launch is now lending weight to – and to some extent challenging assumptions from – the anecdotal evidence from previous years. The records include the nature of the cargo concerned and its packaging, together with details of the routing, and then information on the type of incident and the root cause. The TT Club, as a key insurer for the transport industry, and advisory members of the CINS committee, undertook analysis of the data on behalf of CINS.

While the greatest potential to drive improvements in safety through the supply chain rests in the root cause analysis, a sobering finding has been that a third of the incidents arose from cargoes loaded in Europe and North America (see Chart 1), where packing controls might be considered to be more mature. In part the finding may provide an insight into the nature of trade and the length of the supply chain ‘hinterland’.

Given that the records are initiated by incidents – the presenting problem – it may be unremarkable that more than two thirds of the substances involved are dangerous goods. However, the significance of this becomes clear when looking at the type of incident that is incurred (see Chart 2), where half relate to leakage and a further fifth are mis-declared. Thankfully, only 8% of the incidents by number involve fire or explosion, but clearly the consequences then are far more serious.

In line with the aspirations of CINS to pinpoint what can be done to make the supply chain safer, the analysis of root cause is particularly important (see Chart 3). The whole transport industry is currently exercised on the subject of packing cargo, and the evidence for this is prominent in these records. Half the incidents were found to result from packing issues. This is especially telling when the database reveals that more than a third of the incidents with packing issues involve corrosive cargoes, which by their nature will react with other substances. In fact, when it comes to packing issues, 80% of the records involve dangerous goods.

A further key finding – and chilling for all liner carriers – is that it was found that 21% of the cases involved mis-declaration of the cargo, mostly dangerous goods. This is probably the first time that this ‘iceberg’ risk has been quantified. As investigators continue to sift for evidence on board ‘MSC Flaminia’, the fears of the liner industry that the nature of cargo carried is largely unknown are here shown to be reasonable. It is findings like this that display the potential for the CINS Organisation to have cogent dialogue with enforcement agencies, Competent Authorities and the IMO in order to lead to and support relevant changes in legislation or other safe practice recommendations.

The CINS Organisation is delighted that in its first operational year the statistics are demonstrating so clearly the known problems in the industry. There is now a strong case also to seek broader industry involvement, in order to increase the awareness of areas of concern and trends in containerised shipping, and continue to improve safety in the supply chain. At this key moment in the development of CINS, Reinhard Schwede of Hapag-Lloyd assumes the chairmanship, in a planned two year rotation, from Dirk Vande Velde of MSC, who continues to be actively involved in the project as one of the founding participants.

ENDS

For further details please contact:

Reinhard Schwede

Hapag-Lloyd AG

Cargo Service/ Dangerous Goods
Ballindamm 25
20095 Hamburg
Germany
Phone  +49 40 3001-3644
Fax      +49 40 3001-3830
Reinhard.Schwede@hlag.com
www.hapag-lloyd.com

Filed Under: TT Club

Dachser welcomes ten thousandth EDI user

December 17, 2012 by

40 million electronic orders are processed each year.

Kempten/Berlin, 17 December 2012. The Berlin production site of Rudolf Wild GmbH & Co. KG relies on the electronic interchange of logistics data. The producer of natural ingredients and intermediate products for the food industry is the ten thousandth user to benefit from the advantages of closely meshed logistics systems and has linked its transport and warehouse systems via an interface to Dachser’s EDI centre.

In complex logistics projects with several partners and different IT systems, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is the formula for deeply integrated relations between consignor and logistics provider. Companies like Rudolf Wild GmbH & Co. KG transmit their transport and warehouse data electronically to Dachser’s EDI centre, the company’s central communication platform. Here all data are converted, processed and forwarded, resulting in coordinated, transparent and for the most part paperless logistics processes.

“The automated processing saves costs and time and avoids errors,” explains Petra Bögle, head of the Business Integration department at Dachser. “The enhanced data quality benefits downstream systems, for example for invoicing or archiving.”

Dachser began integrating its customers’ IT systems via the EDI interface back in 1985. “In the past few years the switchover to the electronic format has gained considerable momentum,” Bögle adds. “In the past three years alone, the number of EDI users at Dachser has doubled. The total volume of exchanged messages has in the meantime reached 40 million a year.”

About Dachser:

In 2011, the internationally operating logistics provider, Dachser (www.dachser.com), generated total revenue of EUR 4.3 billion. 21,000 staff working in 315 profit centres worldwide handled 49.3 million consignments weighing a total of 37.1 million tonnes.

For more information about Dachser visit http://www.dachser.com.

General picture material can be downloaded at http://www.dachser.com/de/de/picture_gallery.htm.

Filed Under: Dachser UK

Geodis Wilson wins Innovation Process Award 2012

November 22, 2012 by

London, 22nd November 2012

Geodis Wilson, one of the world’s leading freight management companies, has been presented with the Innovation Process Award at the Global Freight Awards 2012 in London.

“We are delighted that Geodis Wilson has been recognized by the industry and are pleased that we have been awarded this prestigious accolade” said Hakan Nilsson, Chief Information Office, Geodis Wilson. “This is an honour for Geodis Wilson and it supports our ambition to become the innovation leader in logistics.”

Geodis Wilson received the award for the development of an application that ties-together processes of sales, operations and IT.  The ILS Configurator is an i-Pad based solution which is currently rolled out globally to Geodis Wilson’s sales force.

The Global Freight Awards (formerly known as the IFW Awards) reward best practice in freight and logistics and seek to help improve standards in the global freight forwarding industry. The awards acknowledge the successes of top class performance across 16 categories.

Geodis Wilson received the Award during the award ceremony at the Planit Embankment Gardens, London. This recognition has been independently judged and designed to acknowledge excellence in the freight and shipping industry. This is an important night in the freight and logistics market attended by more than 700 participants from many countries across the industry.

For more information on the Global Freight Awards, please click here.

ENDS

About Geodis Wilson and the Geodis Group

Geodis Wilson is the freight forwarding division of Geodis. With its 7,300 employees in more than 50 countries and a revenue of 2,4 billion € in 2011, the company delivers integrated logistics solutions with a dedicated industry focus. Geodis Wilson runs also a dedicated specialist network for industrial projects, managing all kinds of oversized cargo operations worldwide.

For more information about Geodis Wilson go to – www.geodiswilson.com

(l-r) Simon Clark , Vice President Business Development, Cargowise Europe; Hakan Nilsson, Chief Information Office, Geodis Wilson; Ed Byrne, Awards Host

Filed Under: GEODIS
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