Top 50 Global Transportation Providers

Strong cross-border business in Europe and the highest demand for deferred package service in the U.S. in a decade helped UPS increase second quarter profits, despite falling revenue.

FedEx Express is re-engineering its global network by replacing older, higher capacity planes with more efficient, technically advanced aircraft that have lighter payloads. The result should be a more efficient, higher yield operation in an era of slower air cargo trade.

UPS added eight origin and five destination countries to its expedited Worldwide Express Freight service, which now serves 58 countries. The service focuses on urgent, heavy-weight palletized freight.

FedEx reported its first quarterly loss since 2009, thanks to a $2.2 billion pension-related pre-tax charge that bit deep into earnings. Unfavorable exchange rates, a drop in international priority volume and low fuel surcharge revenue also stung the global transport operator.

C.H. Robinson Worldwide is priming its $330 million Global Forwarding division for faster growth in 2015, naming Mike Short president and opening new offices in Asia and Europe.

A healthier global economy, strong U.S. dollar and low fuel prices should give global logistics and transportation merger and acquisition activity a boost in 2015, according to consulting firm PwC US.

Rising container volumes and pricing pushed up C.H. Robinson ocean forwarding revenue in late 2014, and the logistics operator is considering expansion in new trade lanes, particularly Asia to Europe.

Capacity constraints, particularly in its core U.S. truckload market, are pushing rates, revenue and profit higher for the largest U.S. logistics company.

With the global middle class set to grow by nearly 3 billion people by 2030, congestion threatens to choke trade and economic growth, economist Walter Kemmsies told the SMC3 2015 JumpStart conference last week.

UPS expects to handle 4 million returned gifts in the first week of January, a number that grows each year as consumers turn e-commerce into a two-way pipeline.

Following a strong end to 2014, global air freight demand will rise 4.5 percent in 2015, outpacing the growth of world trade, the International Air Transport Association says.

With the acquisition of GENCO, everything old is new again for FedEx — or at least resellable.

Despite the resignation of CEO Eric W. Kirchner and a $34 million loss in its latest quarter, UTi Worldwide has passed a turning point, new CEO Edward G. Feitzinger said Dec. 9.

Combined growth among the 50 largest transportation and logistics companies worldwide slowed to a halt in 2013 amid global economic uncertainty. The combined revenue of the 50 companies slipped 0.1 percent after increasing 2.6 percent in 2012 and 8.4 percent in 2011.

Canada's largest trucking operator, TransForce, increased revenue 27 percent in the third quarter while waiting for approval of its proposed acquisition of rival Contrans.

Chinese package delivery company S.F. Express was the fastest-growing global transportation company in 2013, increasing revenue 40.6 percent in a year when the 50 largest transport operators saw revenue go flat.

Major U.S. parcel carriers are pressuring retailers to be more realistic in shipping expectations in order to avoid a repeat of the 2013 holiday season, when over 2 million express packages were not delivered by Christmas Eve.

UPS added 766 U.S. postal codes to its UPS Worldwide Express Plus network in the third quarter, extending the reach of its international earliest morning service deeper into the U.S.

Ryder System is expanding its inland distribution network in Mexico, starting with a transloading center for Chrysler at the Gulf Coast Port of Altamira.

Carriers’ strategy to bundle logistics services with container shipping services appears to be “unraveling,” according to Alphaliner’s latest newsletter.

The rollout of UTi Worldwide’s new forwarding system, 1View, pressured the company’s fiscal first quarter results, according to CEO Eric Kirchner

The rolling wave of storms that hit the U.S. from December through February cost $45 billion FedEx about $125 million and cut into package volumes...

Trucking companies such as NEMF and UPS Freight closed terminals in the path of Winter Storm Hercules, but prepared to move freight quickly once the blizzard passed and roads and businesses reopened.

CEVA Logistics has signed a three year contract with Swedish automotive industry manufacturer Scania to manage the delivery of spare parts in Spain and Portugal.

CEVA Logistics today reported a net loss of $54 million in the third quarter of 2013, compared with a net loss of $78 million in the same period last year.

The 50 largest transportation and logistics companies worldwide grew more slowly in 2012 as the global economy sputtered, increasing revenue only 2.6 percent compared with a more robust 8.4 percent combined growth rate in 2011.

Frank Appel has seen his share of turmoil and volatility. As the CEO of Deutsche Post DHL, Appel has navigated his company through a global recession that saw its DHL express unit pull out of the U.S. market, and more recently has wrestled with uncertainty over the direction of two major rivals, UPS and TNT.

CEVA Logistics today announced that Marvin O. Schlanger will retire as CEO on Jan. 2, 2014, and will be succeeded by Xavier Urbain.

Maersk Line’s third quarter profit rose to $554 million in the third quarter of 2013, from $498 million a year earlier...

Hapag-Lloyd’s third quarter profit plunged more than 60 percent from a year ago as weak peak-season freight rates outweighed increased container volumes.

UPS today reported its revenue in the third quarter of 2013 was $13.5 billion, up 3.4 percent year-over-year, driven primarily by U.S. e-commerce shipments and strong European export growth.

Kuehne + Nagel’s third-quarter earnings increased 8.3 percent year-over-year, even as the Swiss logistics giant’s core ocean container business stalled as it prioritized profit ahead of volume.

UPS will expand its forwarding footprint in Asia under the guidance of new regional forwarding chief Jeff McCorstin, whose official appointment as president of global freight forwarding for the Asia-Pacific region was announced Tuesday.

DHL is investing in new facilities in the Philippines on the back of improving economic growth and the expansion of air freight capacity at Clark International Airport.

FedEx reported its net income in the first quarter of fiscal year 2014, ending Aug. 31, 2013, was $489 million, increasing 7 percent year-over-year from $459 million.