Logistics Technology News

The damage inflicted by months of West Coast port congestion and supply chain delays lingers even now, more than a month after management and labor ratified a new longshore contract on May 22. Trans-Pacific volumes at West Coast ports have returned to normal levels, but the ports and carriers that call them lost market share in the first five months of 2015. The only winners were non-vessel-operating common carriers and East Coast ports.

CaroTrans is launching a new weekly, direct less-than-container-load service from Milan to Charleston starting next month, amid weak westbound volume growth on the trade lane.

Yusen Logistics and Mazda have begun a joint venture intended to increase the efficiency of Mazda’s global supply chain as the automotive industry in Asia continues to grow.

UPS has begun the construction of a new healthcare distribution center in the Netherlands a month after it opened a pharmaceuticals freight forwarding facility at Amsterdam Schiphol airport.

Pricing pressure is building on forwarders as they struggle to hold on to margins in the face of collapsing freight rates on some of the major trade routes.

The former president of Con-way Freight will lead one of the largest temperature-controlled logistics companies as demand for cold-chain services grows.

Michigan-based third-party logistics and multimodal transportation firm Radiant Global Logistics last week acquired not one but two logistics providers: New York-based Service By Air and Kentucky-based Highways and Skyways.

UPS Capital, a subsidiary of the same-named parcel carrier, recently announced its acquisition of Parcel Pro, the leading independent logistics provider for the jewelry, wristwatch and collectibles industries. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Automotive part shippers can tap a new less-than-containerload service offering faster service between China and Japan by bypassing Hong Kong.

Global logistics provider DHL is ramping up operations in India, introducing a weekly truck service between Ahmedabad and Nhava Sheva to lead its less-than-containerload consolidation business.

CEVA has launched a weekly less-than-containerload service from Antwerp to New York, as U.S. imports from Europe surge on the strength of the dollar.

U.K.-based Kerry Logistics has completed a new office in Portugal, allowing the third-party logistics provider to better serve southwest Europe and get better access to Africa and South American markets, particularly Brazil.

The U.K. government has netted 750 million pounds ($1.2 billion) from the sale of half of its remaining 30 percent stake in Royal Mail.

Sunset Transportation has opened a Bend, Oregon office and expanded operations at its Grand Haven, Michigan location, allowing the third-party logistics provider to expand its geographical reach.

XPO Logistics closed on the acquisition of 67 percent of European 3PL Norbert Dentressangle, adding the $5.5 billion company to its fold. The question is, what will XPO buy next?

Acquisition of Hayward, California-based Haas strengthens Lynden's home delivery and specialized delivery capabilities.

Europe’s normally low-key logistics sector is suddenly hitting a high note, as a flurry of billion-dollar acquisitions kick-starts the long-stalled consolidation of a fragmented industry.

LONDON – The U.K.’s newly elected Conservative government today announced it will sell the state’s remaining 30 percent stake in Royal Mail to help reduce the country’s bulging deficit.

CaroTrans is launching a new weekly less-than-container-load service between Southeastern U.S. and Japanese markets, cutting out transshipment and avoiding congestion at ports in Los Angeles and Busan.

PeopleNet, a trucking technology company owned by $2.4 billion Trimble, last week purchased Cadec Global, a pioneer in fleet management technology. The acquisition underscores growing demand for end-to-end mobile computing networks among shippers and transport operators.

With its management flexibility constrained by a fractured ownership structure, SEKO Logistics has brought in a private equity partner to recapitalize its balance sheet, transform its many local joint venture owners around the globe into shareholders and provide the resources to grow through acquisitions.

India’s Allcargo Logistics, through its wholly owned non-vessel-owning common carrier arm Ecu Line, made its first foray into the e-commerce logistics market by entering into a cargo consolidation contract with China online shopping giant Alibaba.

XPO Logistics raised $1.26 billion from institutional investors and plans a $2 billion bond sale to help finance its latest acquisitions and prepare for more.

Signifying the next stage in the revitalization and development of the Jones Act U.S. fleet, a combined container/ro-ro (con-ro) carrier has been phased into the Hawaii-U.S. mainland trade.

Japan’s Hitachi Transport System’s aggressive acquisitions in the United States and elsewhere have put it on track to almost achieve its medium-term global expansion plan, with overseas sales and profit escalating.

Dachser, the German logistics provider, is poised to expand its relatively small share of the U.S. air and ocean freight business.

Shreyas Shipping and Logistics swung to a net profit of Rs. 61.75 crore (about $9.6 million) in the fiscal year ended March 31, a big turnaround from its loss of Rs. 4.32 crore ($675,000) in the previous year.

Strong gains across multiple segments, especially international cargo activity, helped India’s Allcargo Logistics deliver impressive earnings results in the fiscal year ended March 31.

Logistics Plus, a global provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, has opened offices in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt, and formed a Logistics Plus Eqypt operation that includes a warehouse in Badr City just outside of Cairo.

In a deal expected to close on Aug. 1, Scarbrough International, a Kansas City-based logistics and customs brokerage firm, will expand its operations south and into Mexico.

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.

Agility Logistics’ net profit for the first quarter of 2015 rose 5 percent year-over-year, at $39.3 million, the company said Friday.

Blue Dart Express, India’s leading air express and logistics services provider, reported its net earnings in fiscal year 2014-15, which ended March 31, remained relatively flat compared to the profit in the previous year, despite significant revenue growth.

Shippers and logistics providers need more advanced transportation management systems to meet a host of logistics challenges that didn't exist in 2000, 3GTMS CEO Mitch Weseley told the ALK Transportation Technology Summit.

Damco’s reduced first-quarter loss came at a price as the Maersk Group’s freight forwarding and logistics unit ceded more market share to its rivals.

Deutsche Post DHL said it is reviewing the restructuring of its freight forwarding business, which it blamed for a dip in first-quarter profit.

Large-scale mergers and acquisitions in the global transportation and logistics industry posted year-over-year increases in value and number during the first quarter of 2015, PwC US reported.

Major Japanese international freight forwarder Kintetsu World Express Inc. saw its group net profit surge on the back of strong revenue in the fiscal year ended March 31, despite an antitrust lawsuit-related extraordinary loss in the United States.

Nippon Express Co.’s net profit remained almost flat in the fiscal year ended March 31, even as its revenue grew robustly on the back of a weaker yen and brisk exports of auto and electronics parts.

Orbcomm's first-quarter revenue rocketed 149 percent as the acquisition of SkyWave and InSync kicked in to boost use of its asset-tracking services.