CPC Logistics Acquires Quality Driver Solutions

QDS, with 12 branch locations throughout the western and southern United States, is expected to complement the temporary and flex driver services already provided by CPC under its Consolidated Logistics Solutions (CLS) brand. The combination of QDS and CLS significantly strengthens and diversifies CPC Logistics' position as one of the top logistics personnel providers in North America. 

QDS and CLS will combine under the Quality Driver Solutions brand, and will be based in Chesterfield, MO. The combined company will help serve the needs or existing customers of both entities and will establish a national service footprint for Quality Driver Solutions going forward.

"This acquisition will result in forming one of the top temporary and flex personnel services providers to truck fleets of all sizes," said Doug Crowell, President & CEO of CPC Logistics. "We expect QDS to allow us to grow and be more flexible in serving the needs of our private fleet customers.  The leadership and team at QDS have built a strong business with an excellent growth record, and we plan to work with them to continue serving the growing needs of drivers and customers.  We are very excited to bring the QDS team and their experience into our family of companies."

"CPC brings Quality Driver Solutions a new vehicle to extend its service offerings and increase the QDS brand visibility to new areas. All of our associates are excited to work with the CPC team to make QDS an even bigger player in this space," said Ernesto Lopez, former owner of Quality Driver Solutions, Inc. 

"Adding the QDS team to our existing business accelerates our growth plans and quickly moves us forward several years.  The increase in market presence and bringing in the QDS talented staff and leaders is very valuable in our tight labor market.  Combining talent with our significant investments in technology creates a great new opportunity for all of us at CPC and QDS," added Rodney Graham, who will be leading the new combined QDS. 

About CPC Logistics Inc.Headquartered in Chesterfield, MO, CPC Logistics and its affiliated family of companies are the leading provider of permanent and temporary Class A CDL truck driver and warehouse personnel services. CPC serves private fleets of all sizes with driver & fleet management services.  CPC's subsidiary companies include CPC Logistics Canada (Based in Mississauga ON), Quality Driver Services, TMH Transport, TMH Logistics & In Transit Personnel. For more about CPC Logistics visit http://www.callcpc.com.

About Quality Driver Solutions, Inc.Quality Driver Solutions, Inc. is the leading source for temporary and long-term driver needs in Southern/Northern CA, Texas, Denver, Memphis, Nashville, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Atlanta.  QDS is proficient in staffing for Temporary, Temp to Hire, and Permanent placements for CDL Drivers and Logistics staff. For more information about QDS visit http://www.qualitydriversolutions.com.

Reference: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cpc-logistics-acquires-quality-driver-solutions-300770850.html

GSC Logistics is Ready to Meet Clean Truck Program Requirements at the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma on January 1, 2019

“All trucks servicing the container terminals in Seattle and Tacoma must have a 2007 or newer engine in order to be allowed into the terminals. This is part of Seattle and Tacoma Clean Truck Program’s goals to reduce, by up to 90%, diesel particulate emissions (DPM), nitrous oxide emissions (NOX) and other harmful emissions affecting the communities surrounding the ports,” said Andy Garcia, chairman and executive vice president of GSC Logistics.

“Every one of our trucks are compliant and GSC is ready to handle all container shipments for our existing customers and prospective new customers,” said Justin Taylor, fleet manager for GSC Logistics

Taylor continued, “We have an ample supply of tractors to meet our customers’ needs and have doubled our compliant fleet to accommodate new customers on January 1st. GSC has helped our drivers upgrade their engines through our Truck Assistance Program (TAP) which is designed to help drivers understand the process for truck upgrade and financing on their own. GSC Logistics’ TAP is a unique opportunity for drivers to achieve truck compliance, plus grow their income and expand their companies throughout the Pacific Northwest ports.”

“GSC Logistics has doubled our compliant driver fleet, while expanding our supervisory, dispatch, logistics’ analyst, and support staff by adding seven new team members at our new offices at the Port of Tacoma’s `Fabulich Center,'” said Garcia. “This assures expedient communication, information technology support, and responsiveness for all our existing customers, and new customers as well. We are prepared to support new customers seeking dependable and transparent services for their container drayage programs, given the close to 30% compression in compliant drivers after January 1st. However, transactional business is not suited for our operational profile.”

GSC Logistics, Inc. is an Oakland, California-based third party logistics service provider. The company was founded in 1988 to provide ocean and intermodal drayage, domestic and import/export cross-dock deconsolidation, overweight transportation, D.C. bypass programs, refrigerated, brokerage and dry truckload services. GSC Logistics also offers a myriad of value added services designed to remove time and costs from the supply chain. All facilities operated by GSC Logistics are C-TPAT compliant and customs bonded. GSC Logistics utilizes sophisticated security systems, information technology as well as integrated E.D.I. communications for inventory management of inbound and outbound activity in Northern California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado and Nevada. To learn more about GSC Logistics please visit us at www.easywaylogistics.com.

Reference: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181226005165/en/GSC-Logistics-Ready-Meet-Clean-Truck-Program

Logistics for startups: How to plan your supply chain

Logistics is both the art and science of moving goods, services and information into and out of an organisation. In business, it encompasses aspects of the supply chain involving inventory management and the transport of goods.

Any type of organisation can experience great benefits from getting to grips with logistics and managing it more efficiently but with tighter budgets and smaller margins, it’s especially important for SMEs to focus on these potential cost savings that could mean all the difference between make or break.

To help explain the basics of logistics, we asked Sean Bradley, Managing Director of Freightworks, for his advice to small businesses that are just starting out.

“Have clear expectations and know-how of the customs process and paperwork requirements to ensure shipments are not held up. My advice is to deal face-to-face with any company to have a personal interaction, clarity on cost and expectations. Agree credit terms with a signed agreement. It saves for any conflict later on if paperwork is clear and signed by both parties”.

Here, Bradley shares more of his knowledge on successfully managing logistics.

How should a business choose a provider?

Research your logistics supplier well. The market is not regulated and there are many ‘logistics’ service suppliers in the UAE. From my perspective you need a well-rounded and experienced team to advise on best service for cost and quality expected. ‘Buy cheap, buy twice’ is relevant in the industry. A basic no-frills service won’t cost much on the surface but if you cut corners you will experience unwelcome unknown costs from demurrage, surcharges and other fees.

It is a good idea to use a reputable and knowledgeable company for this with a deep understanding of local customs rules and better if accredited by the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), a new body whereby companies fulfill certain obligations that ensure transparency with Customs authorities which expedites clearance at the borders.

Supply chai

What kinds of savings can be made from an investment in managing logistics?

As a small business you can save fixed monthly costs with an asset light approach, where you get your service provider to do everything for you from warehousing, demand planning and fulfilment. Pay a monthly fee with a defined get out clause that allows small independent companies the flexibility to scale up or down easily without hiring staff, vehicles or long term building leases.

What do start-ups need to know about logistics and supply-chain management in the UAE economy?

It’s imperative to understand the financial cash flow requirements to manage the payments to airline carriers and shipping lines for a minimum period of three months. Significant up-front costs are required and 20 to 30 per cent contingency for the unexpected.

E-Mirsal II is the software used by customs to record all imports, calculate duty and record all commodities that are maintained off shore in free zone and brought onshore into the UAE. Duty and VAT is applicable at the point of entry and in some cases VAT is recoverable.

Free zone entities need to be aware and accountable for all inventory movements and records even if these are managed by a logistics party on the company’s behalf. The company is accountable in front of authorities and not the forwarding agent.

Geographically, the UAE is fairly well-placed as a global logistics hub, how does Dubai capitalise on that?

The world's largest man-made port, Jebel Ali Port, facilitates sea connectivity globally right on our doorstep. JAFZA is ideally located to connect Dubai with the rest of the world and serviced by more than 170 shipping lines. You can send and receive sea freight to any port in the world. JAFZA is the leading logistics hub in the Middle East supporting over 7,000 companies including 100 global Fortune 500 enterprises.

Being a free zone, the cargo will be under duty-exempt status. Customs duty is to be paid only when the goods are imported to UAE or GCC local market. As for rest of the world, the goods can move without any duty or tax element added.

Reference:  https://gulfnews.com/business/logistics-for-startups-how-to-plan-your-supply-chain-1.1545635954260

Hong-Kong based private equity veterans launch logistics platform

Launched in 2013 by Hong-Kong-based private equity veterans Heath Zarin (pictured) and Roger Moh, EmergeVest, now has more than USD450 million of cumulative capital commitments, and a current portfolio that includes businesses that generate more than USD1.5 billion of revenue annually.

The new EV Cargo platform has been formed from the six UK logistics businesses acquired by EmergeVest in the last five years consolidating ownership into one of the UK’s largest providers of transport, logistics and freight-forwarding services and logistics technology, and a global supply chain company operating in more than 120 countries. EV Cargo has GBP850 million of revenue annually and is now the largest privately-owned logistics business in the UK.

EV Cargo’s logistics brands include Adjuno, Allport Cargo Services, CM Downton, Jigsaw, NFT and Palletforce. The new firm will feature a core asset-based UK logistics network totalling nine million square feet of warehousing space and 20,000 delivery vehicles; a team of 5,000 UK based logistics professionals including 2,200 truck drivers; 175 UK operating centres and 18 overseas operations; and international logistics operations managing 200,000 containers of sea freight annually and six million kilograms of air freight monthly.

Zarin, who is the former head of private equity in Asia for Credit Suisse and HSBC, says: “We formed EmergeVest in 2013 after having spent the bulk of our careers in an institutional background. Our other founder, Roger Moh, and I, have worked together since 2006 and we are entrepreneurial by nature.”

From the outset, the launch was to focus on specific investment opportunities where the pair felt they could add value, or have some particular advantage.

“This led us to focus on specific industry sectors and companies that we have had some history with previously,” Zarin says

Opportunities that would have a secondary dynamic were also part of the driving force from the outset as they had decided that instead of launching EmergeVest and raising a traditional client fund pool, they would have an active investment pipeline of opportunities that were attractive so they could raise capital specifically for investment opportunities they had already lined up.

“Having been a generalist private equity investor, until the formation of EmergeVest, my experience was across a wide range of different geographies and companies in different stages of development including the logistics sector and we find it continues to be attractive. It’s a highly fragmented industry and the leaders have small market share which lends itself to buy and build platform opportunities.”

Zarin says that his firm also likes the fact that specialist logistics service providers have a high degree of recurring revenue because of the critical nature of the services they are providing.

“Many of these logistic businesses enjoy network dynamics,” he says. “Managing a global network or a domestic distribution network is something we believe we understand and can add value to.”

EmergeVest has an internal proprietary operating system, EVOS, which includes specific frameworks that their portfolio businesses follow.

“We follow these to be a growth orientated value adding investor in logistics,” Zarin says. “These frameworks span business strategy, people development, execution, corporate governance and mergers & acquisitions.”

EmergeVest also has an integrated team of investment professionals and operating executives working together, with more operating executives than investment professionals.

“The creation of EV Cargo represents the culmination of five years of EmergeVest so far,” Zarin explains. “We invested in a series of what we thought would be attractive high-quality logistics businesses that would complement each other.”

EVOS is embedded inside each of the sub-companies on the platform. “Key executives across our portfolio companies all identified with each other through EVOS - our code of conduct and values are a common language and the basis for how we drive business growth.

“EV Cargo is a natural evolution of what we had put in motion already and all done with the support of our LP base which comes from institutions, funds of funds, and family offices internationally.”

The structure is one master holding company with subsidiaries underneath it.

EV Cargo has four operating divisions, including four main operating segments: Express, Global Forwarding, Logistics and Technology, the software business that services the six subsidiaries and the top executive board.

“For right now EV Cargo is our top priority and marks the next stage of development in the business driving the growth and advancing it in the future for new platforms and opportunities,” Zarin says, emphasising that logistics, technical services and international supply chains will continue to be the firm’s main areas of interest.

Reference: https://www.institutionalassetmanager.co.uk/2018/12/24/271698/hong-kong-based-private-equity-veterans-launch-logistics-platform