July 2008
Editor's Note
What kind of activist are you?
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM, David A Kolman david.kolman@penton.com
Fuel Costs are rising, and it doesn't appear that this situation which is creating an incredible impact on all of us will dissipate anytime soon. The...
Industry Watch: News
Repairing flood damaged vehicles
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
With all of the recent flooding and hurricanes taking place throughout the US, ArvinMeritor has produced service bulletins on repairing commercial vehicle...
ZIM improves South America services
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Shipping provider ZIM, whose services include fleets of refrigerated containers, has improved its services in South America. ZIM South America Express...
PFG rolls out voice at five distribution sites
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Voxware Inc., a supplier of software for voice-driven warehousing operations, announced that Performance Food Group (PFG), the third-largest foodservice...
TLC celebrates 27-plus years of safety
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Total Logistic Control's Holland Logistic Center, a 110,000-square-foot varied-temperature freezer and cooler facility, is celebrating more than 27 years...
FDA seeks source of salmonella outbreak
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
The United States Food and Drug Administration said it hoped to pinpoint soon the source of a salmonella outbreak linked to raw tomatoes that has made...
Frozen Food Express lowers trucks' speed
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Frozen Food Express Industries Inc., a Dallas TX-based transportation company serving the temperature-controlled truckload and LTL, dry truckload, and...
Sargento salutes Perron's performance
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Sargento Cheese has presented the 2007 Core Carrier Award to Timon Perron Trucking. Criteria for the award include equipment, on-time deliveries, fewest...
Money concerns cited in bridge collapse
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Concerns that repairing or replacing a Minneapolis MN bridge would be a budget buster may have spurred poor maintenance decisions before its collapse...
Crossdocking whitepaper released
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
More companies are incorporating crossdocking into their supply chain strategies, a recent independent nationwide study of warehousing, distribution,...
RPCC changes name to reflect focus
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Effective immediately, the Reusable Pallet & Container Coalition (RPCC) will become the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA). This transition is reflective...
Industry Watch: Business
Private equity firm sells Preferred Freezer
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
TA Associates, a growth private equity and buyout firm, has sold control of Preferred Freezer Services LLC to Fenway Partners, a middle-market private...
Firms acquire Performance Food Group
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Performance Food Group Company announced that its acquisition by affiliates of The Blackstone Group and Wellspring Capital Management has been completed....
Cal-Maine agrees to acquire Zephyr Egg
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Cal-Maine Foods Inc. has reached an agreement to acquire the majority of the assets of Zephyr Egg Company, based in Zephyrhills FL. Zephyr Egg has been...
Producers form a berry strong group
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Four leading berry producers MBG Marketing, a Michigan-based blueberry grower; Hortifrut S.A. (HF), a berry-growing corporation based in Santiago, Chile;...
STEMCO opens China manufacturing plant
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
STEMCO announces the completion of construction and the grand opening of its China manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China. The new facility is the company's...
Caterpillar, Navistar form strategic alliance
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Caterpillar Inc. and Navistar International Corporation have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to pursue global on-highway truck business opportunities...
DRS gets $16.2 million order from Army
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
DRS Technologies Inc. has received a $16.2 million order to provide Multi-Temperature Refrigeration Container System (MTRCS) units to the United States...
Master-Bilt reports distributor relationship
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Master-Bilt has announced that Greenfield World Trade and its affiliate, J. Cobo, have entered into an international distributor relationship with the...
Publix to acquire 49 Albertson's stores
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Publix Super Markets Inc. has entered into an agreement to purchase 49 Florida stores from Albertson's LLC. The transaction is expected to close in September...
Maines expands account with Burger King
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Maines Paper & Food Service Inc. has expanded its Burger King account to include foodservice distribution to another 22 restaurants in the Maryland area....
Industry Watch: Government
Horizon Lines joins SmartWay partnership
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Horizon Lines Inc. has joined the SmartWay Transport Partnership and earned the highest fuel efficiency and environmental performance rating from the...
Institutions get grants for CDL training
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has awarded a total of $1 million to nine technical and community colleges for commercial driver...
Feature Articles
Straightforward approach
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By David A Kolman
For Mason Brothers Company, a wholesale grocer in Wadena, Minnesota, taking a straightforward, stick-to-your-knitting approach to business is nothing new...
Alternative-powered forklifts
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Fuel cells are emerging as a cost-effective alternative to battery technology because they last longer, fuel faster, weigh less, and eliminate harmful emissions...
Reefer regulations
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has imposed performance standards for transport refrigeration units (TRUs) that must be addressed by fleets located in California or that operate there...
Wise consumption
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
With energy costs projected to rise as much as 12% this year, and carbon footprint (total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities) an issue of increasing importance, cold storage facilities are taking a hard look at their energy consumption...
Cross-Docking
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By David A Kolman
All Businesses are faced with the challenge of managing their supply chain operations. A changing business model the shift to Internet-driven, customer-centric...
Frozen storage
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Some companies are using higher refrigerated warehouse storage temperatures for frozen foods as a way to reduce costs...
Information Channels
Custom Solutions services offered online
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
J. J. Keller & Associates Inc. recently launched an online presentation that features its Custom Solutions services. The Custom Solutions Department helps...
Bendix.biz proves a valuable service tool
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
The new Bendix.biz Web site has proven to be a valuable instrument for customers of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC. Since its launch in September...
Fontaine offers fifthwheel training online
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Fifthwheel manufacturer Fontaine International introduces online training through its website, www.fifthwheel.com. The training consists of four modules:...
StarTrak service monitors reefer fuel usage
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Alanco Technologies Inc.'s StarTrak Systems subsidiary has introduced a new fuel usage data service feature for the Sentry ReeferTrak refrigerated trailer...
Carrier Transicold enhances RoadCare
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Carrier Transicold has enhanced its transport refrigeration unit RoadCare contract maintenance programs with a new Web-enabled asset management tool called...
IFDA offers employee compensation study
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) has released the 2008 Employee Compensation Study of the Distribution Industry, providing...
DTNA podcast outlines BlueTec benefits
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
A podcast about Daimler Trucks North America's incorporation of proven technology into its Detroit Diesel engines is available at www.daimler-trucksnorthamerica.com....
Corcentric adds OCR capture technology
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Corcentric has enhanced its Electronic Invoice Presentment & Payment (EIPP) system a comprehensive approach to electronically managing invoice data, disputes,...
Sterling launches CompleteLease website
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Sterling Truck Corporation has launched a new website: www.SterlingTrucks.com/CompleteLease, designed for customers researching full-service leasing opportunities....
Tenstreet helps fleets keep their drivers
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Tenstreet LLC has launched a new retention service. Known as Tenstreet Xtend, the service provides the foundation to establish effective communications...
uShip's TPI tracks vital transportation data
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Austin TX-based online shipping service provider uShip has launched the Transportation Price Index (TPI), designed to track important data related to...
Brochure spotlights Hendrickson's products
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Hendrickson's updated Global Ride Solutions brochure highlights a full range of products for the commercial transportation industry around the world....
McLeod improves LoadMaster software
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
McLeod Software announced the availability of LoadMaster V9.0. Key components of the new release include: An enhancement to the Customer and Order Entry...
TransCore issues broker benchmark survey
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
TransCore has released the findings of its first annual broker benchmark survey based on customer feedback. The data offers an industry overview with...
Product Innovations
Kenworth makes product enhancements
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Kenworth Truck Company is upgrading a number of products and producing some new ones. The Clean Power no-idle system can be ordered as a factory-installed...
LVD Switch can eliminate dead batteries
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Cole Hersee Company introduces its new Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD) Switch, which eliminates dead batteries by automatically disconnecting non-critical...
Oil additive boosts truck fuel economy
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
A new metal-conditioning oil additive, GO-15 from Engineous USA, has shown to increase the fuel economy of trucks approximately 15 percent while boosting...
AuraGen and Oasis all-electric refrigeration solution is exempt from CARB's measure
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Aura Systems has developed an all-electric refrigeration solution. The patented power generator, AuraGen, is currently being used on thousands of trucks...
Peterbilt announces vehicle production, upgrades
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Peterbilt Motors Company is beginning full production of Model 330 and Model 335 medium-duty hybrid vehicles. The models can provide a 30% improvement...
Ratcheting crimper tool new from Phillips
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Phillips Industries has introduced a new heavy-duty ratcheting crimper tool built for professionals. It accommodates 8- through 22-gage wire, so one tool...
Accuride announces joint venture
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Manufacturer of commercial vehicle components Accuride Corporation has entered into two joint ventures. One is with Benecor to focus on building a dispensing...
Seal Guard Lock helps prevents tampering
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
With today's security concerns, trailers transporting food products have been a target of thieves and terrorists. Transport Security Inc.'s Enforcer Seal...
Webb VORTEX drum enters aftermarket
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
The Aftermarket Business Unit of Webb Wheel Products Inc. announces the availability of the lightweight Webb VORTEX brake drum for aftermarket replacement...
Volvo Trucks North America to develop prototype lightweight composite sleepers
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Volvo Trucks North America will develop lightweight prototype sleepers made with advanced composite material technology as part of a United States Army...
Delco Remy alternator updates 310 unit
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Delco Remy has introduced the 24SI HP alternator, an updated replacement for the 310 unit with a multitude of new advanced engineering features. The 24SI...
Daimler Trucks North America expands engine offerings to include Detroit Diesel, Cummins
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Daimler Trucks North America will offer a full line of its own Detroit Diesel engines, as well as Cummins heavy- and medium-duty engines, across its Freightliner,...
Changing Roles
Fleets
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Decker Truck Line Inc. recently introduced its March 2008 Drivers of the Month, and Rodney Knapp was selected from the reefer/van division. Knapp has...
Suppliers
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Ken Hartman has been named service contracts business development manager for Thermo King Corporation, responsible for leading strategic business development,...
Supplier Showcase
Pallet Jacks
Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM
Pallet jacks are offered in various types and sizes, including models made for narrow isles. They come in both manual and powered versions. Here is a...
