DC Velocity - October 2012

inbound

Walmart harnesses wind power
at California DC
Growing by leaps and
bounds

Walmart appears to be getting into wind power at its distribution centers in a big way—a really big way, in fact. In August, the Bentonville, Ark.-based retail giant launched its first on-site large-scale wind turbine pilot project at a DC in Red Bluff, Calif. The turbine is expected to provide about one megawatt of power, or 15 to 20 percent of the facility’s yearly electric power requirements.

The new wind turbine is hard to miss. It stands 265 feet tall, with a blade diameter of 250 feet. Although the long-armed giant is located on Walmart-owned property, the retailer does not own the turbine itself. Instead, Walmart buys the power under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Foundation Windpower, which installed, owns, and operates the turbine.

“We expect to reduce our energy costs from the day we flip the ‘on’ switch,” said Greg Pool, senior manager of renewable energy and emissions at Walmart and project manager of the Red Bluff installation, in a statement. In addition to energy cost savings, the PPA arrangement will provide price certainty for the power Walmart buys—no small consideration in these days of volatile fuel prices.

Walmart is working toward a goal of having 100 percent of its needs supplied by renewable energy, Pool said in the statement. If the Red Bluff project proves successful, he added, the company will consider similar installations at other DC sites in the United States. ;

They’re baaaack: “10PL” releases another video

PHOTO COURTES Y OF WALMART

Earlier this year, we wrote about a truly memorable press release from Dedola Logistics, a provider of logistics and international trade services. In an April Fool’s Day announcement, the family-owned company said it had “revolutionized the logistics industry” and would “change the ‘PL’ landscape forever” by becoming the world’s first “10PL” provider. Along with the press release, Dedola produced a tongue-in-cheek video featuring Chief Operating Officer Stephen Dedola.

Well, they’re back with another press release and video, this time com-
menting on the fictitious “historic snub” by the Council of Supply Chain
Management Professionals (CSCMP), which “failed” to invite Dedola to
present at the group’s 2012 Annual Global Conference in Atlanta. “Frankly,
I was relieved that we weren’t invited,” Dedola said. “Genius ideas are rarely
recognized in their time. Plus, I can’t blame the 3PLs and 4PLs for not
rolling out the red carpet. We have at least 6 PLs on them.”
To watch Dedola’s comic performance (backed by a “this is serious” clas-
sical piano score), go to www.dedola.com/10pl/cscmp/. ;

Each year, Inc. magazine publishes its “Inc. 5000” list of the fastest-growing companies in the United States. Among the categories the publication tracks is “logistics and transportation”— a category that includes passenger transportation as well as freight. Rankings are based on revenue growth over the past three years.

This year’s list of logistics and transportation companies—151 in all—included both well-known names and newcomers that aren’t yet on most shippers’ radar screens. The highest-ranked company was Florida-based BlueGrace Logistics—number 20 on the overall list, with an astonishing 7,378-percent growth over the past three years and annual revenue of $63.6 million. Another high flyer at number 65 was CargoBarn, a California company with $7 million in annual revenue. We must confess: We were familiar with only one of the logistics and transportation companies in the top 1,000—Load Delivered Logistics (no. 654), a technology-focused 3PL that has realized 550- percent revenue growth since 2008.

Farther down the list were plenty of familiar names—more established companies that are long past the breakneck growth stage often seen with startups. They included Genco ATC (no. 2,476, 98-percent growth); enVista ( 2,632, 90 percent); Red Arrow Logistics ( 2,803, 82 percent); Barrett Distribution Centers ( 2,978, 74 percent); M33 Integrated Solutions ( 3,505, 53 percent); England Logistics ( 3,668, 47 percent); Saddle Creek Logistics Services ( 3,809, 42 percent); and Seko Logistics ( 4,617, 18 percent).