newsworthy
For Rogers, 2013 could be key to the YRC kingdom
As Jeffrey A. Rogers, president of YRC Freight, tells it, 2013
will be the year the long-haul unit of YRC Worldwide Inc.
finally asserts itself in the marketplace after five years or so
of manmade misery.
Left unsaid is that 2013 could also be the year that Rogers
puts his stamp on YRC and positions himself to be running
the whole shooting match by the end of the decade.
Rogers, 50, was tapped in September 2011 to run YRC
Freight as part of a major revamp launched by James L.
Welch, YRC’s 58-year-old CEO. Welch himself had been
hired only three months prior to rescue the Overland Park,
Kan.-based company, which was once the king of the less-than-truckload (LTL) hill but was nearly run into the
ground during the recession.
Rogers has the pedigree for the YRC Freight role. He
spent three years running YRC’s Holland regional sub-
sidiary, one of the nation’s most successful carriers and the
jewel in the corporate crown. Prior to that, he was CFO of
YRC Regional, YRC’s successful regional transportation
unit. Before joining YRC, Rogers spent 14 years at UPS Inc.
MAKING GAINS
The early reviews seem favorable. The unit posted fourth-quarter 2012 operating income of $21.1 million, its second
consecutive quarter of operating gains and a nearly $48
million improvement over the 2011 period. YRC Freight’s
fourth-quarter operating ratio—the ratio of expenses to
revenues and a key gauge of a carrier’s efficiency—
improved 600 basis points year over year to 97.3, the company’s best fourth-quarter operating ratio in six years. The
ratio means YRC Freight generated $97.30 in expenses in
the quarter for every $100 in revenues.
short takes
RTS Holdings LLC has acquired key operating assets of
RoadLink Transportation Solutions and its affiliated operating entities. Newly launched as RoadOne
IntermodaLogistics, the company is an independent intermodal logistics service provider in North America. …
Murphy Logistics, formerly known as Murphy Warehouse
Co., has attained ISO 14001:2004 certification of its
Minneapolis headquarters and three other logistics campuses in Fridley, Minn. … Hytrol Conveyor Co. Inc. has
launched an employee stock ownership plan. … Hy-Tek
Material Handling announced that
it is celebrating its 50th anniversary
at a ceremony at the Ohio
Statehouse recognizing the company for half a century of service. …
C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. has
developed a mobile app to extend
the reach of its Navisphere platform, allowing users to
access critical shipment information with Apple or Android
mobile devices. … Westfalia Technologies has launched a
social media strategy, which includes a blog and a presence on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook,
LinkedIn, and YouTube. … Ceva Logistics opened its first
Center of Logistics Excellence in Jacksonville, Fla. It has also
launched an enhanced e-fulfillment solution. … FedEx
Trade Networks, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and an inter-
HY-TEK
national freight forwarder, has opened its first office in
Thailand. … Sealed Air Corp., the maker of Bubble Wrap
brand cushioning, teamed up with 366 students from
Hawthorne High School of Elmwood Park, N.J., to celebrate the 13th Annual Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. As
part of the celebration, participants set the world record
for “The Most People Popping Bubble Wrap at One Time.”
… Ifco Systems, a provider of reusable plastic containers,
has joined The Sustainability Consortium as a member of
the organization’s Food, Beverage, and Agriculture Sector.
… FTR Associates’ Shippers Conditions Index for December
came in with a reading of - 4. 9, reflecting tightening capacity. The research firm warns that conditions will likely get
significantly worse by mid-2013. … Evergreen Line has
launched a new feeder service linking Greece, Turkey, and
Malta. … Eurocopter and its lead transportation provider,
SDV, are now using their first hybrid truck in Germany on
a route that links Eurocopter’s plant in Donauworth with
the Munich airport. … Five Columbian Logistics Network
facilities have been recognized by the Safe Quality Food
(SQF) Institute with the Level 2 (SQF 2000) SQF
Certification. … Con-Pearl NA, a provider of plastic sleeves
for sleeve packs, has joined the Reusable Packaging
Association. … Millard Refrigerated Services, a refrigerated warehousing and distribution services company, is celebrating 50 years in business.
