DC Velocity - November 2017

4 DC VELOCITY NOVEMBER 2017 www.dcvelocity.com inbound

When you think of runaway retail
success stories, a yogurt vendor
might not come immediately to
mind. But Chobani LLC is no ordi-
nary yogurt company. Within five
years of its 2007 launch, the startup
had become the top-selling Greek
yogurt brand in the U.S., with more
than $1 billion in annual sales. In
addition to being wildly successful,
Chobani is a trailblazer, having been
named one of the 10 most innova-
tive companies in the world as well
as one of the most socially responsi-
ble. If you’re hungry to learn more,
head to New York City on Jan. 14
to hear Chobani Founder and CEO
Hamdi Ulukaya deliver the key-
note address at the National Retail
Federation’s “NRF 2018: Retail’s
Big Show.”
Scheduled for Jan. 14–16 at the
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center,
NRF’s Big Show is expected to
attract 35,000 attendees and more
than 600 exhibitors. In addition
to an exposition showcasing the
latest retail technologies, the event
includes an education conference
divided into content tracks such as
technology, business performance
and growth, innovation, and part-
nerships and collaborations.

This year’s speaker lineup includes Martin Barthel, Facebook’s head of global retail & eCommerce strategy; Spencer Fung, CEO of 111-year- old Asian consumer goods giant Li & Fung; and Arianna Huffington, founder of both The Huffington Post and Thrive Global, a training and coaching firm that helps professionals avoid work-related burnout and handle technology-induced stress.

For more information and to register for the event, visit https://nrf-bigshow.nrf.com/.

NRF’s “Big Show”
rolls into NYC Jan. 14

Here’s our monthly roundup of some of the charitable works and donations by companies in the material handling and logistics space.

; Houston-based third-party logistics service provider Gulf Winds International has donated more than $50,000 to provide aid to families affected by Hurricane Harvey.

; Kane Is Able Inc., a third-party logistics service provider, partnered with Pennsylvania’s Borough of Archbald and Pennsylvania State Representative Kevin Haggerty to donate a trailer that was used to collect supplies for victims of Hurricane Harvey. The trailer was filled with food, household goods, clothing, and personal items and driven to Rockport, Texas, where the items were distributed to those in need.

; Morris Plains, N.J.-based Honeywell has donated $400,000 in personal protective equipment to the Mexico Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional to support rescue and relief efforts after Mexico’s 7.1-magnitude earthquake in Mexico City. Honeywell Safety and Productivity Solutions provided nearly 50,000 pieces of safety equipment that included respiratory and hearing protection, protective eyewear and footwear, hard hats, and safety gloves.

; PLS Logistics Services, a provider of logistics management, brokerage, and technology services for shippers, has donated more than $32,000 for the American Red Cross’s hurricane relief effort. The money was raised through employee, customer, and company contributions.

; Toyota Forklifts has raised $50,000 for Hurricane Harvey relief. The donation is a combined effort from Toyota, with Toyota Industries Corp., Toyota Material Handling U.S.A, Toyota Industrial Equipment, and Toyota Commercial Finance joining together to support the initiative. The funds will support affected dealership employees, the community, and the American Red Cross.

; Omaha, Neb.-based transportation and logistics company Werner

Enterprises Inc. partnered with the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, to host “The Wall That Heals” at Werner Park. The mobile exhibit features a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and a mobile education center. The company organized the transportation, provided volunteers to support the exhibit, and furnished an Operation Freedom truck to haul the display. Werner also enlisted one of its own Operation Freedom fleet drivers, Army veteran J.W. Ray, to transport the mobile exhibit.

; Independent aftermarket truck parts distributor Vipar Heavy Duty has established a relief fund to help the employees of Vipar Heavy Duty, Power Heavy Duty, and other aftermarket warehouse distributors severely impacted by the recent hurricanes and earthquakes.