Pacific Rim Report: Port Logistics, Pacer, and Prologis concentrate on “location”

Location: Say it three times, and you have the real estate mantra. However, shippers and providers are beginning to understand what it means to their long-term plans, especially when it comes to improving service on the West Coast.

Port Logistics Group, a leading provider of gateway logistics services, recently announced that it has completed the acquisition of Pacific Distribution Services, a regional warehousing and transportation provider serving the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. The acquisition adds 600,000 square feet of multi-client warehouse space and several new national retail clients to Port Logistics Group’s U.S. gateway logistics presence.

“Pacific Distribution Services is a well-respected and well-run warehouse operator with a great client base and an experienced leadership team,” says Bob Stull, CEO of Port Logistics Group. “They’ve been a long-term partner of ours, and we’re very pleased to add them to Port Logistics Group.  They fit our acquisition growth model of adding strong, regional providers with knowledge and experience of their local port operations.”

Meanwhile, Dale Scott – the former President and Owner of Pacific Distribution Services – will continue to lead his team as the General Manager of the Seattle/Tacoma gateway for Port Logistics Group. 
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In other West Coast news, Pacer International, Inc. tells Logistics Management that its subsidiary Pacer Distribution Services, Inc. is helping freight forwarder Pro-Line Shipping save up to 50 percent on its supply chain costs through an innovative cross-docking strategy designed to deliver solar panels from the Port of Long Beach to installation sites throughout southern California, Arizona, and Nevada.

Pro-Line’s customers are solar panel manufacturers and contractors who import the panels from China and other parts of the Far East. Demand for solar panels is increasing dramatically due to improvements in energy effectiveness, but higher volume has pushed prices down an estimated 20 percent in the past year.

“Instead of the standard practice of transporting the panels to our warehouse for unloading and storage, we closely coordinate delivery by aligning with outbound shipping schedules and transloading of the panels directly from ocean containers into domestic trailers that Pacer then delivers to job sites,” says Jeff Lindner, vice president of sales for Pacer Distribution.
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San Francisco-based Prologis, Inc. a global owner, operator, and developer of industrial real estate, announced its inclusion in the 2013 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list at the recently concluded World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Recognized as the world’s most credible corporate sustainability ranking, the Global 100 consists of the top-performing companies worldwide based on a range of sector-specific “sustainability” metrics.  Prologis was recognized for its comprehensive approach to sustainability encompassing three dimensions: environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and governance.

Steve Campbell, senior vice president and director of environmental, engineering and sustainability, says that he views sustainable operations as a “vital component” to long-term business success. Campbell adds that Prologis will continue to develop, own, and operate a global portfolio of energy-efficient facilities that minimize their environmental impact.

Coming next month: An exclusive interview with Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) Executive Administrator Brian Conrad.