Leading customs broker and trade compliance company Livingston International recently expanded its portfolio of services in Asia to meet growing client demand in key emerging markets, including a full suite of services for customers in Taiwan. It also expanded its presence in China, having found both countries to have increased importance with U.S. importers and exporters.

“Asia is an important global market from manufacturing and distribution standpoints, “says Matt Goodman, president of Livingston’s Global Trade Management operation. “As businesses expand in Asia, they often de-centralize their compliance efforts, causing them to duplicate processes.”

This mistake can be costly, Goodman says, adding that the company’s significant presence in the region will allow it to help clients streamline supply chain processes and ensure compliance, freeing up customers to focus on their own businesses.

The expansion into Asia follows a similar push in India, both in anticipation of several free trade agreements expected to bring additional opportunities to companies doing business globally.

SEKO Logistics announced in May the opening of its first UK Aerospace & Aviation “Centre of Excellence,” designed to deliver logistics and technology solutions for global companies in that sector, from the new location at Farnborough Airport. The addition adds to SEKO’s 120 worldwide offices in 40 countries and joins Aerospace & Aviation centers in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific.

The stated goal of the Farnborough center is to “help customers remove costs from their supply chains, provide total visibility of inventory and all transport and logistics movements, and identify opportunities for service level improvements,” according to a company release. Customers of the center will also have access to SEKO’s Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for asset and transport management.

“This expansion is part of our commitment to customers in the Aerospace & Aviation sector,” says Dean Townsend, director of SEKO, “and also reflects the strong growth forecast for the industry over the next five to seven years.”

PLAINFIELD, INDIANA, GETS A NEW ‘PRIME’ LOCATION

Prime Distribution Services announced this May the opening of Airtech, its new location in Plainfield, Indiana, and the company’s second in the city.

The provider of warehousing, consolidation and transportation solutions—owned by Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc.—utilizes state-of-the-art technology such as radio frequency picking and advanced automated case picking software to increase speed and accuracy at the new facility. It also features a cutting-edge racking system throughout the entire warehouse.

The new location will, according to President of Prime Distribution Services Bill Vechiarella, “enhance our existing network so that we can continue to provide competitive logistics, warehousing and consolidation services.”

With the new 300,000-square-foot warehouse space, PDS approximates it now offers 2.5 million square feet of U.S.-based, food-grade distribution facilities located along key transportation corridors.

FOURKITES AND JDA SOFTWARE GET REAL (TIME) ON VISIBILITY

FourKites, a provider of real-time tracking solutions for shippers and 3PLs, which allows the shipper, the broker, and the carrier to share the same, real-time truck location and shipment status information, announced in May that it is collaborating with JDA Software Group Inc. to make its software available within JDA’s Transportation Management Systems (TMS).

“By leveraging traditional and more advanced streams of intelligence that FourKites provides, JDA is building a complementary ecosystem to enable end-to-end supply chain visibility,” reads a joint statement from the partnership, explaining that will enable carrier connectivity, efficient on-boarding and real-time visibility within JDA’s TMS.

“FourKites is thrilled to partner with an industry leader like JDA Software,” says FourKites CEO Matt Elenjickal, adding that the company’s real-time load tracking is a perfect compliment to JDA’s transportation planning and execution capabilities. “Together we are providing unparalleled capabilities to our common customers.”

HEART OF TEXAS RAILROAD ACQUIRED

A managed affiliate of OmniTRAX, Inc., one of North America’s largest privately held railroad and transportation management companies and an affiliate of The Broe Group, has announced that it will acquire the Heart of Texas Railroad (HTR) from private local investors, though the transaction is still subject to approval from the Surface Transportation Board. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the new operator will rename the railroad “The Central Texas & Colorado River Railway.”

Kevin Shuba, CEO of OmniTRAX, says the railroad “is a great opportunity for OmniTRAX with at least three good long-term mineral prospects on the line.”

Shuba referred to the rail line as a distressed asset that can get back on track with his company’s expertise, adding that it’s “right in our sweet spot.”

‘THE ALLIANCE’ IS THE NEWEST PACT IN OCEAN SHIPPING

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, “K” Line, Hanjin, Hapag-Lloyd and Yang Ming unveiled in May that they have agreed to create the newest ocean carrier alliance, covering all East-West trade lanes namely. Dubbed “THE Alliance,” the partnership is scheduled to begin operations in April 2017 subject to approval of all relevant regulatory authorities, with an initial term of cooperation set for five years.

The resulting network will combine about 3.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), 18 percent of the global container fleet capacity, among the 620 ships operated by the six partners.

“This agreement is a milestone and will enable the six partners of THE Alliance to offer sailing frequencies and direct coverage in the market,” member carriers say in a statement. “The unique product will feature enhanced port coverage in Asia, North America, Europe—including the Mediterranean—as well as the Middle East.” n