Alliance fills need in marketplace for companies with increasingly complex global supply chains

Penske Logistics and ABX LOGISTICS announced the formation of a strategic alliance focused on providing integrated, global supply chain solutions for multinational corporations. The alliance combines Penske Logistics' strengths in logistics execution and technology with ABX LOGISTICS' global footprint and strong freight forwarding capabilities.

Vince Hartnett, President, Penske Logistics, says, "Customers continue to expand globally to get closer to emerging markets and reduce operating costs. However, expansion also increases the complexity of their supply chains and the range of supply chain management sophistication varies country-to-country, creating quality issues and inefficiencies. The Penske-ABX LOGISTICS alliance is focused on providing solutions to solve these issues for customers on a global basis. We are very pleased to be working with the ABX LOGISTICS team.'

The Penske-ABX LOGISTICS alliance offers logistics solutions to help organizations optimize their global supply chains ' no matter where they do business. The Penske-ABX LOGISTICS alliance developed a total solution that assists international shippers in gaining efficiency and savings through fewer shipments, greater inventory control, improved productivity, Six Sigma-driven processes, and increased supply chain transparency using a proprietary technology solution.

"Today, customers require strategic solutions for managing increasingly complex supply chain operations but, few logistics service providers truly have the global reach to meet those needs,' says Hans-J'rgen Schlausch, Managing Director Air & Sea Worldwide, ABX LOGISTICS. "Through this innovative alliance with Penske Logistics, we are among the few companies with the capability to deliver such a deep breadth of services and value to our customers.'

Penske Logistics and ABX LOGISTICS will provide seamless handling of customer shipments from initial consolidation at air/ocean ports to deconsolidation centers, and ultimately to the customer's desired end destination. An integrated proprietary IT system enables the customer to "see' where their goods are in the supply chain in a virtually real-time environment. This may range from when a shipment arrived or left a specific distribution center or port to when the shipment will clear customs in a specific country.

The Penske-ABX LOGISTICS alliance is focusing its initial efforts on providing this service offering to existing customers. The alliance will also seek strategic opportunities with multinational corporations around the globe.