By Karen E. Thuermer, AJOTOver the last decade, Whirlpool Corporation has transformed itself from a regional manufacturing and trade-focused business into a global, consumer-driven enterprise. Now the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, Whirlpool boasts of having more than $19 billion in annual sales, more than 80,000 employees, and more than 60 manufacturing and technology research centers around the globe. Its brands are sold to consumers in nearly every country worldwide. Brands include Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Bauknecht and others. The success of Whirlpool’s global business is driven by its ability to truly understand and fulfill customer needs, develop highly innovative branded solutions, effectively serve trade partners and continuously improve productivity and quality. According to corporate executives, Whirlpool’s global platform provides its operations with resources and capabilities no other manufacturer can match. Whirlpool’s global procurement, product development and information technology organizations help its operations reduce costs, improve efficiencies and introduce a continuous stream of relevant innovation to consumers. These capabilities define Whirlpool’s differentiated value creation strategy and give the company the advantages it is using to effectively manage the challenges of the global marketplace today and in the years ahead. Included in that effort is Whirlpool’s streamlining of global distribution operations, which recently resulted in the company selecting Schneider Logistics Inc.‘s subsidiary American Port Services (APS) to provide port transloading, warehousing and distribution services near the Port of Savannah, GA. Some 2.04 million teus crossed the docks at the Port of Savannah last year, making that port the fourth largest in the United States behind Los Angeles, Long Beach, and New York/New Jersey. As of late, the port has been going through a major expansion. Schneider Logistics, Inc. is an international logistics provider to Global 2000 companies. Schneider Logistics helps customers capture strategic business value from their supply chains in the form of lower distribution costs, reduced inventory, improved customer service and increased availability to working capital. Together with its subsidiaries APS and American Overseas Air Freight, the company provides end-to-end supply chain management, transportation management and international logistics service. The partnership is expected to streamline Whirlpool Corp.‘s distribution of products from Europe to its United States customers and will involve the movement of more than 380,000 appliances per year. “APS is one of the major providers to the Port of Savannah,” comments Tom Escott, president of Schneider Logistics. “Our strong presence in Savannah was a factor for Whirlpool selecting the location. The two companies—Whirlpool and Schneider—worked together on this.” Schneider is not a newcomer to Whirlpool. Schneider Logistics has served as a full-truckload over-the-road carrier for Whirlpool in the United States and Mexico. “We extended that service to the port,” Escott says. Consequently, Whirlpool has confidence in their service. “Schneider Logistics and APS have the expertise to drive real service quality improvements for us in this region,” adds Kevin O’Meara, director of supply chain operations, Whirlpool Corp. “This partnership allows us to improve delivery to our customers in a cost-efficient way and continue to build on a strong relationship with a company we trust.” With this expanded relationship, Schneider Logistics will manage transloading operations delivering German manufactured front-loading washers to the United States through the Port of Savannah. To meet customer needs, Schneider Logistics will reconfigure 500,000 square feet of space in two of its current warehouses located near the port to transload containers arriving from Europe. The two buildings, adjacent to one anot