New venture formed to serve shippers’ international heavy freight needs

A new venture has been formed which, according to company officials, will transform the $50 billion international heavy freight industry in North America.

The California-headquartered venture, called Integres Global Logistics, Inc., combines the capabilities of some big hitters in the transportation industry – United Airlines American Airlines, Roadway Express,and UTi Worldwide Inc.

Integres is claimed to be the first company to provide an end-to-end integrated freight service that uses Web-based portal and other technologies to revolutionize the delivery of freight. The Integres solution will integrate strategic transportation providers with transportation management technology from Unisys and G-Log.

"As a result of this venture, shippers can now compete in the New Economy with predictable, time definite and affordable service and transportation providers can meet shipper demands with this break-through new service," the company claims in a release.

It adds that the freight industry is characterized by fragmented providers, limited services, and no end-to-end solution, making the process expensive and prone to errors. In addition, customer expectations for speed and reliability continue to rise, spurred by the digital economy.

“The cargo industry is experiencing a rapid evolution,” said James Hartigan, president and CEO of Integres. “Businesses are increasingly looking for shipping solutions that leverage the benefits of e-commerce while protecting margins and enhancing their existing relationships. Integres levels the playing field by helping our partners and affiliates compete for, and win, in the full-service global cargo market.”

Hartigan, an industry veteran, was formerly the vice president of United Airlines Cargo. He has spent 35 years in the transportation industry, and has assembled a team of seasoned executives from top logistics and freight forwarding companies.

“Shippers are looking for a full range of expedited services and e-commerce enabled business solutions.Integres offers us the opportunity to broaden our expedited domestic and international service offerings for current customers,” said Mike Wickham, chairman and chief executive officer of Roadway Express. “It will do so through a product line that provides access to the world’s leading cargo carriers and
freight movers. Additionally, with Roadway Express serving as Intregres’ primary North American ground carrier, we will have a new channel to additional market and business development opportunities.”

Integres strategic partners, United Airlines and American Airlines,provide access to a broad worldwide combination passenger/cargo network. Roadway Express is the primary less-than-truckload partner, providing sales support and operational fulfillment. G-Log provides access to its transportation management systems (TMS), and Unisys
provides access to its backend freight operations systems along with integration and hosting services for all Integres systems. UTi Worldwide Inc., a global logistics service provider and customs broker, is the international partner. Integres will allow its partners and affiliates to compete with integrators via instant access to critical logistics management resources, including dynamic pricing, routing and
tracking information, reporting, payment and claims processing.