New Executive Team and Real Supply Network
Management
will make northAmerican Logistics a Strong Player
Fort Wayne, Indiana
USA
January 16, 2002
By
Richard Armstrong
Without fanfare, northAmerican Logistics (NAL) mastered supply chain
management. Not only does NAL have the IT in place to deliver complete solutions
for companies like Ericsson, Diebold, Hitachi and NCR, but it has recently put
together a management team that could make it a significant global player.
Many of the key components have been in place since the 1980’s. NAL is the
largest specialized carrier in North America and has built a strong presence in
Europe. NAL fleets have provided blanket wrap, special handling for computers,
medical equipment, telecommunications, exercise equipment and displays for
decades. NAL does extensive value-added services in installation, setup and
return logistics. Part of this service has involved project management such as
the development of cellular telephone switching sites. A core competency is
NAL’s On-Trac less-than-truckload network, a major pipeline for the movement of
high value equipment in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
The major new development is the marriage of NAL’s Asset Manager with i2’s
complete offering including advanced planning. Creating visibility and
transparency, these capabilities are Internet tracking, WORLDTRAC and NAL’s long
standing EDI capability. Using these tools has kept NAL in lockstep with its
major customers. NAL manages supply networks for them providing an unmatched
suite of transportation value-added services.
NAL manages vendors, assets and inventory to the SKU level. In-transit
merging is a basic day-to-day skill. NAL can globally manage inventory and is
especially good with serialized products. RF and barcoded warehouse management
are standard. Network design and transportation optimization using i2 modules
are regular fare. Light assembly and manufacturing support are done for major
computer and high tech companies. Installation and returns management are
regular services. Routinely, NAL combines several of these skills for all its
major customers. NAL is a major SNEP (supply network execution provider).
What NAL has not done is to expand its niche and improve its marketing. More
emphasis needs to be placed on quantifying value and selling to related
verticals. In addition, NAL’s parent, Allied World Wide, can stretch the NAL
network to 120 locations worldwide. Many of these offices need to become more
SCM capable.
Greg Maiers, President and CEO, has just gotten his feet on the ground and is
already moving to make NAL more broadly identifiable. Maiers is also committed
to restoring and improving profit margins. Efforts during his first months have
been in improving internal processes, streamlining and solidifying IT
capabilities. Major strides have been made.
Maiers ran the specialized fleet operation for five years in the 1990s, and
they made money. He has a strong group of veteran managers who can execute. To
improve sales and marketing, he added Jack Griffin as Executive VP. Industry
veteran Mike Runager is being added as VP-Sales.
NAL’s agent network contains large regional operators who assist in
development. These agents have brought light assembly, manufacturing support and
new regional 3PL customers to NAL. They give NAL coverage for regional
opportunities that would normally be ignored by major 3PLs.
The basic skill set at NAL is solid. Maiers and his team will be heard from.
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armstrong & associates, EDI, value added services, north american logistics,
northAmerican Logistics, NAL, supply chain management, Ericsson, Diebold,
Hitachi, NCR, specialized carriers, 3pl outsourcing, logistics outsourcing,
vendor management, SKU, i2, Allied World Wide, north american 3pls, 3p
logistics, 3rd party logistics, 3pl 4pl, manufacturing support, major 3pls,
armstrong & associates, EDI, value added services, north american logistics,
northAmerican Logistics, NAL, supply chain management, Ericsson, Diebold,
Hitachi, NCR, specialized carriers, 3pl outsourcing, logistics outsourcing,
vendor management, SKU, i2, Allied World Wide, north american 3pls, 3p
logistics, 3rd party logistics, 3pl 4pl, manufacturing support, major 3pls,
armstrong & associates, EDI, value added services, north american logistics,
northAmerican Logistics, NAL, supply chain management, Ericsson, Diebold,
Hitachi, NCR, specialized carriers, 3pl outsourcing, logistics outsourcing,
vendor management, SKU, i2, Allied World Wide, north american 3pls, 3p
logistics, 3rd party logistics, 3pl 4pl, manufacturing support, major 3pls,
armstrong & associates, EDI, value added services, north american logistics,
northAmerican Logistics, NAL, supply chain management, Ericsson, Diebold,
Hitachi, NCR, specialized carriers, 3pl outsourcing, logistics outsourcing,
vendor management, SKU, i2, Allied World Wide, north american 3pls, 3p
logistics, 3rd party logistics, 3pl 4pl, manufacturing support, major 3pls,
armstrong & associates, EDI, value added services, north american logistics,
northAmerican Logistics, NAL, supply chain management, Ericsson, Diebold,
Hitachi, NCR, specialized carriers, 3pl outsourcing, logistics outsourcing,
vendor management, SKU, i2, Allied World Wide, north american 3pls, 3p
logistics, 3rd party logistics, 3pl 4pl, manufacturing support, major 3pls,
armstrong & associates, EDI, value added services, north american logistics,
northAmerican Logistics, NAL, supply chain management, Ericsson, Diebold,
Hitachi, NCR, specialized carriers, 3pl outsourcing, logistics outsourcing,
vendor management, SKU, i2, Allied World Wide, north american 3pls, 3p
logistics, 3rd party logistics, 3pl 4pl, manufacturing support, major 3pls,
armstrong & associates, EDI, value added services, north american logistics,
northAmerican Logistics, NAL, supply chain management, Ericsson, Diebold,
Hitachi, NCR, specialized carriers, 3pl outsourcing, logistics outsourcing,
vendor management, SKU, i2, Allied World Wide, north american 3pls, 3p
logistics, 3rd party logistics, 3pl 4pl, manufacturing support, major 3pls,
armstrong & associates, EDI, value added services, north american logistics,
northAmerican Logistics, NAL, supply chain management, Ericsson, Diebold,
Hitachi, NCR, specialized carriers, 3pl outsourcing, logistics outsourcing,
vendor management, SKU, i2, Allied World Wide, north american 3pls, 3p
logistics, 3rd party logistics, 3pl 4pl, manufacturing support, major 3pls,
armstrong & associates, EDI, value added services, north american logistics,
northAmerican Logistics, NAL, supply chain management, Ericsson, Diebold,
Hitachi, NCR, specialized carriers, 3pl outsourcing, logistics outsourcing,
vendor management, SKU, i2, Allied World Wide, north american 3pls, 3p
logistics, 3rd party logistics, 3pl 4pl, manufacturing support, major 3pls,
armstrong & associates, EDI, value added services...
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