Transport blog - ltl freight, trucking, logistics and intermodal transportation

Fastfrate Blog

Fastfrate's Let's Talk Lean Blog


Transport blog - ltl freight, trucking, logistics and intermodal transportation

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Fastfrate Announces New Facility at Regina’s Global Transportation Hub

 

Last week, Fastfrate announced that we are building a new facility in the Global
Transportation Hub (GTH) in Regina, Saskatchewan. The 10,000 sq. ft. cross
dock facility will be co-located with our long-time partner Canadian Pacific’s
intermodal rail yard, and is the first phase of a multi-phased project.

Our executive chairman Ron Tepper presented the plans for the facility to an audience
of media, business and industry guests.

“We do have plans to grow into a second and third phase. There’s an awful lot of
demand for containers to be shipped overseas for products that originate in
Saskatchewan,” said Mr. Tepper.  “Currently it’s very difficult for farmers and the
shippers to get these containers because there’s not a lot empty containers that
deadhead in Regina. We’re hoping when we build this transload centre and start
bringing in these containers, they can be used for outbound shipments. It should be
very productive, not only for us, but the railway and the farmers of Saskatchewan.
We’re going to be adding people. We’re going to be adding trucks.”

CP President and CEO Fred Green described how Fastfrate and CP pioneered the
intermodal co-location strategy in 1998 which facilitates streamlined transload
processes between trucks and trains. “For a number of customers, co-location
dramatically reduces costs, lowers transit times and allows for new market growth,”
said Mr. Green.

Bill Boyd, Minister Responsible for and Chair of the Global Transportation Hub said
Fastfrate is showing confidence in Saskatchewan’s export-oriented economy. “Clearly,
it’s another carrier that has identified Saskatchewan and Regina as the place to be.”

The GTH is quickly becoming a key partner in the Asia-Pacific Corridor and a significant
Canadian transportation and logistics centre providing efficient, cost-effective access to
global markets. Fastfrate is excited and very proud to be included in this venture; we
believe it is an investment in our future, one more way of ensuring our long-term
stability and growth as a company. Mr. Tepper thanked Fastfrate’s long-time financing
partner Roynat for their support of the development of the 10th cross-dock terminal in
Canada and another successful co-located transload facility with Canadian Pacific.

We now pass the reins to VP and GM Western Canada, Kevin Hankinson, Regina
Branch Manager Darwin Bach and their teams to break ground this spring and get this
new facility up and running.

Essential: communications between partners

Ron Tepper, our CEO, attended a ‘town hall’ meeting at the Toronto Hilton Hotel staged by the investor group attempting to change the management at CP Railway Ltd. Ron was there to demonstrate support for our valued transportation partner. To make it very clear, we back CP. We are very appreciative that CP has not lost focus in a difficult time and has maintained its high level of service; it has been one of the smoothest winters ever, with no interruptions in delivery and excellent communications between Fastfrate and CP.

In the marketplace today, communications between partners is essential. We consider our close and honest relationships with our shippers and service providers to be one of the most important aspects of the business. There is a level of transparency that helps us work together more efficiently.

We want to understand our customers’ requirements better and we want you to know more about us. As a result, we are now engaging in several significant activities that are enhancing Fastfrate’s communications, some of which are occurring inside the company – and others that are making an appearance on the outside, where they are visible to customers. Serving our customers with higher and higher levels of service is our ultimate ambition. As a result, we are launching a new operating and sales platform that will provide a level of business information that will answer many customers’ needs for better, real-time data on shipments.

It will allow us to provide the highest level of status updates for shipments, which we will share with our valued transportation partners. It will also provide additional sales and marketing information that will enhance our service levels to customers and enhance our future growth. As this unfolds, we will be sharing with you how the platform has help us serve you with the information it provides – and we look forward to your comments and feedback.  We hope you will post some of those thoughts right here at this blog.

Fastfrate Launches “Remarkably Resourceful” Blog

You are reading the very first blog on the Fastfrate web site.

That’s a big event for us.

We are doing this because Fastfrate is ‘remarkably resourceful’ and we want everyone involved with us to know that.

It also means that we have embarked on an unstoppable march to make sure that to shippers, Fastfrate is top of mind at all times. Our goal, announced here for the first time, is that Fastfrate will be the Number One company in the industry in 2012.

Being first in a competitive environment is serious business. We believe, however, that we are more than up to the task of industry leadership. In the last two years, since I was named Fastfrate’s president, we have sharpened systems and processes in every direction. We also unveiled the Let’s Talk Lean marketing campaign, which reflected the company’s new battle-ready position.

Now we have started to engage — engage at all levels, with employees, customers and the outside world that this blog reaches. Our customer focus has never been sharper and as many of you know we will go to great lengths to be the shipper’s best resource. To back that up, this year will we will be announcing three new terminal expansions and plans for new container yards in major ports. And that’s just the beginning. We are also investing in advanced information systems that will provide customers with real-time data about shipments and their status.

This blog’s purpose is to share ideas about this great business we are in — keeping the economy alive by moving its goods from their manufacturers and distributors to those who require and consume them. It’s a noble calling and we are proud of our involvement  in it.

But we want all those concerned with transportation to be better than they think they can be — and better than they have been. As a result, we will share our thoughts how to be remarkably resourceful and invite your comments and suggestions to our discussions.

We are also now on Twitter, the explosively growing news service — please go to twitter.com/fastfrate and follow us. We are also on LinkedIn. We will be on these sites often, and with meaningful material that will help us serve customers better. Ask your followers to be our followers. Tell your customers and friends where to find us on Social Media.

Fastfrate – innovating a customer experience in the transportation business.