Organizers Pronounce Inaugural NACV Show Success, Plan for 2019

Ribbon cutting for the inaugural North American Commercial Vehicle Show in Atlanta. From left, Andreas Gruchow, Deutsche Messe; Elisabeth Barna, COO American Trucking Associations; Larry Turner, Hannover Fairs USA; and Jim Glionna, Newcom Business Media. Photo: NACV

Organizers of the first North American Commercial Vehicle Show held last week say they're happy with the results of the show's business-to-business concept and focus on global technology, and they learned how to improve the next one, to be held in 2019.

The NACV Show focused on truck & trailer manufacturers and commercial vehicle parts and components suppliers. It featured 439 exhibitors – 30% headquartered outside the U.S. – covering 370,000 square feet of net exhibition space at the Georgia World Congress Center. In fact, the exhibit space was sold out.

Some of the innovations announced and on display included hybrid and electric powered trucks, cutting-edge customizable trucks and trailers, connectivity solutions, advanced driver assistance systems, fuel efficiency equipment, safety technologies, and high-quality truck accessories.

“The NACV Show's B2B concept was a real hit with our attendees, who gave us high marks for launching such a global showcase,” said Larry Turner, president and CEO of Hannover Fairs USA and co-organizer of the show.

Gerry Mead, senior VP of maintenance for U.S. Xpress, said the show was "superb on technology." He appreciated the focus of many exhibitors on connectivity and predictive technologies. "This is what we need today to help with driver turnover and mitigate costly time wastes in a driver's clock," he said. "It also helps me as a maintenance executive to move to less costly planned maintenance events. Those first to technology that works, will win."

A total of 6,000 unique visitors and 9,000 visits for the four-day show represented industry leaders, suppliers, top fleet ...Read the rest of this story

Berkshire Hathaway invests in Pilot Flying J

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and Pilot Flying J announced today that Berkshire has made a minority investment in Pilot Travel Centers LLC. The Haslam family will continue to own a majority of Pilot Flying J, and Jimmy Haslam will remain as chief executive officer.

Pilot Flying J President Ken Parent and the company's management team will also remain in place. The company will continue to be headquartered in Knoxville, TN.

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Continental hose plant celebrates 40th anniversary in Iowa

Continental's Mount Pleasant, IA, plant, its premier North American manufacturing facility for industrial and automotive hose products, celebrated its 40th anniversary over the weekend.

"We are proud to share in this celebration of a highly versatile and productive facility," said Jim Hill, ContiTech CEO for the North America region. "This plant has made hose for a variety of applications all over the world, and we are confident that it will continue that process into the future."

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PeopleNet releases ELD compliance solution for smaller fleets

PeopleNet, a provider of fleet mobility technology, last week announced it will sell ISE Fleet Services' eFleetSuite electronic logging devices (ELDs). The ELDs would help small fleets meet the nearing federal ELD mandate in December.

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Hornady guarantees drivers’ minimum weekly pay

Hornady Transportation, a Daseke company, recently increased its weekly minimum pay guarantee for its drivers to $1,000. The company already offers up 52 cents per mile to experienced drivers, it noted, in a press release last week.

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What’s New in Dump Trailers?

New Mac aluminum end-dumps gleam in the lights of the Mid-America Trucking Show earlier this year. Many lose their luster in day-to-day work, but are still are valued for their light weight and corrosion resistance. Photo: Tom Berg

Think you're seeing a lot of aluminum end-dump trailers in recent years? You are. Aluminum's light weight and resistance to corrosion means they now account for eight out of 10 new dump trailers in the United States, builders say. In addition, there has been a trend toward smooth-sided double-wall dumps and away from the outside-braced, sheet-and-post type. Meanwhile, hardened steel has become the chosen material for steel dump trailers and bodies, which are preferred for loading and hauling of rough materials.

“The market is somewhat regional and industry-specific, where industries transporting rock and demolition debris will use steel, and industries transporting processed materials will go with aluminum,” says Bill Riggs, president of J&J Truck Bodies and Trailers in Somerset, Pennsylvania. “Aluminum has been the material of choice for at least 20 years. Only recently has thin, very strong steel become available.” That makes it usable in some weight-sensitive operations formerly limited to more expensive aluminum. But “due to corrosion of steel, aluminum should continue to be popular for years to come.”

Smooth-sided aluminum dumps are now widely available, notes Charlie Wells, vice president, sales and marketing, at East Manufacturing in Randolph, Ohio. “We were the first, with our Genesis in 2001,” he claims, “and now everybody's pretty much copied it.” Genesis uses square-tube aluminum extrusions that are welded in a line to form the double-sided walls. The main advantages are inherent strength and confining of dings, dents and bulges to the inside surfaces. Lessons learned from early models required engineers to revise the types of alloys employed and certain structural details – an “expensive learning ...Read the rest of this story

NFI Acquires CalCartage, Increases Supply Chain Capabilities

In a move to expand its port drayage, transloading, deconsolidation, customs examination, and warehousing solutions, NFI has acquired California Cartage and its affiliated companies, the supply chain solutions provider announced.

CalCartageis a port logistics provider serving several large companies in the U.S. With its roots in Long Beach, Calif., near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the company has operated at the country's busiest ports for more than 70 years.

The acquisition creates a family-owned, vertically integrated 3PL in North America with service offerings in dedicated transportation, distribution, and drayage. With a presence at nearly every major U.S. port, the acquisition enables NFI to service shippers in the transition of goods from import to port to final destination in North America.

The combined company is expected to generate approximately $2 billion in annual revenue in 2018.

The acquisition expands NFI's North American distribution footprint to 41.5 million square feet with a portfolio that consists of warehousing, e-commerce, automated, cross-dock, transloading, and customs examination facilities. In addition, NFI's dedicated transportation and drayage network grows to nearly 4,000 tractors and its brokerage and transportation management capacity to nearly 30,000 carrier partners.

With CalCartage's expertise, NFI says it can provide heightened specialization in the retail, e-commerce, footwear, and apparel sectors. NFI now employs nearly 10,000 associates throughout its more than 250 offices, warehouses, and transportation locations.

Related: NFI Acquires Canadian 3PL Dominion Warehouse & Distribution

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