Holland Celebrates 80 Years of Driving Customer Success

Holland, a subsidiary of YRC Worldwide Inc. will celebrate 80 years of excellence beginning this week, reinforcing its reputation as a leading provider of next-day and regional service and one of the most unwavering brands in the transportation industry.

“In 1929, the founders were confident they could be successful in spite of the Great Depression,” said Jeff Rogers, president of Holland. “Since then, our experienced professionals have met the challenges of 13 recessions by sticking with a plan to offer our customers the best value.”

Today, Holland is the leading provider in its region with more than 4,000 tractors, 8,000 trailers and 71 percent of its deliveries made next-day. Holland has built the most comprehensive next-day network in its region, with industry-leading performance in on-time service and claims ratio.

Holland’s commitment to outstanding customer service and quality recently earned the company Logistics Management magazine’s Quest for Quality award for the 24th consecutive year. The award is based on an annual customer survey conducted by the magazine. In addition, Holland recently received a 2009 Shipper’s Choice Award for excellence in the LTL trucking category by Canadian Transportation & Logistics magazine, based on the results of more than 5,000 reader evaluations of truck transportation carrier performance.

John and Catherine Cooper started Holland Motor Express in 1929, hauling grain and hay for West Michigan farmers. In 1930, the company began to diversify with the purchase of an International truck and trailer that John drove each day from Holland, Mich., to Chicago.

The company opened service centers in Chicago, Holland, Mich., and Grand Rapids, Mich. in 1931. Two years later, they expanded the network with service centers in Cincinnati, Ohio, Fort Wayne, Ind., Indianapolis, Ind., and Kalamazoo, Mich. By 1939, Holland had grown to a company with 58 employees and revenue of $300,000.

Charles Cooper, John’s son, became president of the company in 1958. Under his leadership, the company exceeded $1 million in profit in 1971. Charles remained president until 1984 when the company was acquired by TNT North America. The company changed its name to US Freightways Corp. in 1996 (and later to USF Corp.) to emphasize its independent identity and industry leadership. These actions also gave birth to the name USF Holland.

Holland was acquired in 2004 by Yellow Roadway Corp. (now YRC Worldwide). Today, Holland is part of YRC Regional Transportation, a strategically important operating division of YRC Worldwide.

“Our core values of integrity, respect, excellence and hard work stitch together our past, present and future,” Rogers said. “Our people are our greatest strength and they will carry our proud heritage into the future.”

YRC Worldwide expands guaranteed delivery services

YRC Worldwide Inc. is expanding its guaranteed delivery-time services throughout all its operating companies in response to supplier delivery requirement changes by leading retailers.

In a Friday release, the Overland Park-based trucking company (Nasdaq: YRCW) said the guaranteed-delivery services are designed to help retail suppliers avoid costly charge-backs when deliveries are late. The services also help retailers accurately project and accept delivery of merchandise in their distribution centers, warehouses and stores.

The company didn’t say how much revenue it expects the expanded services to generate.

A YRC spokeswoman sent the following statement to the Kansas City Business Journal:

“A significant portion the company’s revenue is attributed to the retail segment, and time-critical and guaranteed windows have become big elements in this space. Retail suppliers need to hit precise windows in order to avoid penalties and fees. The expanded offering continues the company’s expertise in supply-chain solutions, and attracts and retains customers who need to meet these narrow windows of opportunity with retailers.”

YRC Inc., the largest transportation unit of YRC Worldwide, offers a standard or guaranteed Multiday Window delivery service throughout North America.

YRC’s Holland operating company started offering retail suppliers in the central United States single-hour, multihour, single-day and multiday delivery window capabilities in January. YRC’s Reddaway operating company in May introduced the same capabilities to regional customers in the West, and New Penn offers the service to customers in the Northeast.

“We continue to see a rise in the number of major retailers implementing ‘must arrive by date’ ... and delivery window supplier requirements,” John Garcia, executive vice president and chief sales officer for YRC Worldwide, said in the release. “With our recent portfolio expansions, all YRC Worldwide companies offer solutions that precisely address delivery window needs, providing our customers with unmatched flexibility and reliability.”

Important Information for YRC, Holland, Reddaway and New Penn Teamsters

As has been reported in the media, YRC Worldwide, Inc. (YRCW) has made requests to Teamster-related multi-employer pension plans to defer monthly contributions to help the company preserve cash as it works its way through the economic downturn.

The Teamsters National Freight Division continues to communicate daily with the company, local unions and the funds to assess the situation, and will take all appropriate action to ensure that members’ pension and health and welfare benefits are protected in the short term and long term.

The Teamsters Union’s central goal is to preserve the jobs and benefits of our members and we will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.

In the December memorandum of understanding, the Teamsters Union negotiated unprecedented access to monitor and better understand the company’s finances. A team of experts has been hired and is performing its due diligence to assist the union in protecting the jobs and benefits of our members.

As you know, multi-employer plans that provide pension and health and welfare benefits to our members are not controlled by the International Union. Nevertheless, we are in dialogue with all affected multi-employer plans to which YRCW contributes.

Most trustees representing the employees on the funds support the idea of a coordinated strategy with respect to YRCW’s request to defer pension payments, and are working on a plan that will best protect the participants.

While most of the funds are working together in response to YRCW’s request, a small number of pension funds have taken independent steps that may affect the future status of members’ pensions. For those of you who belong to those funds, you have the right to request information from your trustees.

At the present time, we are asking all Teamster members at YRCW to remain patient and continue to serve YRCW’s customers so that the company can survive this economic crisis.