Good Friday Morning From World Port L.A. ! HAPPY HOLIDAYS !
This edition of The Cargo Letter is a departure from our normal format.....we'll catch up on transport news next time.
We kick off 1996 with a THANK YOU to OUR MEMBERS and to OUR CORRESPONDENTS worldwide who have become known to YOU for their many interesting contributions throughout the year. EACH of YOU has the capability of being a correspondent with e-mail information about freight forwarding which WE will convert into an article. The Cargo Letter has changed greatly in the past year and now is read by over 680 Members of industry on 6 continents.....to include OUR major associations, shippers and even Members of the U.S. Congress. The Cargo Letter has become a useful business tool of freight forwarding. With YOUR help and contributions ........we can continue to develop this valuable resource.
...........a word from The Editor:
As Editor of The Cargo Letter, I have seen many changes to our industry this year. Some good, many bad. One of the most dynamic changes of all is the extent to which FFs/CHBs have moved into Cyberspace.
Despite speculation that the so-called "INFORMATION SUPER HIGHWAY" might never impact the daily lives of citizens.......it is VERY CLEAR that INTERNET is a natural match for service to Freight Forwarding!!! Indeed YOU already communicate by INTERNET E-mail.........or YOU wouldn't receive The Cargo Letter!
The very nature of OUR business is to communicate with far flung international stations on a continuous basis for all the details of cargo movement. Communications are the life's blood of freight forwarding and global logistics. Because many of YOU are not up to date on the state of FF communication techniques............YOUR holiday gift from The Cargo Letter is our special "FFs in Cyberspace Edition". Unfortunately, in this edition you may find that YOUR competitors are moving ahead and gaining ground in this very serious game of international/electronic trade. The Cargo Letter's gift is an opportunity to catch up.
I look forward to receiving your comments and your contributions in support of OUR industry for the coming year.
Michael S. McDaniel, Editor
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Harper Group, Inc.(Nasdaq: HARG) today announced that its main operating subsidiary, Circle International, Inc., intends to purchase substantially all the freight forwarding business and certain assets of Celadon/Jacky Maeder ("CJM") for an undisclosed price tied to the success of the continuing operation......a work-out. The acquisition is expected to close by February '96 and is subject to review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act.
CJM is a partnership owned 70 percent by Randy International, Inc.,a subsidiary of Celadon Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLDN) and 30 percent by Jacky Maeder Ltd., a U.S. subsidiary of Jacky Maeder AG of Switzerland. Jacky Maeder is owned by Swissair, the airline.
CJM currently has 23 offices and 300 employees in the U.S., all located in cities in which Circle operates. CJM's annualized revenues for 1995 will be approximately $125 million. At the same time, Circle will extend the relationship by creating a cooperative agreement with G.O.A.L. -- Global Organization for Alliance Logistics -- one of the leading European forwarders with global operations (SAGA in France, Jacky Maeder in Switzerland and Austria and Geis/JM in Germany). Circle will represent the Alliance in the U.S. on an exclusive basis.
Said Peter Gibert, Chairman and CEO of both the Harper Group and Circle Int'l, "Circle's global infrastructure will enhance CJM customers' international logistics programs. Furthermore, Circle will be able to achieve substantial synergies through leveraging its lower cost structure," Gibert added. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Harper Group earnings beginning in the first year.
The Harper Group has over 300 offices worldwide.
Here are today's Stock Watch Report AND progress on our "Cargo Letter 10" portfolio. [portfolio represents $l000 purchase of each stock at close on 3 Nov 1995]
[INDEX: 1st & 2nd Number are last price & daily change............3rd & 4th Number represent how our $1000 investment in each stock is doing and our win/loss to date.]
Our "Cargo Letter 10" winner this week is Fritz Companies, Inc. with Interpool-IPX close behind.......none of our "Cargo Letter 10" being a clear break-out stock. We told you Intercargo Insurance Company would start to rebound, and it has. But look what has happened to FedEx.........20% of vaule lost in 60 days!
| Name | Price | Change | P/L | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABF | 26 1/2 | -1/4 | -74.18 | $925.11 |
| AEI | 22 3/4 | -1/8 | +58.13 | 1,058.10 |
| APS | 22 5/8 | -1/2 | -76.51 | 923.32 |
| DALpC | 58 1/2 | -1/4 | +19.57 | 1,017.90 |
| FDX | 69 1/2 | -3/8 | -181.11 | 818.71 |
| FRTZ | 41 3/4 | +3/4 | +91.49 | 1,091.34 |
| HARG | 17 13/16 | +1/16 | -3.49 | 995.71 |
| ICAR | 10 | +1/2 | -111.10 | 888.80 |
| IPX | 18 1/8 | +3/8 | 82.08 | 1,082.06 |
| MAX | 8 3/4 | --- | -102.56 | 897.40 |
Until recently the Internet has largely been used for research and for communications such as this e-mail newsletter. Frankly, its been pretty dull. The World Wide Web (WWW) has changed everything.
Unlike e-mail which travels from sender to receiver, the WWW features countless thousands of static "Web Sites" which you can visit electronically using your computer. Refered to as "HOME PAGES", these web sites are designed by their owner to reflect a particular company image, to supply information and to entertain. Most sites are actually a collection of "pages" or "rooms" which you are invited to explore. Web sites offer a dazzling variety of color, graphics...........actual sound, pictures and even movies which are easily downloaded to your computer with the touch of a button. Think of WWW sites as automated bank teller machines which despense information instead of money.........indeed, we think they may make YOU money.
Many WWW sites such as the one operated by Interpool-IPX feature automatic "LINKS" which will instantly connect you to other WWW sites of related interest.
Needless to say, corporations have been quick to establish Home Pages as millions......and millions of people are added to the ranks of world wide internet users each year. The international trasportation industry is no exception to this ever expanding rule. Freight Forwarding has moved into "cyberspace".
Many of YOUR COMPETITORS are doing more than just displaying the corporate logo. Ocean carriers such as OOCL are listing sailing times and service routes on their home pages. Expeditors International's home page displays a useful map of company offices, rates and company data. At C.H. Robinson Co.'s web site, motor carriers can find out about freight-hauling opportunities through CHR's "Carrier Connection." The service even includes an electronic application form. And Skyway is getting ready to roll out its Internet service next month which will enable Skyway customers to pull up the digital image of a proof-of-delivery receipt.
In the coming year YOUR CUSTOMERS will use their desktop computer.........or laptop while on the go.........to obtain shipping forms, check rates, and even track their freight from origin to destination. The big question is whether these CUSTOMERS will be getting these services from YOU......or your competition.
Your visit to the WWW requires mostly what you already have.....1) computer, 2) modem, 3) an internet service provider.......and 4) a software program known as a "BROWSER".
Browser software is available free from America On Line, Prodigy and Compuserve. One popular BROWSER is NetScape which can be obtained free by e-mail to ................info@netscape.com Additional E-Mail Assistance for getting to the WWW can be obtained from........ wwwadmin@connectsoft.com
Each WWW site has it's own address (like your e-mail address) which begins with........http://www
Good Morning From World Port L.A......in cyberspace! We hope your first adventure on the World Wide Web will start at the INTERPOOL-IPX home page................where you find The Cargo Letter.
Founded in 1968, Interpool, Inc. is one of the world's leading lessors of intermodal dry containers and the second largest lessor of intermodal container chassis in the United States. Interpool manages a container fleet totaling approximately 161,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEU's), and a fleet of approximately 48,000 chassis. Interpool leases its containers and chassis to over 200 customers, including nearly all of the world's 20 largest international container shipping lines.
Furthering it's reputation for industry leadership, Interpool, Inc. has established THE transport industry WWW site with LINKS that are a gateway to highly useful logistics and government sites and groups throughout the world. The Interpool site also provides FREE downloading of the NetScape bowser software and Microsoft's new Explorer program.
Best of all, at the Interpool WWW you will find The Cargo Letter Home Page...........including archives of our past issues with automatic indexing and search features. You can even send e-mail to The Cargo Letter directly from our site. This is a wonderful service to OUR industry from Interpool, Inc ......thanks to the vision of Webmaster Edward Graham.
IPX - Interpool [Where you find The
Cargo Letter]
http://www.interpool.com/welcome.htm
IPX - Interpool Press Releases
http://www.interpool.com/press.htm
THE CARGO LETTER HOME PAGE
http://www.interpool.com/cargo.htm
International Transportation WWW Sites.....
..........from The Cargo Letter
Information provided by The Cargo Letter
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