ColdTech Commercial Chooses Ryder to Provide Distribution Management and Delivery in North America

JOC Staff |
MIAMI, April 30, 2012 Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R), a leader in transportation and supply chain management solutions, today announced it has been awarded a contract to provide distribution management and last-mile delivery services in the U.S. and Canada for ColdTech Commercial, a division of leading consumer appliance company, Danby Products. Under the contract, Ryder will provide warehouse management at four distribution facilities for ColdTech in Vancouver, Toronto, Atlanta, and Ontario, Calif., and last-mile delivery throughout North America.

As the commercial products division of Danby, ColdTech Commercial manufactures and sells commercial refrigeration products, such as refrigerators, freezers, pizza and sandwich prep tables, and under counter fridges and freezers, among other products. Unlike competitors in the commercial refrigeration market whose products and services are sold through a dealer network with long lead-times, ColdTech sells directly to its end customers through an online portal and provides 24/7 customer service. An efficient distribution system supported by Ryder is a key part of their strategy of serving customers more quickly.

“In evaluating whether to hire a third party logistics provider, ColdTech was looking for a supply chain partner that could provide both a large supply chain network across North America and the flexibility to adapt to the anticipated growth of the business,” said Domenic Dotto, General Manager, ColdTech Commercial. “We’re pleased to be partnering with a company of Ryder’s caliber and reputation for delivering best-in-class execution.”

By tapping into Ryder’s network of distribution facilities, ColdTech will gain the ability to leverage available space in geographically key areas of North America that will minimize transit time and facilitate faster response times to ColdTech customers. Ryder will also be able to offer full-country coverage in both the U.S. and Canada for its last-mile delivery and full visibility into its product deliveries through a robust shipment tracking system. In addition to the local management teams at each of the four facilities, Ryder administrative and customer service functions for ColdTech will be centralized at a Ryder-operated facility in Roanoke, Texas.

“Ryder operates a vast network of multi-client distribution facilities throughout North America that we can place at our customers’ disposal to meet their changing needs; reliable carrier partners with whom we have worked for many years to offer last-mile delivery; deep expertise in managing white goods supply chains; and a focus on excellence in execution,” said Steve Sensing, Vice President and General Manager of the Hi-Tech/Electronics Group, Supply Chain Solutions, Ryder. “We’re pleased to bring these capabilities to ColdTech and help position them for growth.”

About ColdTech Commercial
ColdTech Commercial is a Culinary Cool, North American commercial refrigeration company servicing the restaurant and food service community from its online store http://www.coldtechcommercial.com. From prep tables to fridges and freezers, ColdTech Commercial has the best warranty in commercial refrigeration. It is a member of the National Restaurant Association and Canadian Restaurant and Food Service Association. For more information, visit http://www.coldtechcommercial.com.

About Ryder
Ryder is a FORTUNE 500® commercial transportation, logistics and supply chain management solutions company. Ryder’s stock (NYSE:R) is a component of the Dow Jones Transportation Average and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index. Inbound Logistics magazine has recognized Ryder as a top third party logistics provider and included Ryder in its 2011 and 2010 “Green Partners” listing. Ryder has also been ranked two years in a row as one of the top 250 U.S. companies in the Newsweek Green Rankings. In addition, Security Magazine has named Ryder one of the top companies for security practices in the transportation, logistics, supply chain, and warehousing sector. Ryder is a proud member of the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, supporting national and local disaster preparedness and response efforts. For more information, visit www.ryder.com.