Crowley Receives Prestigious Toyota Logistics Service Award for Excellence in Quality for Eighth Consecutive Year

JOC Staff |
(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.; April 1, 2010) Toyota Logistics Services recently presented Crowley's Puerto Rico/Caribbean liner services group with its prestigious Award for Excellence in Quality in the marine division for 2009. It was the eighth consecutive year the company has received recognition from Toyota.

During the meeting in Long Beach, Calif., John Douglass, senior vice president and general manager, Puerto Rico/Caribbean services accepted the award on behalf of Crowley.

Awards like these are truly special because they underscore the extreme dedication Crowley has to consistently deliver exceptional customer service, said Douglass. Toyota is committed to designing and delivering high-quality vehicles and Crowley takes great pride in teaming with them to handle these vehicles safely and with supreme care.

Crowley reinvests profits to maintain and enhance the car decking on its vessels. The vessels are equipped to stow up to 240 vehicles per voyage in protected and dedicated auto decking space. A team of auto checkers and traffic specialists play a large role in ensuring that load lists are correct and documentation is complete prior to sailing. Additionally, the company has reserved, fenced terminal space for approximately 225 Toyota vehicles located directly across from the vessel-loading ramp, minimizing the need for terminal transit of Toyota vehicles.

Toyota (NYSE:TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants. There are more than 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealerships in the U.S. which sold more than 1.77 million vehicles in 2009. Toyota directly employs nearly 34,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design. Toyota's annual purchasing of parts, materials, goods and services from U.S. suppliers totals more than $20 billion.

Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 117-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company. The company provides diversified transportation and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services. Offered within these operating lines of business are the following services: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response through its TITAN Salvage subsidiary; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture through its Jensen Maritime subsidiary; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley, its subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet at www.crowley.com.