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ATS Sureway NY Awarded major national contract

Published: 5/12/2003

ATS Sureway awarded major national contract

Dunkirk company to ship nearly all Labatt USA products

by Doug Fenton, OBSERVER Business Editor
Reprinted from an article in the Dunkirk Evening Observer, originally run on May 12, 2003.    Editor's note: ATS Sureway NY was the prior name of Lorenzo International Inc.

ATS Sureway NY of Dunkirk was recently awarded a four-year contract by Labatt USA to arrange the transportation of nearly all imported Labatt products.

The assignment was made following a stringent, invitation-only bidding process which eliminated many previously-approved Labatt USA carriers and came as a result of the implementation of a new shipping program by the international brewer.

The award was made based on a variety of criteria including cost and quality of transportation services, financial viability of the firm, ability to meet service level requirements and customer references. This contract designated nearly the entire port program to ATS Sureway NY, according to Greg Lorenzo, the company´s general manager.

"The transportation industry is very competitive," Lorenzo said. "This is a great opportunity for our firm," he added. "We´ve been a part of the Labatt USA program for a number of years but this award nearly quadruples the amount of product we´ve shipped in the past. It´s also a multi-year contract so we know we can count on this volume of business for a minimum of four years."

This award will eventually lead to the addition of new employees as well as open the door to other major opportunities for ATS Sureway NY. Renovations at the firm's office location at 314 Central Ave. in downtown Dunkirk have already begun to assist with the anticipated growth this and other contracts will bring.

ATS Sureway NY is now responsible for delivering all shipments of Labatt USA products that arrive in 12 of the 14 U.S. ports used by the company to ship beer to distributors around the country.

The ports now being serviced by ATS Sureway NY include: Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Long Beach, Calif., Miami, New Orleans, New York, New Jersey, Norfolk, Va. and Savannah, Ga.

Labatt USA, America's specialty beer company, imports a few of Canada's most popular beers, including Labatt Blue and Labatt Ice. The firm also imports European beers such as: Lowenbrau, Stella Artois, Carlsberg Beer, Bass Ale, Boddingtons and Leffe.

These products enter the domestic market through major U.S. ports on the East and West Coast.

Labatt USA, one of North America's most successful brewers, is expecting tremendous growth in volume of shipments from Europe.

The firm recently launched a comprehensive review of its logistics operation and transportation in an effort to lower distribution costs, establish a logistical infrastructure to support its expected growth and increase customer service to its highly-valued distributors. This is part of a push for supply-chain excellence, according to Labatt USA officials.

In awarding the bid to ATS Sureway NY, Richard Skawinski, Labatt USA director stated, "We're very excited about this new program and look forward to having ATS Sureway on board as a selected Labatt USA freight provider."

ATS Sureway NY is a full service transportation provider with a focus on beverage transportation. The firm opened in Dunkirk in April 1996 and currently provides service to more than 100 customers nationwide.

Labatt Blue is the third largest imported beer in the U.S., after Corona and Heineken. Labatt USA's premier domestic brand is Latrobe Brewery's Rolling Rock.

According to business analysts, the firm has also tapped a growing U.S Hispanic population's demand for imported Mexican beers, including Dos Equis and Tecate.

Based in Norwalk, Conn., the company is a joint venture between Interbrew, 70 percent owner; the Belgium parent of Labatt Brewing in Canada; and FEMSA Cerveza, a Mexican based brewer and 30 percent owner. Interbrew is the third largest Brewer in the world, producing 180 beers in 110 countries.

Labatt USA has enjoyed double-digit sales growth every year for the past 15 years and employees more than 4,700 people across the continent. The firm has operations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

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