issue 1
Superior Bulk Logistics, Inc.
QUALIT Y IN MOTION
SUCCESS IN SPARTA
From good to great in a year for SBL’s New Jersey transloading operation
By Gail Jones Hansen
Thirty-five railcar spots with room for expansion, three Class 1
railroad interchanges with a service-oriented regional rail carrier,
an amenity-rich strategic location, and an experienced transloading
team at Superior Carriers’ year-old Sparta, NJ terminal are
attracting the attention of cost-minded bulk shippers.
“We took our ten-year presence in northern New Jersey in bulk
chemical transloading and transportation to the next level by
opening our own facility with multiple railroad interchanges,”
stated Senior VP & Chief Marketing Officer Gary Watt.
Customers are responding enthusiastically, according to RVP
Eastern Region Johnny Williams. “We opened this facility one year
ago, moving the talented Frankie Greene over from Elizabeth, NJ to
manage the site. We then added a loader for day-to-day operations,
and brought in Shamean Lake, our terminal clerk from Elizabeth,
to add her expertise in computer systems and logistics. Combine
these factors with a new office trailer, a new boiler, and a broad
product handling capability, and in a year we’ve gone from one
major customer to a half dozen internationally recognized shippers
of hazardous and nonhazardous materials . . . all of whom value our
logistics solutions.”
Williams adds that Frankie -- referred to by some customers as “the
godfather of bulk transloading” -- has played a critical role in Sparta’s
success. “Customers have great respect for Frankie’s extensive
knowledge of bulk commodities, their handling characteristics,
various transloading methods and transfer components. Thanks to
Frankie, his staff and the SBL sales team, we have gone from only
a few loads per week a year ago to well over one hundred loads a
month today.”
Watt agrees. “A growing customer base enjoys our strategic location
in northern New Jersey and the outstanding services of Terminal
Manager Frankie Greene and his team, coupled with increased
options to reduce delivered cost and the choice of three different
Class 1 railroads. We are able to manage a wider range of hazardous
and nonhazardous products than our previous Elizabeth location,
while sustaining core services.”
Joint marketing, responsive customer service, and dependable
switching are provided by The New York, Susquehanna and
Western Railway (NYS&W). This regional rail carrier operates
over 400 miles of track in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
on a 286,000-lb.-max railcar gross weight fully compliant system,
including direct interchanges with Canadian Pacific, CSXT and
Norfolk Southern Railroads. At Sparta, railcars are placed on
bonded and grounded transloading track and may be either
steam heated or warmed using tempered water, which ensures a
more even application of heat for products subject to scorching or
Continued on page 2
Two of four active bulk transload tracks at Superior’s
Sparta, NJ site.
April 2012
Terminal clerk Shamean Lake provides transloading order to
Frankie Greene, Sparta Terminal Manager.
pg 1
SUCCESS IN SPARTA
Continued from page 1
discoloration. The site features dedicated closed loop pump/meter
systems for zero vapor release, and nitrogen for flammable product
transfer.
The Sparta facility geographically complements Carry Transit’s
Oakland, New Jersey food grade bulk transfer location served
by the NYS&W. Superior Carriers shares the Sparta site with
three other bulk product related companies: the major regional
distributor of propane in New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania, an
aerosol propellant manufacturer, and a subsidiary of NYS&W that
transloads food grade sugar. All four operators participate in a site
safety committee to ensure facility security and safe operations.
This is critical to Superior Carriers sustaining its American
Chemistry Council (ACC) Responsible Care® Partner status for the
Sparta operation.
Onsite certified truck scale and additional transload tracks at
Superior’s Sparta, NJ site.
Terminal Manager Frankie Greene is proud of the services offered
by the Sparta facility. “We have a good safe operation, a great staff
and a high quality of work,” he stated. “We welcome challenges and
enjoy accommodating a wide range of customer requirements.”
For more information, please contact Frankie Greene at 888-9287727, or 973-703-3760 (mobile).
NEWS FLASH!
SBL WEBSITE UNDERGOES REDESIGN
A brand-strengthening new initiative has been undertaken by SBL Digital Marketing Representative Brian McCann to maximize
the functionality, interactivity and social networking capabilities of the SBL website. The site has undergone several major changes
since it was inaugurated in 1997, but this is its first comprehensive overhaul since 2010.
“Our website does not accurately reflect SBL’s ingenuity and innovation,” commented McCann. “My goal is not only to meet
current web standards for the user experience. I would like to see SBL become a digital content leader in the transportation
industry.”
Noting that websites no longer serve as static pages of generic information, McCann observed that the transportation industry
in particular changes rapidly, creating an urgent need for flexible, current data. While he’d like to see new content on the website
daily, he feels that a weekly update may be more attainable short term.
“New website content is not difficult to curate if people at all levels of the company get involved,” McCann stated. “That information
can take the form of a driver snapping a photo of his favorite lunch stop, or a 15-minute podcast on the benefits of transloading.
It’s going to take a commitment from everyone at SBL to make the website dynamic and successful.”
The newly designed site will meet the user requirements of current as well as prospective customers and employees. It also will
serve as a valuable tool for driver recruitment. “Looking at the analytics on our site, it’s easy to see that our current visitor flow
-- the path a user takes when navigating the site -- could be improved,” McCann said.
McCann expects most of the work on the site to be completed by early fourth quarter of this year. Starting immediately, he
strongly encourages everyone at SBL to forward him industry information and news, personal anecdotes, photos and videos
about the world of SBL to update the site. Simply send contributions to [email protected], or to his attention at Superior
Bulk Logistics, 711 Jorie Blvd. Suite 101 N., Oak Brook IL 60523.
April 2012
pg 2
Harper College President Dr. Kenneth Ender, right, formally accepts a donated tanker trailer from Randy Vaughn, Vice President of
Environmental, Health, Safety and Security for Superior Bulk Logistics, Inc.
SBL DONATES TRAINING TANK TO HARPER COLLEGE
SBL’s recent gift of a refurbished tank trailer to Harper College in Palatine, IL not only has spurred an expansion of the school’s state-certified
driver training program, but boosted our ability to recruit top drivers in the Midwest.
Late in 2011, Vice President of EHS&S Randy Vaughn, impressed with Harper’s high-level driver training criteria and state-certified CDL
program, was seeking to donate an SBL tanker for educational purposes. He hoped to replicate SBL’s successful partnership with Greenville
Technical College in Greer, SC, whose driver training program -- enhanced by a donated tanker from Superior -- consistently turns out
quality graduates hired by our company.
Last fall, Vaughn approached Harper College Dean of Continuing Education Mark Mrozinski and told him about Greenville Tech’s CDL
program, which is the first in the country to feature a demonstration tanker. Vaughn then asked Mrozinski if Harper College would like to
be the second such school. Mrozinski enthusiastically accepted, and set to work planning the expansion of the Harper curriculum to include
specialized tanker instruction. At Vaughn’s suggestion, Mrozinski sent several Harper instructors to “train the trainer” sessions at SBL’s
Training & Development Center in Greer, SC.
After finalizing the state-mandated paperwork, SBL proudly donated the completely refurbished tank trailer at a formal ceremony at Harper
College on December 20, 2011, attended by Vaughn, VP-National Accounts Mike Kulaga, and Regional Operations Manager Jim Carl.
Vaughn thanked the many people at Harper College who supported the initiative and worked alongside the Superior team to make it happen,
including Harper College President Ken Ender, CDL Program Administrator Jeffrey Clark, Harper Foundation Director Catherine Brod,
and Manager of Career Training Norma Nerstrom.
Since SBL currently operates four terminals in Illinois that hire entry level drivers, our relationship with Harper College is expected to yield
recruitment benefits long term. Currently, Vaughn is exploring a similar educational partnership with Clark State Community College in
Springfield, OH, which also has a CDL training program.
April 2012
pg 3
STATS SHOW SBL’S SUCCESS
IN DRIVER RECRUITMENT, RETENTION
Drivers make or break a bulk transport company. A dedicated team of top-performing drivers can accelerate a company from good to great
in record time.
This is common knowledge in our industry, even as we affirm the value of teamwork and the critical role all employees play in achieving
corporate goals. As we acknowledge the importance of our driving force, we can feel very proud of our recruitment and retention statistics
for 2011, which reveal a 23.08% driver turnover rate -- one of the lowest in the industry.
This is still higher than our ultimate goal of 20%, but far less than truckload carriers -- many of whom have a turnover percentage well into
the triple digits -- and significantly better than the 35% turnover rate cited for the tank industry as a whole.
How do we do it? According to Superior Carriers President Brian Nowak, there are three primary factors in our ability to beat the industry
odds:
Decentralized management structure. Personnel and equipment decisions are made at the local level to best
support customer requirements. This approach also creates a family atmosphere among drivers, dispatchers and
other terminal staff contributing to better communication, camaraderie, and problem resolution.
Locally managed compensation and load schedules. Company driver and independent contractor pay is managed
at the terminal level. Also, each terminal location tracks its own drivers constantly regardless of where they are in
the reload network.
One of the newest, safest fleets in the industry. SBL’s policy of providing drivers with top-notch equipment is also
a big factor in driver retention, with over 150 new trucks purchased in 2010/2011 and another 125 to be acquired
in 2012.
There are other intangible but no less important factors in driver recruitment, such as what drivers are saying to other drivers about working
for our company. “Driver recruiting hinges more on word of mouth from current drivers than any other single factor,” states Nowak.
New Driver Recruitment Materials Available
Managers attending job fairs now have up-to-date materials to hand out to prospects. EHS&S Analyst Mary Mears, who spearheaded the
revision project, states: “Like a new paint job on your home, all of our recruiting materials including brochures and pay cards have been
updated, and incorporate current photos and information. The new look features a Quick Response (QR) cube, much like a barcode, that
makes it effortless for those with smart phones to snap the camera and be ‘driven’ straight to our websites.”
Our driver referral bonus program has been successful since it was reinstated June 1, 2010. Flyers promoting the $1,000 driver referral bonus
program have been updated and sent to all terminal locations. Business cards for referring drivers to give to potential new employees also
have been updated. The QR cube on these cards for the referral bonus will deliver the user directly to the recruiting website application page.
The bonus program earns a referring driver $1,000 for each new successfully hired driver or independent contractor. Payment is made after
the new driver successfully completes the TDC training and has worked 60 days. The applicant/new driver must enter the referring driver’s
name on his or her application if that driver is to receive credit for the referral.
Logistics Analyst David Krimpenfort provides assistance to Terminal Managers in their recruitment efforts by maintaining job postings on
Monster.com and other Internet sites. Terminal Managers simply write the job posting and send it to Dave for posting on the website. They
then wait for the responses and view them online.
April 2012
pg 4
EHS&S REGIONAL SUPERVISOR DURHAM RETIRES;
ELLIOTT NAMED SUCCESSOR
By Randy Vaughn, Vice President - EHS&S
After 34 years of dedicated work with Central Transport and Superior Bulk Logistics, David Durham
has decided to retire effective April 30, 2012.
David started his career as a driver with Central Transport in June 1978. Over the years, he moved up
to Terminal Manager, then joined Central’s Safety Department. David came on board with Superior
Bulk Logistics through the merger with Central in December 2002. Subsequently, David became a
Regional EHS&S Supervisor based out of High Point, NC.
David’s vast knowledge of environmental issues and DOT regulations -- not to mention his love of the
Duke Blue Devils -- will be missed by all who have worked with him. We wish David the very best in
his retirement as he starts this next phase of his life.
David Durham
David’s successor, Ray Elliott, joined Superior Bulk Logistics in January of this year. Ray has worked
closely with David Durham during this transition period prior to David’s retirement. Effective May
1, Ray will assume all duties and responsibilities of David’s region of eleven terminals, working out
of the S. Charleston, WV terminal.
Ray has over 25 years’ experience in the transportation industry, the last decade dealing directly
with chemical products and bulk tanker transportation. He was previously employed with DistTech/
KAG. His thorough understanding of safety and DOT regulations and the chemical industry will be
a great asset to our company, and we welcome him as the newest addition to our EHS&S team.
Ray Elliott
GOODMAN RETIRES AS DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTS;
PRENTISS ASSUMES POST
Larry Goodman, who in November 2005 joined Superior
Carriers as Director of National Accounts, retired from
our company at the end of March. “We appreciate Larry’s
valuable contributions, which always exemplified the
highest levels of professionalism,” commented Wes Stone,
Executive VP of Sales for Superior Carriers.
Goodman commented that he would miss his SBL family
greatly, and observed: “Upon my retirement I do have
ambivalent feelings: excitement to have reached this age
with my good health, and fear that I cannot live without
the daily activities involved in my sales role within SBL.
Thank you all for the support, the assistance, and the
opportunity to work alongside you during this journey in
my life. Semper Fidelis!”
Assuming Goodman’s responsibilities is Frank Prentiss, an
industry veteran with extensive transportation knowledge
Frank Prentiss
Larry Goodman
and special expertise in rail transfer, TMS, and overall supply
chain organization. Frank joins us from Kinder Morgan Corporation, where he served as their Commercial Manager handling bulk terminal
development and transloading. Prior to his tenure at Kinder Morgan, Frank held numerous positions within MeadWestvaco.
We extend our best wishes to Larry on his retirement, and a warm welcome to Frank to Superior Bulk Logistics.
April 2012
pg 5
UPERIOR CARRIERS NEWS
A VERY HIGH FIVE!
Augusta Terminal Wins 5th Consecutive BP Award
“Five times in a row is no accident,” quipped Rusty Davis, RVP
Southeast Region -- and he’s right. Winning the coveted BP Safety
& Operational Excellence Award for five years running speaks
powerfully to the culture of performance fostered by Augusta
Terminal Manager Tracey Mellott and her co-workers.
“This really, really makes me proud,” stated Mellott, who came on
board as terminal manager five years ago. “I have a lot of support,
and this is a tremendous team effort. We were recently audited by
another customer, and it’s nice to be able to point to this award and
say, yes, we’ve won this five years now, and that’s indicative of the
way we do business.”
In his letter announcing the award, Jim Evans, Manager, North
American Trucking for BP Petrochemicals, wrote: “Congratulations
to you and your team, the maintenance shop and every driver for
achieving the qualifications delivering acetic acid to our customers
in your region. No vehicle accidents, no product handling incidents
and no continuous service issues with customers is an outstanding
achievement. Please pass along our thanks to every driver that
services our BP account for their commitment to safety . . .”
Few people are as familiar with the BP business as Superior Carriers
President Brian Nowak, who for many years as Southern Region
VP contributed to the growth of the business relationship. “We
have a roughly 20-year history with this BP Chemical account at the
Augusta, GA terminal, and we have won awards in the distant past
as well,” Nowak recalled. “Our drivers have continued a tradition of
excellent service even as personnel changed over the years at both
Superior and BP.”
Clearly, skilled leadership has played an important role in fostering
the kind of performance that meets BP’s stringent standards. “It takes
a full team effort to do this, starting at the top with management,”
commented Rusty Davis. “Tracey Mellott does a great job, not only
with BP but with all of Superior’s customers, in the way she takes
ownership of system traffic. However, as we all know, we wouldn’t
be receiving this award if not for all of the dedicated drivers,
dispatchers and maintenance personnel in Augusta.”
VP National Accounts Mike Kulaga agrees. “The relationship
between Superior Carriers and BP is a true partnership. We work
together closely as a team to provide safe, reliable service to the end
customer. We look forward to continued growth with this valued
customer.”
Perhaps BP Logistics Manager Carla McManus said it best in her
recent letter to Kulaga:
“Let me add my appreciation and congratulations for a job well
done. We seek partners who share our passion for safety and are
dedicated to ensuring the safe and efficient handling of our freight.
This award does not come without significant focus, effort and
dedication. We thank everybody involved and look to the entire
team to continue keeping safety in the forefront of your operations.”
Congratulations from the Superior Bulk Logistics organization to
the many people at the Augusta terminal who made this award
possible!
Terminal Manager Tracey Mellott with Chuck
Walker (Driver) and Joey Stewart (Mechanic)
NEWS FLASH!
BULK TRANSFER SITE OPENS IN CHARLOTTE, NC AREA
Superior Bulk Logistics has reached an agreement with Patriot Rail to operate a new bulk transfer site on the Piedmont &
Northern Railway (P&N) short line, that runs between Mount Holly, NC and Gastonia, NC (the greater Charlotte area). The
P&N was completely refurbished recently and has direct interchanges with both Norfolk Southern (NS) and CSXT, thus offering
our customers an opportunity for rail savings. The site will be operated by Superior Carriers under the leadership of Bob Fisher
at our Charlotte terminal.
The new transfer site will handle both food grade and non-food-grade bulk commodities, nonhazardous and hazardous. While site preparation will require three to four weeks, the new rail siding is already in place and ready for service. In the
meantime, SBL will transload cars at P&N’s Ranlo, NC siding.
April 2012
pg 6
AKZO NOBEL RECOGNIZES
AXIS, AL TERMINAL
FOR SAFETY, SERVICE
As one of the world’s leading industrial
companies, Akzo Nobel’s culture of service
extends to its quality partnerships with logistics
providers. In December 2011, the corporation
recognized Superior’s hardworking Axis, AL
terminal with a Safety and Service Achievement
Award commending our delivery performance.
Southwest Region VP Steve Lowman
commented: “This award is a result of daily
teamwork between Akzo Nobel and Superior
that has allowed us to provide the service levels
both companies are known for. All of those
involved in the day-to-day operations should be
proud of this accomplishment.”
In adding his compliments, Superior Carriers
President Brian Nowak stated: “The entire Axis
team of office, shop, and driver personnel have
done a remarkable job exceeding difficult service
demands. Congratulations, and well deserved by
all!”
Akzo Nobel is a large-scale international
Akzo Nobel presents the Axis terminal with a Safety and Service Award. Left to right: producer and distributor of some of the world’s
Linda Lovell (Akzo), Ken Shafer (Director-Maintenance and Tank Cleaning), John most recognized brands of decorative paints,
Naron, Ernie Taylor and Greg Weeks (all from Akzo), Lori Weaver (Axis Terminal performance coatings, and specialty chemicals.
Clerk), Leslie German (Dispatcher), Steve Lowman (Southwest Region VP.)
HENDERSON LAUDED BY GREENVILLE TECH
Recently, Greenville Technical College in Greer, SC published an article recognizing Superior’s Greer Terminal Manager Phil Henderson
for his involvement and dedication to Greenville Tech’s CDL driver training program. Phil is a very important part of Superior Carriers’
commitment to CDL training at select schools like Greenville Tech and Athens Tech, where he is also a member of the Advisory Board. One
of SBL’s goals for 2012 is to ensure that each Superior Carriers terminal is associated with an approved school, and Phil’s involvement in other
locations such as Atlanta, GA and Axis, AL will give us an edge in accomplishing this objective. Congratulations to Phil, and we look forward
to continuing our support for these programs!
Here is the article published by Greenville Tech:
PHIL HENDERSON RECOGNIZED AS UNSUNG
HERO
Phil Henderson, manager of the Superior Carriers terminal in Greer, South Carolina, is
a 1980 graduate of the truck driver training program at Greenville Tech. He has served
on the advisory board of the truck driver training program since 2006. Superior Carriers
is one of the largest bulk logistics companies in North America, serving clients in the
U. S., Canada and Mexico. In the past year, the company has given to the truck driver
training program a 2007 International truck tractor in great operating condition. The
tractor is valued at over $32,000. Superior Carriers is so satisfied with the work done at
the Greenville Tech truck driver training program that nearly 40% of their employees at
the Greer terminal are graduates of the program.
April 2012
pg 7
OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE PROFILE:
BALTIMORE’S STILLS CORNISH
By Johnny Williams, Regional Vice President, Eastern Region
Mr. Stills Cornish is a Baltimore-based company driver. He began his driving career in 1970
working for Matlack. Prior to this he was a plumber and supervisor for ten years, doing everything
from repairing broken pipes to hauling around heavy equipment.
Stills got the position at Matlack while he was on a plumbing job for a Matlack dispatcher who
started talking to him while he was working and asked if he would ever consider driving a truck
for a career. Stills interviewed with Matlack the next day and got the job.
Stills Cornish
Stills was an over-the-road driver for awhile and later began working locally, delivering jet fuel
from Shell to the Dulles airport in Chantilly, Virginia. He became known as the Chantilly Kid.
Stills earned many awards at Matlack truck rodeos, and remained at the company for eight years as
a tanker driver before leaving in 1978 to begin a career with Conoco (Continental Oil Company).
With Conoco he traveled over the road as a sleeper-team driver. In 1984, Conoco became Condea Vista Company. When our company
purchased Vista’s private fleet in 1991, Stills became part of Superior Carriers, where he remains today. He worked for us as a system driver
until he took over an important dedicated local operation in 1995.
Stills played a major role in securing this dedicated business for Superior Carriers. The business was being handled by one of our competitors,
but the carrier was having a difficult time servicing the account. I was contacted by the shipper inquiring if Superior Carriers would be
interested in taking over this business. After meeting with the shipper, an operation plan was developed, the success of which fell squarely
on the capable shoulders of Mr. Stills Cornish. Stills accepted this challenging assignment, and by making flawless pickups and deliveries
immediately became a “star” with both the shipper (PQ Corporation) and consignee (Unilever), both located in Baltimore. The rest is
history, as Stills to this day continues to provide the very highest level of service to this business. Over the years Stills has received many
compliments on the quality of his work. September 2012 will mark the 42nd year of his driving career.
Stills was born in Pasadena, Maryland and has five sons, ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He enjoys golfing, bowling, and
working around his house. He is on the board of directors for his community association, likes helping out his neighbors, and is very
involved in his church.
Mr. Stills Cornish, Superior Carriers congratulates and salutes you as an outstanding employee, and we extend sincere thanks for all you do.
NIVEN NAMED LOGISTICS OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
We are pleased to welcome veteran industry executive David (Dave) Niven to the Superior
Carriers family as our new Director of Logistics Operations, based at corporate headquarters in
Oak Brook, IL.
Superior Carriers President Brian Nowak is confident that Dave’s extensive bulk chemical
transportation experience will translate into strong leadership for the critical logistics post. “Dave
comes to us from a competitor, where his background includes being terminal manager of their
Chicago operation, so he understands the real-world challenges of managing drivers in a reload
system configuration,” he stated. “Dave also has years of driving and dispatch experience, making
him well suited to manage our necessary focus on maximizing manpower and equipment
utilization.”
In the coming year as Niven learns more about company policies, organizational culture, and
customer requirements, he also will be traveling systemwide to become familiar with Superior
Carriers people and operations. He will assist the Pricing and Sales Departments from an
operations perspective as needed, and work closely with current Log Ops Dispatchers Joe Iacullo,
Paul Jones and Kevin Knott.
David Niven- Director
Logistics Operations
Former Manager of Logistics Operations Steve Weaver now serves as Equipment Manager for
Superior Carriers, a position newly created year-end 2011.
April 2012
pg 8
CARRY TRANSIT NEWS
BETTER, FASTER, SMARTER
Carry Transit Enters the World of Social Media
Carry Transit President Jim Blackmon’s nickname is Speed, and his mantra “Better, Faster,
Smarter” has seeped into our company culture. This is a good thing, because in today’s operating
environment Carry Transit needs to react fast to its customers and employees.
Social media is helping us do just that.
CarryTransitBlog.com and CarryTransit.tumblr.com represent Carry’s first two ventures into social
media. Our involvement in this sphere began with Blackmon’s desire to create an “interactive”
card for the 2011-2012 holiday season. While there were plenty of cookie-cutter options available,
Blackmon wanted something different. That’s when SBL Digital Marketing Representative Brian
McCann created the card from scratch on what would become the future home of the blog.
Since the holidays, the blog has been growing steadily. Officially launched to a select group of
customers in March, it has received great feedback. The blog’s success is due in large part to its sole
post series, “Dispatches,” written by Bridgeview Operations Supervisor Nathan Prince. The photo
blog CarryTransit.tumblr.com has been floating around in different spaces, but the new site looks
SBL Digital Marketing Representative to aggregate all the pictures into one place.
Brian McCann
Carry Transit will continue to use new tools to facilitate conversations between both customers
and employees. Our goal is to have these valuable social interactions embedded alongside Blackmon’s mantra of “Better, Faster, Stronger”
into our company culture.
Why Social Tools Are Better, Faster, Smarter
Better – Social tools allow us to communicate our message more effectively and through more media than traditional methods. We can use
pictures, text, videos, or any combination of the three.
Faster – Social tools allow us instantaneous, wide-ranging communication to our audience. Email can be slow when trying to voice a
message from one to many. Social media allow us to “blast” information efficiently to a larger audience with a single click.
Smarter – Social tools allow us to educate and learn from our customers and employees in new and innovative ways. By streaming videos
and pictures, or hosting live chats, we can quickly create a knowledge base that leads to establishment of best practices.
The best way to stay up-to-date on Carry Transit is to visit CarryTransitBlog.com daily for the
newest information. Once there, you can click the “Subscribe” button near the upper right corner
to receive periodic updates via email. If you’d like to contribute to Carry’s social media sites, you
can send your content to Brian McCann [email protected].
April 2012
pg 9
AFETY ZONE
2011 TERMINAL SAFETY AWARD WINNERS
ANNOUNCED
“Safety excellence is the true measure of a great company,” states Jim Blackmon, President of Carry Transit. Not surprisingly, Randy Vaughn,
SBL’s VP of Environmental, Health, Safety & Security, agrees. “Our annual Safety Awards are among the highest honors we can bestow as a
company,” he observed. “The 2011 Safety Award categories have been tabulated and audited, and the results are now complete. Once again
our people have demonstrated their commitment to safety in all aspects of transportation and operations. I’m honored to congratulate the
winners.”
VEHICLE SAFETY
AWARD WINNERS
CLASS OF 2011
WORKERS COMPENSATION
SAFETY AWARD WINNERS
CLASS OF 2011
Superior Carriers
Superior Carriers
Over Two Million Miles Class
Over 25 Employees
N. Charleston, SC -- Terminal #67
Karns City, PA -- Terminal #15
The N. Charleston terminal has won this class two years
Under 25 Employees
in a row -- excellent job!
Wilmington, NC -- Terminal #63
Under Two Million Miles Class
Parker, AZ -- Terminal #58
Carry Transit
Carry Transit
Over One Million Miles Class
Over 15 Employees
Dayton, OH -- Terminal #37
Dayton, OH -- Terminal #37
Under One Million Miles Class
Congrats on winning in both vehicle safety and workers
Jacksonville, FL -- Terminal #34
comp categories!
Once again, all vehicle safety award winners will receive tractor
Under 15 Employees
decals to be displayed on the left side of the tractor on the driver’s
door, centered and above the company door decal and below the
door window.
Stockton, CA -- Terminal #43
Kudos to the Stockton terminal, which has won this class
two consecutive years.
In recognizing the award winners, Superior Carriers President Brian Nowak commented: “Thank you all for keeping safety a top priority by
talking about it daily, as good results in this area translate to positive results on the bottom line!” Crediting the EHS&S Department for good
news to report on the entire safety front for Superior Carriers, Nowak stated that “one of the most important things we do as an organization
is prevent people from getting hurt in the course of our business.” In comparing Superior’s safety statistics for 2010 and 2011, he is pleased to
see an across-the-board and significant drop in workers compensation claims, accident frequency, and DOT recordable accidents.
April 2012
pg 10
4
YOUR BENEFIT
WELCOME,
ANGELIQUE MERCADO!
Please extend a warm welcome to Human Resources Assistant Angelique Mercado, who
joined SBL at our corporate office in Oak Brook, IL in November 2011. Her thirteen
years’ HR experience includes work at Spring Green Lawn Care Corporation and the
Northern Illinois Surgery Center. She has a bachelors degree in Business Administration.
Angelique looks forward to assisting you with your benefits questions, and is available at
800-654-7707, or [email protected].
Angelique Mercado
If You Missed the April 6th Deadline . . .
. . . To change the contribution percentage to your 401(k) plan, you may schedule a change to become effective July 1st. The minimum
contribution is 2% of your salary, and the maximum is 50% of your salary. Please contact Human Resources or your Terminal Manager
for the contribution change form. To understand the effect of your own contributions on your paycheck, log into your account at www.
retiresmart.com. Click the “Saving For Retirement” tab, select your age range, then click “Personalized Calculators.”
Beneficiaries & Emergency Contact Forms
Are your designated beneficiaries up to date for your life insurance and 401(k) plans? If not, you may update the emergency contact form
available at your terminal or office and also on the Intranet under “HR Forms.” Take a few minutes to review your benefits. If you have
questions, please call Yarka Sena or Angelique Mercado at 800-654-7707 or email us at [email protected] or amercado@
superior-carriers.com.
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April 2012
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BL SCOOP
If there are any drivers out there who still doubt that they are the “face” of Superior Bulk Logistics, read on. Late last year, Colette Reid of
Fuchs Industries (a Superior customer) was concerned about logistics for a challenging multi-stop delivery. But when she actually met the
driver for this load -- Memphis terminal Trainer Francisco (Frank) Ruiz -- he made such a good impression that she was moved to write:
“[The driver] was an extremely nice gentleman who already was on a few hours of demurrage when we met. He was very patient and I
apologized for the inconvenience and shared some of my concerns with this multi-stop delivery. He explained that it wouldn’t be any
problem and that he could handle anything that would come up because that is what Superior does.”
“I found his demeanor to be very pleasant and he really helped smooth over a rocky situation. The delivery was going to take him over a
weekend in Louisiana and he didn’t seem to mind too much . . . He really is a great asset for Superior and Fuchs.”
This is a powerful reminder that effective personal communication -- “that is what Superior does!” -- can be nearly as important as performance
excellence when it comes to how customers perceive our service. VP-National Accounts Mike Kulaga, Director Training & Development
Robert Shivar, and VP Training & Development Jack McPeek all expressed their thanks to Frank for representing Superior so well. Jack
added: “These stories still give me goosebumps, and make me proud to be a part of the SBL team.”
Recently Regional VP - Southeast Region Rusty Davis alerted us to customer compliments from Mohawk Fine Papers and from a chemical
company that provides product to Mohawk, both serviced by the Greer, SC terminal. A representative from the chemical company stated
that its “deliveries to date [handled by Superior] have been flawless” and that based on its quality and performance the company is now being
considered by Mohawk as a preferred raw material supplier. Rusty complimented Greer Terminal Manager Phil Henderson: “This is an
outstanding example of securing additional business through great service and communication . . . congratulations to the Greer team, as it
took teamwork to accomplish this Superior service.”
We all love to stand out from the crowd by virtue of excellent performance. So we were pleased when Mark Boncardo from Mexichem Fluor
Canada passed along a conversation he had with Dow Chemical in Marietta, GA, one of Superior’s longstanding customers. Dow’s Michele
Wamsley, Supply Chain Raw Material Planner, had noticed on numerous occasions the good work of Baton Rouge driver Joe White. She
remarked how Joe “requires little assistance, properly maneuvers his truck into the delivery area, and is knowledgeable about what he is
doing.” Thanks, Joe -- and kudos to ALL responsible drivers who think no one is watching!
We extend “attaboys” all around to everyone at the Charlotte, NC terminal involved in service to Innospec. Paula Witkowski, Customer
Care Representative for the company, recently wrote us: “Thank you for the outstanding service you provide. I say with confidence that I
can depend on Superior Carriers to accommodate our needs . . . short notices are difficult to arrange, but you work hard to make it happen.”
In our ongoing search for the industry’s best drivers, we occasionally interview graduates of Eagle Training Services, a truck driving school
in Lake in the Hills, IL. In January, its President Greg Tourdot spent a week at SBL’s Training & Development Center in Greer, SC, and came
away impressed with the entire operation. Greg wrote about his TDC classroom experience to VP Training & Development Jack McPeek
and Director Training & Development Robert Shivar: “There was a lot of truck driving talent in that room. You two not only multiplied the
talent, but molded it into a group. You just know those guys are going to be talking to each other about doing the right thing! . . . Then this
morning I was working with a bright young student who asked me what kind of truck driving I thought he should go into. I looked him in
the eye and said, “Did you ever think about driving a tanker?”
Superior Bulk Logistics, Inc.
711 Jorie Boulevard, Suite 101 North
Oak Brook, IL 60523
630-573-2555
April 2012
pg 12