North American Van Lines

North American Van Lines
A North American Tractor-Trailer in the process of unloading in Washington, Pennsylvania.

North American Van Lines, or NAVL, is a large, United States based trucking company originally formed in Cleveland, Ohio and later based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which specializes in home and office relocations.

Contents

History

North American Van Lines was established in 1933 by a group of 12 agents. By 1938 the network expanded to 120 agents, and with time, it grew into one of the largest trucking companies.[1]

In 1947, NAVL moved from Cleveland, Ohio to Fort Wayne, Indiana.[1][2]

In 1952 NAVL became an international company, with the addition of its International Transportation Service business.[1]

In 1959 NAVL bought Creston Transfer, moving new furniture, fixtures, and similar household goods throughout the US. This New Product Division was later renamed Commercial Transport in 1981.[1]

Beginning in late 1964 NAVL created its High Value Products Division (HVPD), which later was bought out and taken private as an independent company named Specialized Transportation Inc. The original division began with 20 drivers from the NAVL Exhibit and Display Division, and moved high value electronics for defense installations, contracted by Control Data Corporation, IBM and the computer division of General Electric.[1]

On May 10, 1966 NAVL created its subsidiary Transtar Services, Inc. in Brentwood, TN. Transtar Services supported a group of rail and water carriers of fuel, raw materials and steel freight around the Great Lakes, as wholly owned transportation subsidiaries of United States Steel Corporation, now USX Corporation (NYSEX). In December 1988 the companies were organized as the USX subsidiary, Transtar, Inc.[3][4]

PepsiCo

On July 5, 1966 Spedco Inc., a subsidiary of PepsiCo Inc. (NYSEPEP), applied to the Interstate Commerce Commission to purchase NAVL for about US$22 million in PepsiCo stock.

On August 29, 1967 the ICC examiner recommended the acquisition of NAVL by Spedco Inc.

On November 27, 1968 NAVL was acquired by Spedco Inc., which had Kenneth W. Maxfield as its Executive Vice President.

Then by June 1969, North American Van Lines Inc. was fully acquired by PepsiCo through PepsiCo's already existing subsidiary, Spedco Inc.[1]

On January 1, 1970 NAVPAC was merged into NAVL.[5]

In 1975 NAVL started its Air Freight Division.[1]

In 1977, Kenneth W. Maxfield was promoted to President of the NAVL subsidiary. Also that year, NAVL became the secret transporter of the King Tutankhamen treasures from Egypt during the North American tour.[1]

In 1978 NAVL headquarters in Fort Wayne, Indiana moved to the new building location, spread across 121 acres (0.49 km2), with an indoor training facility, a 14-acre (57,000 m2) safe track, and fleet services repair shop.[1]

In 1979 NAVL moved to the top of the list among the six largest van lines.[1]

In 1983 the High Value Products division became NAVL's third division to exceed the US$100 million annual revenue milestone.[1]

By April 1984, North American Van Lines Inc. was put up for sale by PepsiCo.[6]

Norfolk Southern

On May 3, 1984 NAVL was approved for sale by PepsiCo to Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSENSC) for US$315 million.[7] At the same time PepsiCo was also negotiating sale of Lee Way Motor Freight, as a further move in its divestment of its transportation division.[8]

On May 23, 1984, Moving Credit Inc. merged into NAVL.[9]

Over the subsequent two years NAVL was merged with the railroad in a deal that had been initially approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission.[1][10]

On November 4, 1985 Com Trans Inc. of Fort Wayne, Indiana merged into NAVL's subsidiary, Transtar Services, Inc.

In June 1986 NAVL then hired Norfolk Southern's advertising firm, J. Walter Thompson, Washington, to handle its advertising account of more than US$1 million. It became the first active ad campaign for NAVL since the purchase from Pepsico two years earlier.[6]

However, on October 1, 1986, a Federal appeals court ruled that the ICC had erred when it approved the acquisition. The court then returned the case to the ICC for reconsideration, but the rocky deal ultimately survived.[10]

On February 15, 1988 PFS PepsiCo temporarily bought out NAVL through its SPEDCO subsidiary.

In 1991 NAVL started Worldtrac, which was the industry's first satellite tracking system, which provided the drivers location within 1,000 feet (300 m).[1]

In 1992 Norfolk Southern's trucking operations, including NAVL, recorded a loss of close to $40 million, and Norfolk Southern Corp. decided to sell off two of its trucking divisions in 1993, although it retained NAVL for another five years. In 1998 Norfolk Southern exited the trucking business entirely when it sold NAVL.[7]

Allied Worldwide

On January 12, 1998, NAVL was bought out from Norfolk Southern Corp. by the private investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice for more than US$200 million.[1]

On November 21, 1999, Clayton, Dubilier and Rice also completed their acquisition of Allied Van Lines and merged it with North American Van Lines to create Allied Worldwide, although each former company maintained its own profile names. Valued at approximately US$450 million in the merger, the Allied Worldwide combined entity became the world's largest relocation and van line logistics company.[1]

The decade of the 2000s saw major internationalization, as the company reached far away from North America, beginning operations in other continents, such as Europe and South America.

SIRVA, Inc.

On February 11, 2002 NAVL's holding company Allied Worldwide was renamed to SIRVA, Inc.[1]

In 2003 SIRVA, Inc. announced its initial public offering, and its common shares became listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "SIR".[1] (NYSESIR)

On October 11, 2004, a group of 43 North American Van Lines' agents, named the Specialized Transportation Agent Group Inc., bought out NAVL's High Value Products Division from SIRVA. The buyers renamed the new company Specialized Transportation Inc. (STI).[11]

On February 5, 2008 SIRVA filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy code.[12] On May 12, they announced their Plan of Reorganization, ending its Chapter 11 case and ending its bankruptcy.[13]

Hot Wheels

By the early 1980s, North American Van Lines had contracted Mattel to make die cast model trucks of NAVL under Mattel's Hot Wheels brand, helping the moving company gain exposure among children and die cast collectors.

By the early 2000s, North American Van Lines contracted Racing Champions to relieve Hot Wheels as their model truck maker.

Livery

The North American Van Lines trucks (since about 1968 or so) are painted in white and a clear shadow of blue, with red and blue circles on the white area, and a white arrow crossing the circles. The name North American is spelled "northAmerican" on the company's trucks' liveries.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q NORTH AMERICAN VAN LINES HISTORY, navl.com
  2. ^ 20 December 1940 Ohio NORTH AMERICAN VAN LINES, INC. Dissolution By Merger Aug 12 1946
  3. ^ Union Railroad
  4. ^ Transtar History, tstarinc.com
  5. ^ The Corporate Record is lost, but the Indiana Secretary of State has a notation of the creation, on August 8, 1963
  6. ^ a b Advertising; Thompson Gets North American Van, New York Times Archive, By PHILIP H. DOUGHERTY, Published: June 24, 1986
  7. ^ a b Norfolk Southern Corporation, Company History:, fundinguniverse.com
  8. ^ Pepsico Considers Sale of Lee Way, New York Times Archive, REUTERS, Published: May 3, 1984
  9. ^ Moving Credit Inc. was incorporated 31 July 1961
  10. ^ a b Norfolk Purchase Challenged, New York Times Abstract, October 1, 1986, AP (NYT); Financial Desk, Late City Final Edition, Section D, Page 21, Column 1, 250 words
  11. ^ Specialized Transportation Inc.
  12. ^ http://www.sunherald.com/447/story/544478.html
  13. ^ SIRVA, Inc. :: SIRVA Emerges from Bankruptcy

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Allied Van Lines — is a moving van company founded in 1928 as a cooperative non profit organization owned by its member agents on the east coast of the United States, to help with organizing return loads and minimizing dead heading.what In 1968 it was reorganzied… …   Wikipedia

  • United Van Lines — Tipo Privada Fundación 1928 Sede San …   Wikipedia Español

  • October 2010 North American storm complex — The Superstorm of 2010 Satellite image of the United States, while the storm was at peak intensity. Storm type: Cyclone, Blizzard, Derecho, Tornado out …   Wikipedia

  • List of North American Numbering Plan area codes — This is a list of North American telephone area codes in effect for the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). The area to which an area code is officially assigned is known as a Numbering Plan Area (NPA). Contents 1 200 2 300 3 400 4 …   Wikipedia

  • List of North American folk music traditions — This is a list of folk music traditions, with styles, dances, instruments and other related topics. The term folk music can not be easily defined in a precise manner; it is used with widely varying definitions depending on the author, intended… …   Wikipedia

  • American literature — For the journal of the same name, see American Literature (journal). American literature is the written or literary work produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. For more specific discussions of poetry and theater,… …   Wikipedia

  • American literature — Introduction       the body of written works produced in the English language in the United States.       Like other national literatures, American literature was shaped by the history of the country that produced it. For almost a century and a… …   Universalium

  • American Civil Liberties Union — Fo …   Wikipedia

  • North Bergen, New Jersey —   Township   Seal …   Wikipedia

  • North Hollywood, Los Angeles — North Hollywood   Neighborhood of Los Angeles   Nickname(s): NoHo …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”