12 Tons of Heavyweight `Performers' Select Heavyweight Carrier Emery Worldwide; For `Operation Jumbo' Swap, Air Cargo Company Moves 12 Elephants Between Thailand and China.

Business/News Editors

BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 28, 2000

They may not be as famous as the ballet-dancing elephants in the Disney classic movie "Fantasia," but the performing pachyderms at Beijing World Park, on loan from Thailand, are heavyweight star performers in their own right.

However, because the elephants are considered Thai national treasures, they are only on loan to World Park six-months-at-a-time. The most recent jumbo swap of 12 of the Thai elephants, which are transported by air between Bangkok and Beijing, was completed today by Emery Worldwide, the global heavyweight air cargo subsidiary of CNF Inc. (NYSE:CNF).

Six Thai elephants arrived here (Beijing) today for their performing debut at Beijing World Park while another six flew home to Thailand last night for their well-deserved "vacation." And the assignment to guarantee the smooth transition of the jumbo swap operation was given to Emery.

Standing eight feet high and averaging one ton each, extreme care had to be taken to ensure that the arriving pachyderms were in their top performing shape and the departing heavyweights returned home safely in the shortest time possible. Each of the twelve elephants was accompanied by a "Kwan Chang," a life-long trainer and "best friend." Emery worked closely with the trainers to provide maximum comfort throughout the journey on the B-747 Combi flights.

"We are well aware of Emery's heavyweight and time-definite capabilities in addition to their expertise in handling live cargo," said Li Jing Cai, general manager responsible for the elephant compound at Beijing World Park. "For these reasons, we entrusted Emery to provide regular transport for our heavyweight star performers in and out of Beijing."

Once every six months, six specially-trained Thai elephants are sent to Beijing World Park to perform in parades and other public exhibitions where they play soccer and even provide free "jumbo massages" to bold volunteers.

Considered national treasures, the elephants are not allowed to leave Thailand permanently and are monitored strictly with "exit visas" granted by the government, limiting overseas stays for the pachyderms to six months at a time. Each elephant must also have a passport with details that include its name, parents' names, gender, date of birth and a health certificate.

When their six-month "exit visas" expire, Emery will bring the six jumbo performers back home to Thailand and, soon thereafter, transport six new Thai heavyweights to take their place at World Park. Careful coordination is crucial to ensure the smooth exchange of the elephants.

"The elephants' safety and comfort are our greatest concerns. To reduce the total transfer time to the minimum possible, we worked closely with World Park and the Beijing International Airport Authority to make sure timing is perfect," said Simon Lee, Emery general manager, Beijing. "The elephants enter their crates only moments before boarding the aircraft and are released shortly after touch-down at destination.

"They are given ample food and water, and with the exception of take-offs and landings, the `Kwan Changs' stay in the cargo section of the plane for the duration of the flight to provide a stress-free experience for our special passengers," Lee added.

Emery Worldwide has been in China since 1983 through liaison offices plus agency representation. The company now has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Dalian, with a new office opening in Xiamen this month.

Emery recently announced the launch of its Class "A" full freight forwarding operation in Shanghai, which includes air and ocean freight, customs brokerage, and warehousing and logistics services in China. This operation is an extension of a joint venture formed in Beijing in 1998 with China Elec-Trans International Service Ltd., a subsidiary of the state-owned China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation (CEIEC).

The company, called Emery Worldwide International Transportation Co. Ltd., was awarded an "A" license by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation.

Emery started its operations in the Asia Pacific in 1959. Since then, the company's operations have been substantially expanded, with more than 55 offices and agent operations across the region, including China and India. Emery China's operations are part of its North Asia Area, which is headquartered in Hong Kong.

A $2.4-billion company, Emery specializes in time-definite transportation services for business-to-business shippers of heavyweight cargo by providing global air and ocean freight transportation, logistics management, customs brokerage and expedited services to manufacturing, industrial, retail and government customers.

Based in Redwood City, Calif., Emery operates in 229 countries through a worldwide network of more than 500 service centers and agent locations. CNF Inc., Emery's parent company, is a $5.6-billion management company of global supply chain services with businesses in regional trucking, air freight, ocean freight, customs brokerage, global logistics management and trailer manufacturing based in Palo Alto, Calif.

For other Emery Worldwide news, visit the Emery Web site (http://www.emeryworld.com)