C.H. Robinson delivers door-to-door logistics solutions.

For shippers throughout the Americas, C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW) delivers customized door-to-door logistics solutions. "We manage the process from beginning to end to provide single-source service," says Joe Mulvehill, vice president of international.

The biggest advantage of shipping on a door-to-door basis is the continuity of service from the point of origin to the destination, according to Mulvehill. "Costly delays or other problems can arise when freight must be handed off from one company to another. That's why our focus is on streamlining the entire process to make things as smooth as possible for our clients."

C.H. Robinson Worldwide (NASDAQ: CHRW) is one of the largest third-party logistics companies in North America, with 1998 revenues of US$2 billion. CHRW is a global provider of multimodal transportation services and logistics solutions. It has 3,000 employees and a network of more than 130 offices worldwide.

"Our employees in these U.S. and international field offices are in close proximity to both customers and carriers to facilitate quick responses to customers' changing needs," says Mulvehill. In addition to its regional office in Miami, CHRW has offices in Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and three in Mexico. A Chile office is scheduled to open soon.

Established in 1905, CHRW now delivers more than 1 million shipments annually for approximately 9,500 customers worldwide. In the Americas, CHRW's customers range from Fortune 100 companies to small businesses in a wide variety of industries. Shipments involve a wide range of products, from temperature-controlled products, such as food and beverages, to dimensional freight, such as oversized, overweight equipment.

"One of CHRW's unique strengths is our inland capability, which really separates us from our competitors," Mulvehill says. "We can move freight quicker, at competitive rates, to and from anywhere in the world."

CHRW maintains the single largest network of motor carrier capacity in North America through contracts with more than 20,000 motor carriers. It is also one of the largest third-party providers of intermodal services in the United States.

For example, Dana, an Ohio automobile parts manufacturer with eight plants in Venezuela, relies on CHRW for just-in-time shipping service. "We manage the entire process from Venezuela to the U.S., including pickup, customs, transportation, warehousing and delivery," Mulvehill says. "Timely shipping of parts is critical for their operations."

Another CHRW client is Monsanto, which ships large quantities of agricultural seed from Argentina and Chile to the Midwest in time for the spring planting season. "This is a large-scale operation that begins in February and must be completed by mid-April," Mulvehill says. "We use air freight services in keeping with the tight timeframe."

For its customers, CHRW can evaluate current shipping procedures, rate structures and risk management programs -- then identify opportunities for improvement. CHRW is also an expert in load consolidation strategies that help contain costs while meeting service requirements.

To help its customers keep track of their shipments, CHRW has developed a global Internet-based communications system and also offers electronic invoicing and payment services. "Our process uses EDI and other data transfer vehicles to diminish paper flow, improve accuracy, expand databases and stabilize payment cycles," says Mulvehill. "As part of this process, we help clients benchmark their current payment costs.

Mulvehill, who oversees all of CHRW's international operations and coordinates its global expansion initiatives, managed the company's Miami office for the last 15 years. The Miami office is one of the leading offices in the company in the import and export business, particularly international temperature-controlled logistics.

"This is an exciting time for C.H. Robinson internationally," says Mulvehill. "We have strong platforms in South America and Europe to continue developing our intra-continental distribution networks. More and more of our customers are asking for our help with their global logistics. Our strategy will continue to be providing a single solution for global door-to-door distribution."