This fireside chat recap is from Day 2 of FreightWaves’ F3 Virtual Experience.
FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Current trends in express logistics.
DETAILS: Hassett Logistics has evolved from a moving company to an airfreight forwarder to a full-service expedited logistics company that has special expertise supporting e-commerce and events. The company recently rebranded from Express to Logistics to highlight the company’s broader service capabilities.
SPEAKER: Michelle Halkerston, CEO of Hassett Logistics.
BIO: Halkerston bought Hassett in October 2013. Before that she was president of the company for 13 years. Earlier in her career she worked for FedEx Supply Chain Services, Penske Logistics and NASA as a database specialist.
KEY QUOTES FROM HALKERSTON:
“Our entertainment and sports business went flat. And that was something we thought was recession-proof. … Even when the entertainment business stopped, we looked at ourselves as a team and said, ‘How do we stay intact?’ We still all stayed together and kept our customers satisfied.”
“We had consciously worked on for a number of years, diversifying our customer base and the modes and services that we offered. Twenty years ago, Hassett’s claim to fame in the air market was printed materials, magazines. We filled so many LD containers and airlines loved us because it was heavyweight and there was a lot of widebody capacity in the U.S. at that time. Well, widebody went away. A lot of magazines have gone away. And if we had stuck with that model we probably would have gone away.”
“Part of our business, even though it’s expedited, it’s not always the fastest service. Sometimes it’s the time-definite piece that means planning out project work where we’re installing some machines and it’s got to be tied into when the electricians show up. So just getting it there fast isn’t always the answer. That’s the extra care and touch that goes into it.”