Liquid and dry bulk customers looking for bulk capacity on a regular basis or when volumes spike have a new option thanks to a joint venture between two established bulk shipping providers.
Bulkmatic and Bulk FR8 have launched Dry Bulk FR8, a one-stop solution for shippers looking to move dry and liquid bulk products, the companies said. Dry Bulk FR8 is a subsidiary of Bulkmatic, a dry bulk transporter, and will be based out of Bulkmatic’s corporate headquarters in Griffith, Indiana.
“We’ve provided dry bulk trucking and rail transload services for more than 50 years. We are happy to announce that we can now offer brokerage services by working with one of the best liquid bulk brokerages in the business and become a one-stop transportation solution for our customers,” Chris Kravas, president of Bulkmatic, said.
Bulkmatic, founded in 1965, offers trucking and rail logistics services for food companies, plastic manufacturers and shippers of other bulk commodities. The family-owned company has approximately 800 employees and operates a fleet of over 500 tractors and 1,400 pneumatic dry bulk trailers.
“The new Dry Bulk FR8 brokerage and logistics subsidiary will allow Bulkmatic to offer transportation solutions to shippers that would otherwise not have been possible due to the capacity limits of its physical driver and equipment operations,” Chris Kravas, president of Bulkmatic, told FreightWaves. “When dry bulk customers are faced with an unexpected increase in trucking volume or a move that is outside of their normal carrier network, Dry Bulk FR8 will be able to provide alternative capacity from a base of hundreds of pre-qualified dry bulk carriers.”
The joint venture will offer asset-based and brokerage solutions.
Bulk FR8 founder and President Wayne Levinson said his company’s brokerage expertise is an excellent fit for the new venture.
“This is an exciting alliance because we share a similar customer service philosophy and company culture,” he said in a statement. “By combining our strong management team, advanced brokerage technology and safety-focused processes with Bulkmatic’s expertise and capacity in dry bulk trucking, we will offer the dry bulk transportation market unparalleled service and rates.”
Bulk FR8 is a liquid bulk logistics and freight management company based in Seattle. Its transportation network base includes over 500 tank truck carriers and intermodal partners operating more than 50,000 tank trucks and containers.
Both Bulk FR8 and Bulkmatic will continue to operate as independent businesses. Bulk FR8’s employees have relocated from Seattle to the new company’s location.