A private venture fund has invested in a supply chain management company with technology that could help shippers and rail companies better utilize empty auto railcars on return trips.
GameAbove Capital said Tuesday it has taken an equity stake in Pro-Tech Group, a company specializing in transportation, warehousing and logistics solutions. Both companies are located in Michigan.
Pro-Tech’s technology consists of a patented freight container loading system in which a bi-directional loading apparatus helps to handle cargo within small spaces. The technology, which Pro-Tech plans to demonstrate later in the third quarter, can be used in situations such as empty automobile railcar space on return trips.
Pro-Tech said in August 2016 that it received the patent for the technology, which the company described as containers that are collapsible and specially designed to fit inside auto railcars. The technology also entails a global tracking RFID system to allow companies to monitor railcar flow patterns, analyze costs and benefits and optimize container usage. The company said back then that the technology increases backhaul opportunities for logistics providers and addresses the issue of “unproductive” railcar mileage.
“With GameAbove Capital, we gain an important ally and partner in our ongoing efforts to meet customer demands, continue innovating and be leaders in sustainability for automotive supply chain management,” Pro-Tech Chairman and CEO Earle B. Higgins Sr. said Tuesday.
Pro-Tech is GameAbove Capital’s first investment since the fund was announced earlier this year.
GameAbove Capital is a CapStone Holdings-held private venture fund that focuses on minority- and women-operated businesses engaged in sustainability-related products and services, according to GameAbove Capital’s release. Pro-Tech is a minority-owned business founded in 1999.
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