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COPYRIGHT 2005 Stagnito Communications
Want to know why Texas has such a larger-than-life mystique? Consider this: It spans more than 267 million square miles and boasts a private ranch larger than the state of Rhode Island. Heck! Texas was even its own country from 1836 to 1845.
Believe it or not, the Lone Star State also has played a big role in the history of refrigerated distribution. With so many hot, parched residents, it was the ideal market for emerging brewer Anheuser-Busch. Historians say the St. Louis-based company developed one of the first refrigerated railcars in the early 1900s to ship Budweiser[R] to Texas.
More than a century later, the state remains a top consumer market. Billed as the "Silicon Valley of the South," it's home to computer manufacturers Dell and Compaq (now part of Hewlett-Packard) and three of the nation's top 10 most populous cities: Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. Meanwhile, the state is a key distribution point to the larger Southwest and Mexico. In fact, Laredo, Texas--on the Mexican border--is billed as the world's largest inland port.
These facts certainly aren't lost on United States Cold Storage Inc. (USCS), Cherry Hill, N.J. A 116-year-old company, USCS has been investing in Texas since the 1950s. George Cruz is a 23-year USCS veteran, vice president and area manager responsible for the Texas, Florida and Tennessee markets.
"I have been involved with this dynamic Texas market for nearly 20 years and during that time, we have tripled our presence with an aggressive, sustained growth program," he says. "USCS has been providing an unparalleled LTL consolidation program in this region for many years. Coupled with our sister plants on the border in Laredo, we not only offer efficient and effective distribution access to the Southwest, but also import distribution synergies for many customers."
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Behind the scenes, USCS' Dallas, Ft. Worth and Arlington facilities often work as a team and, together, are hailed as the company's "DFW Metroplex." Mark Lorion, a USCS vice president of national sales, elaborates:
"With three diverse facilities, we offer specialized storage and services, including multi-temp rooms, low-temp ice cream storage, the most cost-effective freight consolidation in the region, rail handling and a wide variety of individually tailored distribution programs.
"We have been able to differentiate ourselves in several areas by focusing on the ongoing needs of our customers," he adds.
"USCS provides the latest technology, training and support to the operations group to help them succeed in meeting customer requirements. Our eUSCOLD online services enable our customers to better manage their inventory and orders with real-time...
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