04/30/202005/11/2020

Logistics companies keep the nation’s supply chain running during unprecedented disruption

The nation’s supply chain is facing historic challenges as demand is soaring for medical equipment, household goods and other essential items. Logistics companies are working hard on the frontlines, offering creative, nimble solutions to keep shelves stocked and supply chains running smoothly.

In recent weeks, countless companies have relied on Milestone’s nationwide network of 70 locations and more than 90,000 trailers, chassis and containers to solve critical logistical issues that continually change. This requires businesses to pivot quickly, and Milestone’s location-based online reservation system makes it easy for customers to quickly reserve a trailer or chassis whenever and wherever it is needed to meet surging demand.

On-Demand Storage Options for Overflow

To store the inventory of non-essential products that are overflowing warehouses while making sure they can get these products to market when needed again, businesses are using Milestone’s Mobile Warehousing & Storage (MW&S) solution. These are portable flex-space trailers that can be delivered in as little as 24 to 48 hours to provide customers a flexible storage alternative that is up to 50 percent less expensive than traditional warehouse space.

“As one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing transportation equipment lessors, we are dedicated to helping our customers adapt by delivering flexible, comprehensive and cost-effective solutions so they can transport freight as quickly and cost-effectively as possible,” said Executive Vice President & General Manager Highway Division Chuck Cannata.

For more on how Milestone is keeping the nation’s supply chain moving during these tumultuous times, please visit www.milecorp.com.

02/25/201902/25/2019

Are Trailers the Next Big Warehousing Trend?

Shippers turn to alternative storage options as they seek to manage inventory headaches.

Companies and warehouse providers are scrambling for creative solutions to overcome a lack of warehouse space as they revamp supply chain networks to embrace e-commerce expectations.

The amount of available U.S. warehousing and logistics space sits at a multiyear low, according to real estate researcher CBRE Group. In the fourth quarter of 2018, availability for industrial real estate fell to its lowest level since 2000, the 34th consecutive quarter of decline.

Equipment providers and startups are stepping in to supplement the traditional warehouse market, from temporary trailers to Airbnb-style matchmakers that bring warehouse space and inventory together.

Mobile storage fills the gaps

Companies like Milestone Equipment Holdings lease dry van trailers as temporary storage space. It’s been an ad hoc practice in the past as a warehouse manager scrambled to accommodate inventory spikes.

The temporary trailers — which may be used for years — allow companies to scale their warehouse space based on demand. Some companies moved imports up to beat rising tariffs or geared up for holidays or promotions.

“Some inventory needs to be mobile so they’re keeping it on the trailers, but then they’re moving the trailers where they need them,” Don Ake, vice president of commercial vehicles at FTR Transportation Intelligence, told Supply Chain Dive.

Now temporary or on-demand space is becoming a long-term factor in warehouse strategies for e-commerce, as companies revamp their supply chains to support fulfillment and fast delivery

“For our traditional customer base, it’s difficult to access warehouse space, to find enough of it in small quantities across the country to meet the compressed delivery time expectations that’s now transitioning into the B2B world as well,” Sarah Johnson, executive vice president of mobile warehousing and storage for Milestone, told Supply Chain Dive.

Milestone has a fleet of nearly 60,000 trailers and can dispatch a storage trailer within 48 hours from one of its 25 U.S. branch locations. Trailers available for storage include 53-foot and 48-foot dry vans with roll-up or swing doors. Johnson said the cost of storage in trailers could be up to 50% less than brick-and-mortar warehouse space.

Companies are also tapping trailers for reverse logistics. One national retailer has used about 1,000 of Milestone’s trailers to store returned goods.

“We’re helping them think about our trailers more in terms of real estate as opposed to a trailer,” Johnson said “Temporary storage represents a good opportunity for companies to try different solutions before they commit their capital or find a substantial term lease for warehouse space, which is tough to come by now.”

In response to the demands of e-commerce, retailers are reconfiguring distribution to be closer to consumers for faster delivery time. The mobile warehouses help shippers transition from large distribution centers in low-cost outlying areas to smaller sites in more expensive urban areas.

To read to full article, click here

SOURCE: Supply Chain Dive

in Companies / Trailer Leasing / Uncategorized

12/30/201801/07/2019

Wall Street Journal: Swamped With Inventory, U.S. Companies Turn to ‘Mobile Storage’

U.S. companies are so inundated with inventory that some are renting truck trailers to use for storage space, parking them on warehouse lots or behind storefronts to hold goods until a surge in imports is cleared from crowded distribution hubs.

Transportation equipment lessor Milestone Equipment Holdings launched a “mobile warehousing and storage” business this year to accommodate more customers seeking trailers to hold goods, many of them pulled in from China during 2018 to get ahead of impending tariffs.

The company said Home Depot Inc. and several other major retailers and manufacturers are using the service.

“It’s like a warehouse on wheels,” said Sarah Johnson, who heads up the new mobile storage business at Milestone. “We now think about our trailers as more of a real-estate alternative than just a trailer.”

Read the full story on WSJ here.

Request a Quote here.

SOURCE: Wall Street Journal via Erica E. Phillips

in Companies / Press Releases / Trailer Leasing / Uncategorized

12/12/201812/13/2018

Milestone Launches National Mobile Warehousing & Storage Product Line

ST. CHARLES, MO (December 12, 2018) – Milestone Equipment Holdings, a national leader in trailer and chassis leasing, is expanding its offerings to include a line of mobile warehousing and storage products. As the only national lessor with dedicated trailers for mobile storage applications, Milestone is positioned to be the industry leader for this kind of offering, with a fleet of 59,000+ trailers of varying specifications, sizes and vintages. This launch is the latest in Milestone’s recent expansions, which have included rapid growth of fleet size and additional locations over the past several years.

In preparation for the launch, Milestone developed a robust infrastructure that included the development of a 15-point quality inspection for the storage assets as well as operational mechanisms that can often deliver assets on site in as little as 24 to 48 hours. Milestone can also provide inexpensive trailer parking at one of its 25 branch locations across the United States if on-site storage space is a challenge.

Forward-Thinking

“We saw an opportunity to use our high-quality fleet to solve space constraints directly related to warehousing shortages and supply chain disruptions; providing expanded access and new solutions for our customers,” said Sarah Johnson, Executive Vice President of Mobile Warehousing and Storage for Milestone. “These forward- and reverse-logistic storage solutions address many of the demands driven by e-commerce, freeing up customers’ equipment. It’s exciting to be the only national single-source provider of this kind of trailer and storage network.”

The product line is comprised of trailers available for cartage, portable or fixed storage; with options that include 53’ or 48’ dry van trailers with roll-up or swing doors and air or spring ride. The services are supported by 25 branches across the country, with a team of dedicated customer service specialists. Milestone can provide flexible terms to address customers’ various volume and commitment needs. The company will also soon offer an enhanced online reservation request system and customer portal, both of which will be available in early 2019.

Opportunity

“In recent years, many companies have struggled with rapidly escalating logistics and warehousing costs, in part driven by the massive growth of e-commerce,” said Milestone CEO Don Clayton. “We worked closely with our customers to develop a product offering that delivers substantial cost savings and flexibility relative to traditional warehousing. Along with the significant investments we continue to make in late model equipment and the expansion of our branch network, we’re positioned to deliver an unparalleled range of solutions to our customers.”

For additional information about Milestone’s Mobile Warehousing & Storage solutions, contact Sarah Johnson at sarah.johnson@milecorp.com or call 636.238.8732. Customers wishing to reserve equipment for mobile storage applications may call their customer service representative or 866.706.1144, email customer.service@milecorp.com.

Sign up for more information here.

About Milestone Equipment Holdings, LLC

With a combined fleet of more than 85,000 trailers, chassis and domestic containers, Milestone is one of the nation’s leading and most comprehensive transportation lessors. Founded in 1995 and Headquartered in St. Charles, MO, Milestone’s team of seasoned commercial, operational and customer support professionals provide a broad range of transportation solutions to customers, operating from 60+ locations nationwide.

For more information, please visit: https://www.milecorp.com/

in Companies / Press Releases / Trailer Leasing / Uncategorized

09/12/201809/14/2021

Milestone Expands Its Capabilities in Growing Seattle-Tacoma Market

ST. CHARLES, MO (September 12, 2018) – Responding to growing transportation needs in the Pacific Northwest, Milestone announces its expansion in the Seattle-Tacoma region, effective immediately. In an effort to continuously expand its service offerings to both local and national clients, Milestone is opening the Seattle depot as a key strategic location to service trailer and chassis needs.

“We are excited about this expansion and look forward to delivering creative solutions and outstanding service to our customers throughout the region, while offering more comprehensive services to national accounts with West Coast fulfillment needs,” says Chuck Cannata, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Highway Division at Milestone.

The region’s economic boom and its proximity to the Port of Seattle means a tremendous need in industries including construction, manufacturing and agriculture, among others.

“Seattle is undergoing explosive growth and we want to be a part of that – the opportunities to serve this market are exciting,” says Sarah Johnson, Executive Vice President, Mobile Storage and Warehousing at Milestone. “Our Pacific Northwest customers will have access to Milestone’s nationwide network and a robust mix of 85,000+ pieces of equipment, with our focus on over-the-road needs, as well as mobile storage and chassis.”

Customers interested in accessing equipment for their transportation needs can visit milecorp.com/seattle.

For chassis availability at this branch and at Milestone’s existing ConGlobal facility, visit https://www.milecorp.com/chassisfinder.

in Chassis / Companies / Press Releases / Trailer Leasing / Uncategorized

08/21/201809/14/2021

Milestone Appoints Chuck Cannata & Kathy Tierney to Leadership Team

SAINT CHARLES, MO (August 21, 2018) – Milestone is pleased to announce the recent addition of two key executives to its leadership team: Chuck Cannata and Kathy Tierney. Cannata and Tierney will report directly to Don Clayton, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Chuck Cannata

Chuck Cannata joins Milestone as Executive Vice President for the trailer leasing division, leading the nationwide branch network’s commercial activities, including sales, customer service and field operations. Chuck brings 18 years of commercial equipment finance experience to Milestone, including eight years of sales management and business development at GE Trailer Fleet Services. He is based in Kansas City, KS.

Kathy Tierney

Kathy Tierney joins Milestone as Vice President of Human Resources, leading all key HR functions, including recruiting & development, employee relations, payroll & benefits and compliance. Kathy brings 40 years of HR experience to Milestone, including 20 years at First Bank and 20 years at Venture Stores. Kathy is based in St. Charles, MO.

“I am very proud of the outstanding team that we have built by promoting from within and selectively adding outside talent.” says Milestone CEO Don Clayton. “The addition of Chuck, Mike and Kathy will help us continue to grow rapidly, while driving operational excellence in their areas of responsibility. Just as importantly, these additions provide some of our other very talented leaders the bandwidth they need to drive focused strategic initiatives that will contribute to Milestone’s future success.”

in Chassis / Companies / Intermodal / People / Press Releases / Trailer Leasing / Uncategorized

06/12/201809/04/2018

Milestone Trailer Leasing Continues to Invest in Modern Equipment, Adds 1,500 Trailers to Expansive National Fleet

St. Charles, MO (June 6, 2018) – In a continued effort to expand its offering of personalized solutions for customers, Milestone Trailer Leasing has acquired leases for 1,575 dry vans from Heartland Express of North Liberty, Iowa. This move will add additional trailers – manufactured between 2014 and 2017 – equipped with tracking, tire inflation systems and lift pads to Milestone’s already expansive fleet spanning 25 markets.

“Milestone’s depth of industry experience, flexible deal structuring, lender relationships and nationwide branch network uniquely positions the company to craft and execute on this type of transaction,” says Don Clayton, Milestone President and CEO.

New Equipment, More Opportunity

The Milestone – Heartland deal provides Heartland the opportunity to move out of the leased late model fleet that was part of its July 2017 purchase of Interstate Distributor Company (IDC) while providing for a quick and orderly return of all 1,575 trailers to locations throughout Milestone’s nationwide branch network. Additionally, the structure of the transaction allows Heartland to focus on the replacement of the IDC fleet with trailers made more to its specifications.

“This transaction allows Heartland to execute our financial and fleet strategies effectively and efficiently,” says Michael Gerdin, Heartland President and CEO. “Milestone’s extensive experience in large multi-location trailer fleet programs gave us confidence in working with the Milestone team.”

This announcement comes on the heels of Milestone’s expansive growth in the last three years – including the addition of $400 million of equipment. Inventory comprises of approximately 85,000 trailers, chassis, and containers provided to customers under flexible operating lease and rental structures. “The company continues to respond to customer and market demand,” says Clayton. “We are dedicated to driving results for our partners.”

About Milestone Equipment Holdings, LLC

Milestone is one of the largest and fastest growing transportation equipment leasing companies in the US, operating a diversified fleet of over 84,000 pieces of equipment including Domestic Chassis, Domestic Containers, Marine Chassis, Highway Trailers, Intermodal Trailers, Storage and Convention Trailers, Flatbed Trailers, Refrigerated Containers and Trailers, and other specialty equipment.

Headquartered in St. Charles, MO with an operational center in Chicago and 60+ commercial locations across the country, Milestone has acquired intermodal and highway fleets for our operations since 1995, while managing and leasing equipment on behalf of institutional and private investors. Our customers include trucking companies (over-the-road and LTL), third-party logistics (3PL) companies, package carriers, private shippers, railroads, steamship operators, beneficial cargo owners (BCOs), retailers, manufacturers and other companies throughout the transportation sector. The Milestone fleet allows all of these industry segments to maximize equipment utilization and transportation efficiency without the burden of owning their own equipment.

Our management services include committed peak and surge capacity programs, complex consulting and structured deals (including sale-leaseback transactions and fleet refresh programs), maintenance and telematics consulting and services, comprehensive management of third party transportation equipment assets, and equipment acquisitions and remarketing.

For more information, please visit: https://www.milecorp.com/

in Companies / Press Releases / Trailer Leasing

01/24/201803/02/2018

Meet John Brockmeier

John Brockmeier is a veteran of the industry. With 30 years of experience in transportation and operations management, his wealth of knowledge and skills have helped to build superior teams that support Milestone Trailer Leasing’s comprehensive national network.

Brockmeier shares how he get got started, what urgent issues face the industry, and the secret to good leadership.

Professional Background

Tell us about your role as Director of Operations at Milestone Trailer Leasing. What are your responsibilities?

My responsibility is to oversee all the branches in our national network. I make sure our branches are keeping track of inventory and processing their purchase orders and I also do all of the auditing. I go through every branch, examine their paperwork and make sure everything is going smoothly. We have over 25 locations across the US, so I do a lot of traveling. At the end of 2017, I was traveling almost every week.

How did you get started in this industry?

I started in this industry in 1987 with AJF Trailer Leasing. My advisor from college had connections with the company and encouraged me to start my career there. I went to Chicago and worked there for four months, then moved to Louisville, Kentucky, then worked for the AJF branch in St. Louis. Later, I transferred to AJF corporate headquarters when they started a 24-hour road service. There were a lot of changes in the coming years – AJF merged with XTRA Lease until 1997, then went to Fruehauf Trailer Services from 2000 to 2003. They sold that division to Aurora Trailer Leasing, then sold to Milestone, which I joined in February of 2012.

Personalized Attention

The best thing about your job?

What I like about it is that every day will be different. I don’t know what’s going to be happening, what will unfold. It’s kind of fun. You walk into the day thinking, “What’s going to be the new problem that needs to be solved?”

Also, I enjoy interacting with our team. I like giving them ideas that I’ve used over the years and watching them apply it to their professional lives. One example of this is a trip I made to one of our branches in Chicago. I had completed an audit and unfortunately the personnel received a D rating. I watched the two employees take my ideas, reinforce what we needed to do and they went from a D rating in 2012 to an A in 2017.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I’m proud that I’ve been in this industry for 30 years. Coming to work for Milestone has been the highlight. XTRA is the big gorilla in this industry, but I wanted to be in a culture that felt more personalized. At Aurora, it was more accounting driven, if a deal wouldn’t work in their structure they just wouldn’t do it. But at Milestone, if a deal comes us and no matter how goofy it is, we will try to figure out how to make it work. I’ve been very happy to be here and figure out how to serve our customers. Watching these deals happen gives me my greatest sense of accomplishment.

Urgent Issues Facing the Industry

What are the most urgent issues facing the industry right now?

The lack of good drivers. There’s a general lack of accountability and caring about your equipment. I’ve been in this industry for 30 years now. If a driver has a light out, he would replace it. But now they call in for service and get it repaired for them. There’s just not enough quality drivers in the industry.

How is Milestone addressing those challenges?

We can’t recruit drivers for our customers but we can give them better trailers so their drivers don’t tear them up so badly.

On Leadership

Tell us your thoughts about leadership. What do you look for when building a team?

Good communication. From my standpoint, the ideas we put into place get clearly communicated to our field personnel. From there, if they don’t understand something, they need to communicate back with us, and make sure they are totally understanding what is expected of them. The key to a whole team is communications up to down and down back up.

Ahead of the Competition

What sets Milestone apart from the competition?

We are easier to work with than our competition. That is the long and short of it. Compared to other companies, and I’ve worked at a lot of them, they’re not even close.

What is the key to superior customer service?

Number one the people who are willing to do the things not during normal business hours. To make the customer happy. Of our two national accounts, FleetNet and Goodyear, drivers who break down can call into one centralized number to get help. Both vendors have my cell phone number. It’s all about accessibility. It’s a 24-hours-a-day, 365 days a year kind of working relationship. I never turn my cell phone off. I’ll take the call.

in People / Trailer Leasing

11/27/201712/09/2017

All Hands On Deck – Contributing to Hurricane Disaster Relief

Hurricane Season 2017

As hurricanes were making landfall in Texas and the Florida Keys, Sarah Johnson’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Disaster relief preparations were in motion and Milestone would play a crucial role in getting emergency goods to shelters and relief centers across the Southern US and the Eastern Seaboard.

“It was a mad scramble, but everybody was on deck to help,” says Johnson, Executive Vice President of Highway Operations. “Whether it was making phone calls around the clock, getting employees out in the field or giving up weekends and nights to make sure customers could access equipment – everyone played a crucial role in making all this happen. Which was pretty awesome. “

The Milestone team worked with carriers hauling for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to deploy hundreds of trailers across the country (San Antonio, Houston, Atlanta, Tulsa, Memphis and York, Pennsylvania) to help deliver bottled water and other emergency supplies to evacuees.

In total, Milestone moved some 400 trailers in support of FEMA-related hurricane relief, which was one of the largest in scale the company participated in. Milestone is committed to serving communities around the nation, especially in times of extreme circumstances. This year’s hurricane season proved to be a true test for how local communities, states and the nation would come together to combat Mother Nature. Milestone is honored to have worked with FEMA to provide aid in the areas most affected and will continue to strive to be an industry leader in volunteering efforts.

in Press Releases / Trailer Leasing

10/27/201705/23/2018

Women in Trucking – In Her Own Words

Meet Sarah Johnson

The Beginning

While I was in college, I started working part-time for my dad’s trailer rental and leasing company, Personal Attention Leasing (PAL) which was based in St. Louis, Missouri. At the time, he had a rental fleet of 200 trailers. The summer I started, he added his second location in Kansas City, Kansas.

I always thought it was a temporary position, as I had different plans for my career path. I moved away to Chicago and Los Angeles while got my degree at but eventually settled back to the St. Louis area to help again with the business. We often joke that once you’re in transportation, you never get out!

Over the course of 10 years, Personal Attention Leasing grew through acquisitions of assets and companies to a fleet of 15,000 trailers and 12 locations. I held several roles in the company during those years. From inspecting equipment, processing invoices, human resource function, to helping with IT. Whatever it was, I would jump in and figure out how to make it happen, always putting the needs of the customer first. The growth of the company and my various roles gave me tremendous exposure to all aspects of the business, which I couldn’t have learned in any classroom.

Considering the fact that I worked for my father, I put pressure on myself to prove to my co-workers that I earned my position and that nothing was “given” to me. I often think back to how much I liked to play kickball at recess in the first grade. However, the boys would move in, thinking I couldn’t kick it very far. Then I would kick it over their heads. I simply wanted to get out on the kickball field and play (or win) the same game, the same way as my classmates. No special treatment.

Transitioning from Personal Attention Leasing to Milestone

In 2016 Personal Attention Leasing was rebranded to the parent company’s name of Milestone. The purpose was to represent all product lines to the market including intermodal equipment, containers, chassis and highway trailers. Today Milestone Equipment Holdings features 84,000 assets in total. As Executive Vice President of Branch Operations, I oversee our national network of 25+ locations in the Trailer Leasing division. Our highway office is also our St. Louis branch, so it keeps me in touch with the equipment, driver interactions and the core of our businesses.

With our growth trajectory, I have been fortunate enough to see the transportation industry in all types of businesses and applications. I enjoy learning the inner working of the retailers, manufacturers, distributors and trucking companies. I’m equally passionate about helping these industries to creatively solve problems.

My Perspective

I enjoy working with the employees in the field, making them successful and remaining diligent to serving our customer base.

Being a woman in trucking reminds me of being on that kickball field. I don’t want special treatment. Not in my favor or against me. I am knowledgeable about this business, I know equipment, I have ideas, I like building business partnerships, and I enjoy making a profit. I want to use the skills I have developed to compete in the game.

My goal is that someday, perhaps with my help, I will have more women on my “team” in the board room to help “kick the ball over their heads.”

Accelerate! Conference & Expo

From Monday, November 6th to Wednesday, November 8th, I will be joining transportation, logistics, and supply chain peers at the Accelerate! Conference & Expo, hosted by Women In Trucking. If you will be attending and would like to meet, please complete the form below.

Women in Trucking

The Women In Trucking Association is a non-profit organization with the mission to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments, and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the industry. For nearly a decade, we’ve been focused on this clear mission. It’s supported by a passionate leadership team, highly engaged members, and committed sponsors and partners. We continue to build a strong community among our members (primarily business professionals and professional drivers) who believe in and support our mission.

in Companies / People / Trailer Leasing