Dive Brief:
- Saia reopened three former Yellow Corp. terminals to bolster its Mexico cross-border, Upper Midwest and Southern California operations, the LTL carrier announced this month.
- Saia purchased the facilities in Laredo, Texas, and Owatonna, Minnesota, among its 17 acquisitions in its defunct competitor’s bankruptcy auction. It also acquired the lease to the Orange, California, site near Anaheim along with 10 other former Yellow leases.
- "With each new terminal, we remain committed to providing industry leading service,” Saia EVP of Operations Patrick Sugar said in a statement. “Our success is built on our ability to duplicate our service excellence in new locations.”
Dive Insight:
The Laredo facility was one of the most coveted in Yellow’s bankruptcy real estate auction last year, and Saia bought the property for $51 million. The site and another near Trenton, New Jersey, accounted for more than half of Saia’s spending on properties at the auction.
The Laredo terminal will offer onsite warehousing and support Saia’s partnership with Fletes México, the company said.
“This terminal is important to our operations as it will serve as one of two gateway terminals to Mexico, in addition to enhancing our service across the Central and Southern U.S., supporting the local economy with job opportunities and improved shipping services,” VP of Operations, West Kevin Szydel said in the announcement.
The Johns Creek, Georgia-based carrier is hustling alongside competitors like XPO and Estes Express Lines to renovate and rebrand their respective former Yellow terminals. All are aiming to get them open as soon as possible to add capacity in advance of a long-awaited freight demand rebound.
Saia previously opened facilities in Montana, New Jersey, Texas and Utah, and the company plans to open up to 16 terminals this year. Reopened former Yellow terminals represent only a quarter of its $1 billion in planned capital expenditures.
