North America's SuperCorridor Coalition - Inbound Logistics

SPECIALADVERTISINGSUPPLEMENTNorthAmerica’sSuperCorridorCoalitionNASCONASCO, the multimodal transportation networkrunning through the heart of trade in the UnitedStates, Canada, and Mexico, is all about sustainable,secure, and efficient economic development.See why its future looks so bright.November 2008 • Inbound Logistics 1

NASCONorth America’s SuperCorridor CoalitionNorth America’s SuperCorridor Coalition, Inc. – knownas NASCO – represents a 2,500-mile-long, existingmultimodal transportation network running throughthe heart of trade in Mexico, the United States, andCanada, connecting more than 71 million people incommerce and trade.The NASCO Corridor directly impactsNorth America’s continental trade flow,supporting $1 trillion in business amongthe three countries.Trade within the NASCO Corridorhas exploded since passage of the NorthAmerican Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)in 1994. In 1993, U.S.-Mexico trade totaled$82 billion. By the end of 2007, that figurehit $350 billion. Pre-NAFTA U.S.-Canadatrade was $350 billion, rising to $590 billionin 2007.“NAFTA trade represents more thanone-third of the United States’ total tradewith the world,” reports Francisco Conde,director of communications and specialprojects for NASCO. “It is the fastestgrowingpart of the United States’ tradewith the world, and we have not yet begunto take full advantage of what we can dowith our Mexican and Canadian tradingpartners.”Tapping Growth PotentialRecognizing not only the potentialfor growth, but also the need forimprovements and coordination alongthe NASCO corridor early on, a groupof transportation industry players – bothgovernment and private sector – formedNorth America’s SuperCorridor Coalition,Inc. in 1994. Today, the tri-nationalCoalition promotes research, collaboration,investment, and other activitiesalong the entire corridor. Its membershipincludes departments of transportationfrom various states and provincial authorities;business development groups; inlandport developers; universities; and otherpublic and private sector entities relatedto transportation and trade in the UnitedStates, Canada, and Mexico.“NASCO’s strength lies in unifying thepublic and private sector to take action onthe many transportation and trade challengesfacing the corridor – principallyfocusing on how to advance economicdevelopment and security through theNorth American heartland,” says TiffanyMelvin, executive director of the tradepartnership.“NASCO is not just about Interstate35,” Melvin adds. “NASCO is all aboutsustainable, secure, and efficient economicdevelopment along the existingmultimodal transportation system. Werepresent a great mix of tri-nationalgovernment and private sector entitiesworking together toward common goals.”After 14 years of hard work, NASCOhas created an environment in whichmembers feel free to share ideas. “Wehave done a good job of bringing togetherstate and local government agencies, grassroots organizations, and the private sector,and providing an environment where peopleare comfortable throwing ideas on thetable,” says Melvin. “We all recognize thatwe’re working toward a common purpose.We understand that our countries and ourcontinent must collaborate and cooperateto compete in this global economy.”To this end, NASCO is concentratingon five major focus areas:1. Economic development – to supportfunding, maintenance, and improvementsto the infrastructure underpinningsneeded to support trade flows.2. Technology – to improve transportationefficiency and supply chain security.3. Sustainability – to promote “green”environmental initiatives that improveair quality.4. Knowledge – to link educationalinstitutions along the corridor for collaborativeresearch and development.5. Job creation – to promote a workforcetraining program in the supplychain and logistics fields.Promoting InfrastructureImprovementsWhile NASCO promotes a commitmentto transportation infrastructureimprovements on many fronts, one of itsmost recent efforts is encouraging developmentof intermodal inland ports.As coastal seaports become morecongested, inland ports have taken onincreasing importance in enabling theefficient flow of imports and exportsthrough the mid-continent corridor. Toencourage and capitalize on this trend,NASCO established the North AmericanInland Port Network (NAIPN), a committeetasked with developing an activeinland port network along the NASCOcorridor to alleviate congestion at maritimeports and U.S. borders.Currently, the NAIPN committeeincludes developments at Alliance Texasin Fort Worth; Dallas Logistics Hub;International Inland Port of Dallas; KCLogistics Hub; Port San Antonio; DesMoines, Iowa; CentrePort Canada inWinnipeg, Manitoba; Puerto InteriorGuanajuato; Bajio Central Mexico;Interpuerto Monterrey; Proyecto DistritoMultimodal Villa XXI; Durango, Mexico;and Meridian 100° Free Trade Zone atPort Laredo.NAIPN envisions an integrated, efficient,and secure network of inland portsspecializing in the transportation of containerizedcargo in North America. Itacts to spur job creation and raise publicawareness of inland ports’ growing,2 Inbound Logistics • November 2008

integral role in economic developmentand trade.On the technology front, NASCO iscollaborating with the U.S. Departmentof Transportation and Lockheed MartinCo., SAVR Communications Inc., andGeoDecisions to test advanced freighttracking technologies along the 2,480-mile corridor. The aim of the pilot is toimprove supply chain and freightmobility, security, and efficiencywhile reducing congestion and costof trade.Participants and advisors inthe pilot project include truckingcompanies, third-party logisticscompanies, brokers/freight forwarders,railroad operators,emergency responders, and local,state, and federal governments.“The program combines RFIDreaders/scanners, GPS technology,and other software and informationnetworks to enable shippersand authorities to track the flowof containerized cargo along theNASCO corridor,” reports Melvin.“We are looking at the feasibilityof a trade corridor managementsystem that places sensors insidecontainers to monitor temperaturechange, light, shock, andother condition variables via theInternet.“The system could tell us, forexample, whether a container wasopened or tampered with, whetherit was dropped and if so, by whomand when,” she adds. “This kindof accountability, visibility, andimproved security could save companiesa lot of money.”NASCO is also supportinganother pilot project: the Cross-TownImprovement Program (C-TIP) in KansasCity. C-TIP is an effort by the FederalHighway Administration working withindustry to reduce unnecessary shorthaultruck trips across urban areas.The project does this by collecting anddisseminating information on short-haulfreight movements via an Internet portal.Specifically, the portal indicates whethertrailers are empty or partially loaded, andserves as a matching service. C-TIP’s firstpilot program is taking place in KansasCity, Mo.Researchers working on C-TIP believethey can reduce unnecessary trips by 38percent, thereby cutting freight trafficSan FranciscoPrince RupertVancouverSeattleTacomaPortlandOaklandLas VegasLos Angeles/Long BeachSan DiegoTijuanaColonetHermosilloGuaymasAlbequerqueEdmontonCalgaryButteIdaho FallsSalt Lake CityDenverPhoenixFt. WorthTucsonEl PasoCiudad Juarez AustinSan AntonioChihuahuaTulsaOklahoma CityLittle RockLaredoSioux CityOmahaCranberry PortageWinnipegFargoKansas CityDallasHoustonCorpus ChristiLos MochisGomez PalacioMatamorosDurango MonterreyCabo San LucasSan Luis PotosiMazatlanTampicoLeon Celaya QuerataroMeridaGuadalajaraPachucaIrapuatoManzanilloVeracruzLazaro CardenasMexico D.F. CoatzacoalcosHildalgo Salina CruzGuatemalacongestion, expanding the capacity ofexisting transportation infrastructure,and reducing negative fuel emissions fromfreight movements. NASCO is workingwith C-TIP to promote the program inother urban areas along its corridor.NASCO members and staff are collaboratingwith the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency’s (EPA) Blue SkywaysCollaborative (BSC) on voluntary programstargeting improved air qualityalong the corridor. The Blue SkywaysCollaborative was created to encouragevoluntary air emissions reduction inNorth America’s heartland.NASCO is engaged with BSC leadersalong the corridor to develop a newChurchillNasco: The BIG PICTUREDuluthQuébecMinneapolisMontréalOttawaTorontoPort HuronMilwaukee Detroit/Windsor BostonDes Moines ChicagoNew YorkIndianapolisColumbusSt. LouisWashington, D.C.MemphisAtlantaNew OrleansSan SalvadorNaplesCancunBelize CityTegucigalpaSan JoseCharlestonSavannahJacksonvilleManaguaMiamiWilmingtonCanal ZonePanamaThe NASCO Corridor encompasses multimodal transportation infrastructure on or in close proximity to U.S.Interstate Highways 35, 29, and 94, and the significant connectors to those highways in Canada and Mexico. Theeffectiveness of cargo movements along the NASCO Corridor directly impacts North America’s continental tradeflow, the largest in the world.Halifaxvoluntary prototype EnvironmentalManagement System (EMS) programspecific to inland port operations. Theprogram’s goal is to reduce the environmentalimpact of inland port operationsin the corridor similar in scope to EMSprograms the EPA has developed for citiesand seaports. NAIPN members also areNovember 2008 • Inbound Logistics 3

NASCONorth America's SuperCorridor Coalitionactively working with the EPA and BSC todevelop an environmental best practiceschecklist for inland ports.NASCO’s efforts in promoting environmentalbest practices has attracted thesupport and backing of the Commissionfor Environmental Cooperation (CEC) ofNorth America, the Montreal, Canadabasedtri-national institution formed byNAFTA partners in an environmentalside agreement on NASCO.A Green VisionThe CEC points to NASCO as a leadingexample of its “Greening the TradeCorridors of North America” vision.NASCO and NAIPN also support themoves by their members and others alongthe NASCO corridor to adopt emissionreducingcertified “green buildings” thatmeet the highest standards for energy-efficientand environmental design.“Areas that cannot sustain business orsecure investment because they’re not incompliance with air quality standardswill be less attractive as a potential site,”The NASCO Corridor’s backbone comprisesa system of highways terminating at aninternational border crossing and carrying alarge volume of international trade.observes Melvin. “NASCO views environmentalbest practices as essential. Wehave moved way beyond doing somethinggood for the environment just because it’sa good thing to do.“Our members understand that if we doPhoto Courtesy of Alliance TexasNASCO’s Mission:To increase economic development along the NASCO Corridor through promotionof a sustainable, secure and efficient trade and transportation system.■ Economic Development■ Job Creation■ Security & Efficiency■ Sustainable Development■ Supply Chain Accountability■ Transportation LogisticsTo become a part of NASCO’s successful efforts please visit www.nascocorridor.com

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illion in 1997, the year the provincejoined NASCO.“With the passage of NAFTA we findourselves at the crossroads of growingnorth-south trade into the United Statesand on to Mexico,” Swan continues.Manitoba recently formulated a comprehensivestrategy to position theprovince as a distribution gateway forNorth America, servicing the mid-continent.Called the Manitoba InternationalGateway Strategy, the policy capitalizeson the fact that Winnipeg is theonly city in Canada that has threemajor railroads – CN Rail, CP Rail, andBNSF – running through it.“We’re excited about the ManitobaInternational Gateway Strategy andNASCO’s promotion of transportation andtrade along the corridor,” says Gershman.Another significant project under developmentin Manitoba is CentrePort Canada.In September, the Manitoba governmentintroduced legislation – the CentrePortCanada Act – to create CentrePort Canada,a private-sector focused corporation thatwould develop and promote Manitoba’sinland port. The inland port is a 20,000-acre parcel of land adjacent to Winnipeg’sinternational airport, and will capitalizeon Manitoba’s well-established air, rail,maritime, and road infrastructure.“CentrePort Canada is an excitingvision we share with Manitoba’s businesscommunity, municipal leaders, and otherswho want to build our province,” saysManitoba Premier Gary Doer. “Its developmentwill allow us to create jobs, attractinvestment, and take advantage of ourprime location in North America.”“We are pleased the inland port is beingdeveloped in conjunction with airportlands,” adds Barry Rempel, president andchief executive officer of the WinnipegAirports Authority. “Shovel-ready landis available immediately, as is a plan forfuture phases of fully serviced land. Withenhanced roads, rail access, and cargoshipping, we have the assets to movegoods to market. And we have access tomarkets in all directions, from the portof Churchill to Mexico, through ThunderBay to the east, to the Asia Pacific Gatewayvia Prince Rupert.”Supporting the portWork is underway on a number of initiativesdesigned to support Manitoba’sinland port, including significant fundingfor highway upgrades, expansion ofWe are the Leading Intermodal Alternativein North America, specializing in Short Noticeand Cross-Border shipments.G2 is a proud member of NASCOand enthusiastically supportsNASCO’s efforts to improve securityand visibility in the supply chain.Toll Free: 877-675-8989Toll Free Fax: 877-775-5704www.g2logistics.comNovember 2008 • Inbound Logistics 7

NASCONorth America's SuperCorridor CoalitionRichardson International Airport, andupgrades to the Hudson Bay rail lineand the port of Churchill including $48million from the federal and provincialgovernments and $20 million fromthe Hudson Bay Rail Company, reportsTransportation and InfrastructureMinister Ron Lemieux.“We expect the Manitoba inland portto accelerate the flow of goods,” saysGershman. “Many goods coming intoports are destined for mid-continent markets.But port congestion means goodsoften are delayed. If a container comesinto Vancouver full of merchandise forthe mid-continent, there’s no sense in itsitting at the port waiting to be destuffed.“Instead, we will be able to ship the boxto the Winnipeg inland port, destuff itthere, and move the goods into the market.Companies can save on transportationbecause they’re using rail versus truck tomove inland,” he says.“We are starting to see a rebound effecton sourcing in Asia,” Gershman observes.“Companies are finding out that it is notalways beneficial to move productionoverseas. The cost to ship a 40-foot containerto points in North America hasalmost tripled in the past five years, andcompanies have experienced quality problemsand delays. Some manufacturing isstarting to come back to North America.”The FTZ FactorOne factor that will draw businesses tothe NASCO corridor is a new Free TradeZone on the Mexico-U.S. border.Meridian 100°, a privately owned FreeTrade Zone (FTZ) developer, will invest$120 million in the first stage of a majorFTZ with state-of-the-art logistics infrastructurelocated at Mexico’s Port Laredoborder. The Meridian 100° Free TradeZone at Port Laredo will be of significantbenefit to 3PLs, manufacturers, globaltraders, and distributors interested inimproving operations in the Mexican andU.S. East Coast markets.The Port Laredo region undoubtedly representsNorth America’s “logistics heart”SpecializedLogistics TRAINING INTexasNorth Texas is recognized as one ofthe leading intermodal distribution centersin the Southwest and one of thetop distribution centers in the NorthAmerican trading bloc. The region actsas a staging area for truck, rail, and aircargo into the United States, and sitsalong two central trade corridors. Thesecorridors carry goods from West Coastand Mexican deep-water ports throughthe Dallas-Fort Worth region and intoeastern U.S. and Canadian markets.Recently, the North CentralTexas Supply Chain and AdvancedManufacturing Cluster identified a shortageof qualified logistics workers at boththe entry level and more technical intermediatelevel. To address the problem,the cluster – including Greater Dallas-FortWorth government and business interests– applied for and won a $1.5-millionDepartment of Labor grant to developtraining and certification programs forthese two levels of logistics workers.The training curriculum will be deliveredthrough local community colleges,according to Francisco Conde, directorof communications and special projects,NASCO. The two curriculums will berolled out through the end of 2009.“NASCO will take the lead in promotingthese programs or influencingexisting programs tri-nationally alongour corridor,” says Conde. “The programfits nicely within our larger knowledgecorridor development efforts.”for both Mexico and the United States.It constitutes their most important landport and one of the world’s most dynamicborders for goods exchange – almost fivemillion TEUs (equivalent to 45 percent ofthe trade between the two countries) crossthrough this region every year.Robust growth – in the range of 200to 400 percent by 2020 – is forecast forthe movement of goods between NorthAmerica and Asia. This increase in tradewill require a competitive infrastructureto allow goods to flow faster and moreeconomically into North America.Laredo: A Perfect FitPort Laredo is perfectly suited to handlefuture trade coming through Mexicofrom Asia. Through the years, the regionhas become the primary point of accessto the United States. Its multimodalinfrastructure network allows globalcompanies’ operations to be more efficientthanks to connectivity with themost important cities in Mexico and theUnited States.Conscious about global trends, andaware of value drivers available in PortLaredo, Meridian 100° has decided toinvest in the region with a clear objective:to deliver a positive impact in enhancingthe region’s competitiveness.The 2,500-acre Meridian 100° development,located next to the SolidarityInternational Bridge, will be the first FreeTrade Zone on northern Mexico’s borderand the only one with 24/7 direct access tothe international bridge. The infrastructurewill allow global companies to carryout their business in a secure, high-techenvironment. Their supply chains willbe faster and more predictable, and theywill positively benefit from the cost-savinglogistics operations and tax proceduresthat the FTZ offers.For companies in the retail, consumerproducts, electronics, technology, automotive,and aerospace fields, and thosecurrently evaluating new site locations,Meridian 100° has brought together aworld-class advisory team and is workingwith them to identify and deliver thebenefits of Port Laredo´s Free Trade Zonevalue proposition, which will improvesupply chain operations while deliveringcost savings and tax advantages.Companies will also be able to benefit8 Inbound Logistics • November 2008

Connecting you witha world of opportunitiesBetter. Faster. Cheaper.CentrePort Canada is Manitoba’s new 20,000 acre inland port including Winnipeg’sJames Armstrong Richardson International Airport and other transportation, manufacturing,distribution and logistics assets.CentrePort Canada’s strategic location advantages connect your business to aworld of markets and customers with modern transportation infrastructure:• A 24 hour airport with the highest number of cargo flights andmost number of cargo handlers in Canada.• Three major railways—CN, CP and Burlington Northern Santa Fe—with north/south and east/west continental links.• 1,000 for-hire trucking companies with direct access to theCanada/U.S. border at Emerson.• Four deep sea berths serving Panamax class vesselsat the Port of Churchill.Contact CentrePort Canada to discover howyour path to success runs through Manitoba:Bill MorrisseySenior Vice PresidentThe Winnipeg Chamber of CommerceTelephone: 1-204-944-3309E-mail: bmorrissey@winnipeg-chamber.comWeb: www.winnipeg-chamber.com

NASCONorth America's SuperCorridor Coalitionfrom Mexico’s competitive labor costs.Meridian 100° will start operations in2009 and offer land and state-of-the-artfacilities available both on a lease basisand as turnkey, built-to-suit designs. Theentire Free Trade Zone infrastructure willadhere to energy-saving and environmentalsustainability practices.NASCO has a number of collaborativeefforts underway with Mexico. NASCO’sMexico Committee, established in 2006,consists of public and private sectorstakeholders in transportation infrastructureplanning and development acrossMexico. The committee works to furtherthe NASCO multimodal corridor transportationsystem’s vision in Mexico.The NASCO Mexico Committee recentlyheld important planning and policy meetingsin Tampico, Tamaulipas, Pachuca,and Hidalgo, with the latter hosting ajoint Mexican House of RepresentativesTransportation Committee NationalForum on International TransportationThe Ardmore AdvantageSituated midway between Oklahoma City and Dallas on Interstate 35, Ardmore, Okla., is anideal location for manufacturing and distribution facilities. I-35, which runs through the westside of Ardmore, provides easy north-south access for travel and shipment of goods to thecentral section of the United States, as well as to Canada and Mexico.“Within a 350-mile radius of Ardmore, you can reach more than 12 million people,” saysWes Stucky, president and CEO of the Ardmore Development Authority.The Ardmore Development Authority is an economic development public trust authorityappointed by the City of Ardmore. In addition to marketing and promoting the area, theauthority is a major land developer, with four industrial parks, 3,000 acres of land, and aboutthree million square feet of buildings under lease to tenants.“We are located about 90 minutes from Dallas to the south and Oklahoma City to thenorth,” Stucky says. “We provide significant cost advantages over those metropolitan areas,further enhanced by the value we offer as a tax-exempt development authority to build, own,and lease facilities to logistics companies.”Today, some very big-name companies have set up manufacturing and distribution operationswithin Ardmore Development Authority projects. These include:n Dollar General Corp., which operates a distribution center that employs 750 associatesand serves 1,225 Dollar General retail stores. In 2005, Dollar General completed a$23-million expansion of the facility, its third expansion since opening in 1994.n Dot Foods Inc., which began operations in February 2005 in its Ardmore DistributionCenter. The company purchased the former Best Buy Product Return Center in the NewHorizons Industrial Park, and added 60,000 square feet to the 121,000-square-foot building.The Ardmore facility represents a $12-million investment for Dot Foods.n Best Buy opened its new 750,000-square-foot DC in May, 2004 in the WestportIndustrial Park. The building slab is one million square feet and allows for future expansion.The new facility, which replaces a 450,000-square-foot DC, is one of a network ofseven large distribution centers within the company.These and other companies, including Michelin and Circuit City, chose Ardmore because ofits transportation access and favorable cost structures.“With ratification of the NAFTA agreement, we’ve seen significantly increased interestin logistics and distribution capacity in our area,” observes Stucky. “It makes sense to workcooperatively with groups along the NASCO corridor to capitalize on the growth of northsouthtrade.”and Logistics. Representatives fromall the national multimodal transportationindustry companies andpublic sector agencies making presentationson the status of Mexico’s 2007-2012National Transportation InfrastructureDevelopment Plan attended the meeting.NASCO has signed Memorandums ofUnderstanding (MOUs) to serve as anadvisory body on the Mexican Ministryof Transportation and Communications’Inter-Institutional Advisory Committeeoverseeing the Mexican NationalMultimodal Corridor Study. The study’spurpose is to determine the nation’s keymultimodal corridors for future state andfederal investment.The Mexican Ministry of Trade alsohas called upon the NASCO MexicoCommittee to advise it regarding identificationand reduction of key nationallogistics and supply chain bottlenecks.And in November 2007, the MexicanHouse’s Transportation Committee andNASCO signed an MOU committing bothsides to information exchange and consultingon Mexico’s National MultimodalCorridor Study now underway.Continuing CollaborationTransportation companies, governmentofficials, developers, and shippers agreethat the NASCO corridor has a bright economicfuture. Collaboration among thethree countries has, and will continue to,accelerate growth at levels that far exceedother regions of the world.“From our perspective as a transportationcompany, the more we focus ontrying to make the entire NASCO northsouthcorridor flow more smoothly, thebetter off we will all be,” says DerekLeathers, chief operating officer of WernerEnterprises, Omaha, Neb., one of the largestmotor carriers in the United States.“We’re positive on the corridor conceptitself, and we believe trade will continueto accelerate on that axis.“It is encouraging to see the investmentin inland logistics parks and transportationinfrastructure along the NASCO10 Inbound Logistics • November 2008

NASCONorth America's SuperCorridor Coalitioncorridor,” he adds. “Inland intermodalports such as those being developed inDallas, Kansas City, and Joliet, Ill., areattracting shipper business.”Big box retailers, in particular, haveembraced the inland port concept.Companies are locating large facilitiesnear these rail hubs to take advantage ofmore efficient movement of goods. “Theylike the cost savings and efficienciesThe smooth flow of trade along the NASCO northsouthcorridor benefits transportation companiessuch as Werner Enterprises, which providestruck, rail, and air solutions throughout the UnitedStates, Mexico, and Canada.associated with being located near anintermodal ramp,” Leathers adds.With today’s volatile fuel prices,Leathers believes more U.S. companieswill look at bringing production closer tohome. This makes Mexico more attractiveas a manufacturing base. “And as Mexicobecomes more attractive, we believe ourbusiness will prosper,” he says.To accommodate this growth, “we mustcontinue to push for reinvestment in ournation’s highway infrastructure,” Leatherssays. “Our current highway footprint hasexisted for more than 50 years.”Organizations such as NASCO can helpmake the case for this investment. nOKLAHOMA’SGATEWAY TO THE WORLD12 Inbound Logistics • November 2008INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTERINTERNATIONAL AIR CARGO HUBINTERMODAL (AIR, RAIL, TRUCK DOCKS)AIRCRAFT MRO COMPLEXINDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTSArdmore Industrial Airpark (Foreign Trade Zone)Ardmore, Oklahoma USAwww.ardmoredevelopment.com

NASCOArdmore Development Authority • www.ardmore.orgArdmore, Okla., is located on Interstate 35, exactly halfway between Dallas, Texas, andOklahoma City, Okla. – 97 miles from each. Ardmore serves a regional market of 7.2 millionpeople within an hour-and-a-half radius. For more information, contact Wes Stuckyat 580-223-6162, or by e-mail at wstucky@ardmore.org.G2 Logistics Inc. • www.g2logistics.comWant more time to concentrate on your core competencies while day-to-day activities are managedsuccessfully? Then turn to the experience and technology of G2 Logistics Inc., a third-partylogistics provider and multimodal freight management company. G2 Logisticsdoes it all: from contract carrier and short-notice irregular route provider to specializing incross-border transportation to and from Canada. G2 Logistics’ goal is to build lastingrelationships with its customers so you gain service flexibility with your clients.Meridian 100° • www.meridian100.comMeridian 100°’s Free Trade Zone at Port Laredo will start operations in 2009. This state-ofthe-artdevelopment will connect companies moving goods between Mexico and the U.S.East Coast. The Free Trade Zone will provide logistics cost savings and tax benefits, as wellas a secure and high-tech environment. For more information, visit www.meridian100.comor email benefits@meridian100.com.North America’s SuperCorridor Coalition Inc. • www.nascocorridor.comNASCO is a tri-national, nonprofit trade and transportation coalition committed to maximizingthe efficient and secure movement of goods along the existing network of transportationsystems running north-south through the central United States, Canada, and Mexico.Province of Manitoba • www.gov.mb.caManitoba means Business. The province has made a $4-billion, 10-year commitment to itsroad system. Manitoba’s position at the top of the Mid-Continent Trade Corridor connects theprovince to a central North American market of 100 million people.Werner Enterprises • www.werner.comWerner Enterprises, Inc. is a premier transportation and logistics company, with coveragethroughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and China. Werner maintains its globalheadquarters in Omaha, Neb., offering 24/7 service 365 days a year. Werner is among the fivelargest truckload carriers in the United States, with a portfolio of services that includes longhaul,regional and local van capacity, temperature-controlled, flatbed, dedicated and expedited.Werner’s value-added services portfolio includes import and export freight management, POand vendor management, truck brokerage, intermodal, load/mode and network optimization,and global visibility. Internationally Werner provides freight forwarding and customs brokerageservices, and is a licensed NVOCC.November 2008 • Inbound Logistics 13