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Dive Brief:
- Saia has reopened three former Yellow Corp terminals. to enhance its cross-border operations in Mexico, the Upper Midwest and Southern California. LTL carrier was announced this month.
- Saia bought the facilities in Laredo, Texas, and Owatonna, Minnesota, among its 17 acquisitions in the competitor’s bankruptcy auction. It also acquired the lease at the Orange, Calif., location 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 based on our ability to replicate our service excellence in new locations.”
Dive Insight:
The Laredo facility was one of the most sought after in Yellow’s bankruptcy 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 real estate spending at the auction.
The Laredo terminal will offer on-site storage 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 to the central and southern US, supporting the local economy with job opportunities and improved services mission,” West Kevin Szydel, vice president of operations, said in the release.
The Johns Creek, Georgia-based carrier is rushing to join competitors such as XPO and Estes Express Lines in renovating and rebranding their respective former Yellow terminals. All aim to open them as soon as possible to add capacity before the long-awaited recovery in fare demand.
Saia previously opened facilities in Montana, New Jersey, Texas and Utah, and the company plans to open up to 16 terminals this year. The reopened former Yellow terminals represent only a quarter of the planned $1 billion in capital spending.