October 30 - Geodis Wilson has launched the US headquarters of its specialist Industrial Projects Division in Houston. The 40-strong team is led by Managing Director George Abreu, head of projects business in the US, and Houston Branch Manager Frank Abreu
It is already meeting the demands of oil and gas, engineering, drilling and engineering procurement contractors (EPCs) based in the Houston area, providing a one-stop shop for transport management by truck, barge, air and ocean, as well as offering order expediting, customs brokerage, storage and inventory functions, materials management and distribution.
Essential in serving this sector is provision of an industrial packing capability, which Geodis Wilson's Industrial Projects Division meets through its own 65,000 sq ft (6,000 sq metre) packing and temporary and long-term storage warehouse close to Houston Airport, complete with two acres of outside area for marshalling heavy plant and project equipment. Supplementing this facility, a mobile packing team will service projects at the docks where necessary.
"When you have to move heavy or out-of-gauge cargoes into countries that are not your typical destinations it is very specialized and you need a team that is not only familiar with the type of cargoes involved and how to handle and treat them, but also has the know-how to deal with matters in other countries, and all of this expertise is consolidated here in Houston in one group of people," said Philippe Somers, the division's Senior Vice-President, who has a 20-year management pedigree in this sector.
