A&R Logistics, Bertschi form joint venture

A&R Logistics, Bertschi form joint venture    A&R Logistics of Morris, Ill., said it is forming a joint venture with Swiss-based Bertschi AG, called Alliance Logistics.
   A&R Logistics and Bertschi presently offer door-to-door services. The venture will 'offer management of viable supply chain solutions throughout the chemical industry', said Paul Garber, vice president of A&R Logistics Inc.
   The new company will be based in Switzerland. 'Especially now, the current market, with its high demand of cost cutting, combined with the request for increased services, supports the solution to outsource the complete transport management process and the related tasks from the chemical industry to a professional service provider. Alliance Logistics will fill this gap in the market', said Hans-J'rg Bertschi, chief executive officer of Bertschi AG.
   A&R Logistics is a national provider of bulk transportation, warehousing, and outsourced third-party transportation solutions in North America. It has 980 employees nationwide, with 30 terminal locations and 10 warehouse and packaging facilities across the United States.
   The A&R fleet comprises more than 3,000 bulk trailers, bulk intermodal containers, van trailers, and 950 tractors.
   Bertschi is a European market leader in intermodal transport of chemicals. It operates 42 subsidiaries in 22 European countries. The company employs 1,700 people and offers its customers integrated container-based logistics concepts with a tank and silo container fleet of more than 13,000 units, a truck fleet of 1,150 units and 12 company-owned container terminals across Europe.