Supply chain solutions provider Armada Sunset Holdings (ASH) announced Tuesday the appointment of Chris O’Brien as president, a new role at the company. ASH, which has rapidly expanded operations in recent years, is looking to build on its past acquisitions and further enhance its service offerings to meet clients’ evolving needs.
In an interview with FreightWaves, O’Brien explained that he was drawn to the new role due to the strong “customer-first” cultural alignment and fit with the leadership team, as well as the company’s growth goals and strategic direction, which aligned well with his experience.
As chief commercial officer at C.H. Robinson, O’Brien was known for his ability to drive customer-centric initiatives, leading teams responsible for sales, marketing, public relations and customer management. He brings expertise in these areas plus deep knowledge of global supply chain operations as he leads ASH into its next phase of growth.
ASH, which includes Armada Supply Chain Solutions, Sunset Transportation and ATEC Logistics (formerly known as ATEC Systems), has seen significant expansion in recent years through strategic acquisitions. In 2022, the company acquired Sunset Transportation, a 3PL that serves various verticals, including freight brokerage, international logistics and transportation management. This acquisition was a critical move, allowing Armada Sunset to broaden its service offerings and enhance its position in the 3PL market.
Building on the momentum of the Sunset acquisition, ASH strengthened its portfolio in 2023 with the acquisition of ATEC Systems, a global supply chain solutions provider focused on the food and beverage industry. The acquisition of ATEC allowed ASH to again expand its reach into new markets and diversify its service offerings, particularly in global inventory management, procurement and distribution.
ASH operates across North America and serves clients in more than 60 countries, including some of the largest restaurant brands in the U.S., according to the company.
O’Brien says he is optimistic about the opportunities still ahead for ASH.
“Part of my background is figuring out how different offerings fit and interact together and how to best leverage the strengths of all different parts of the business for each customer. I’m looking forward to executing our growth story, and I feel like I can help move things faster,” said O’Brien.
The logistics industry, while facing challenges such as supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty, continues to evolve, creating new avenues for growth.
“What’s top of mind for me is what’s going to happen in the marketplace going forward and figuring out if this is a demand-driven recovery or a supply-driven one. Demand-driven is usually the biggest indicator of a more robust marketplace to come,” he explained.
O’Brien also told FreightWaves he sees strong potential for technologies such as AI and machine learning to drive innovation in supply chain management. Armada Sunset has already integrated these technologies.
“From warehousing to transportation to our engineering teams, they are all very actively deploying AI. I think the beauty of AI will be connecting it to people that really understand the industry to create all kinds of efficiencies for our customers across all parts of their supply chain,” said John Burke, executive chairman of ASH, to FreightWaves.
“We have been on a very steady, almost 30-year journey to create and grow this business. We have a management-led, privately held culture that is very focused on the long term and where we can build things and focus many years out. I get excited thinking about the growth for us in years to come and letting Chris lead us and show us places where we can add even more value for our customers,” Burke said.
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