VASTERA SELECTS BROKERS FOR FORD WORK

VASTERA SELECTS BROKERS FOR FORD WORK    Vastera Inc., a provider of trade management solutions, said Wednesday it has awarded the customs brokerage functions of Ford Motor Co. to Fritz, the Miles Group, Livingston International, and Emery Worldwide.
   Vastera, based in Dulles, Va., is responsible for overseeing Ford’s brokers under a managed services contract signed by Ford with Vastera in July 2000.
   Fritz and Miles will both handle pieces of Ford’s U.S. air and ocean brokerage, as well as U.S./Mexico customs processing.
   Livingston will take on Ford’s brokerage between the United States and Canada. Emery will be given part of Ford’s air cargo functions.
   Fritz and Miles are owned by UPS.
   Vastera has also picked Fritz, Miles, Livingston and Emery to provide customs clearance services for Visteon Corp., said Gregory E. Stock, Vastera’s vice president of marketing.
   Visteon, based in Detroit, is a parts supplier for the automotive industry.
   Ford’s customs brokerage work was formerly handled by Expeditors International of Washington. Vastera, after obtaining its managed services contract with Ford, offered a portion of the brokerage functions to Expeditors, but Expeditors ended its Ford work rather than accept the deal.