Weir moves to USA to front AMI expansion

Peter Weir, Senior VP of the world's largest trade-only airfreight wholesaler AMI, is relocating from the UK to the USA as part of the company's strategic plan to develop its presence in this major market.

He retains the same position, and the same global responsibilities. AMI offers below-airline rates and reduced minimum charges to its agent customers, either through consolidation (aggregation) of  smaller shipments into a single larger booking, through intelligent mixing of dense and volume cargo on a single pallet, or through improved buying rates resulting from larger business volumes. It also provides additional services such as security screening, and offers the convenience of multiple bookings through a single source, and delivering cargo for several carriers to a single drop-off point. AMI's unique feature is that it only deals with freight agents.

AMI currently has five offices in the USA - New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Dallas; the first four came with the acquisition of UAC in 2007, while Dallas - where Weir will base himself - was opened earlier this year. AMI USA currently accounts for some 16% of the company's total business, but it has ambitious plans to increase this to 30% within two years.

Explains Weir: "We will continue to grow our entire global business through acquisition and organic development, and there are many opportunities for both. Without doubt, the USA is the largest opportunity of all, and should logically become our largest single market. With a vast consumer base of 304 million, and diversified manufacturing industries that rely heavily on airfreight, the USA has huge potential for both exports and imports. The US Economy remains the biggest in the World and will lead the World out of the current recession."

In his new location, Weir's priorities are to educate the US market about the relatively little-known airfreight wholesale concept, and to raise AMI's profile following its acquisition of UAC. He continues:

"Co-loading or aggregation currently accounts for a small proportion of all US airfreight, because there has been a natural historic resistance on the part of US agents to feed traffic to consolidators that are effectively their competitors.

"UAC was the only true trade-only wholesaler in this market when we bought it in 2007, but its limited network and spread of destinations restricted its appeal. Now, as the base of our US business, it has already dramatically expanded its offering both in routes and products.

The time is right to take it to a wider market.

"AMI has changed the face of airfreight in the UK since its launch in the 1970's, levelling the playing field for the small- and medium-size agents that form the core of our business. Our recent international growth on 5 continents proves the benefits we offer are equally relevant to all airfreight markets. The unique features of the US industry mean it will benefit more than any other."

He concludes: "I am delighted to be joining AMI's very strong team here, and I look forward to making my own direct contribution to their marketing effort."

(Source: Transport Weekly)