Lauer Joins Matson as Director, Transpacific Services

John P. Lauer has joined Matson Navigation Company as director, Transpacific services, for Matson's China - Long Beach Express. Lauer will lead Matson's U.S. sales efforts for its burgeoning China - Long Beach Express service and will focus on trade lane yield management and revenue enhancement strategies in conjunction with other Matson operations. He will report to Dave Hoppes, senior vice president, ocean services. Lauer comes to Matson with 20 years of sales experience, including a number of senior level executive positions encompassing maritime and logistics activities. Most recently, he was managing director, eastern region, for APL and APL Logistics at the NOL Group level. Lauer led these companies in reaching key performance sales and profit benchmarks. Prior to that, Lauer was vice president, northeast area sales, for APL, Ltd. He led APL America's most profitable sales team, focusing on strategic vertical market segments and key global accounts. Other positions at APL include vice president, eastern region; managing director, Western area sales; and director of sales, Hong Kong/S PRC region. His sales efforts for APL's China service included leading a staff of 44 sales professionals based in China in the company's most important international market. Under his direction, APL reestablished itself as the number one market share carrier. Launched in February 2006, Matson's China - Long Beach Express has established a reputation for reliable, expedited service in the Transpacific trade. A recent global survey by Drewry Container Shipper ranked Matson as one of the world's most reliable carriers with an on-time record that is regularly at or near the top among all international liners. Matson has consistently beaten its published transit times for its Transpacific service. In March 2007, Matson, Matson Integrated Logistics (MIL) and J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. announced a partnership to offer guaranteed, expedited services from Ningbo and Shanghai to Long Beach and various U.S. inland destinations under a single bill of lading. In April, MIL announced the formation of a subsidiary, Matson Global Distribution Services (Matson Global), to expand its service menu to include warehousing and distribution, freight forwarding and NVOCC services.