RoadOne IntermodaLogistics registered the JZI IntermodaLogistics name with the state Jan. 21, indicating it has taken an ownership interest in The JZ Expedited Companies.
To the founder’s satisfaction, the name continues to reflect his children.
“I am glad to see that the initials of my kids will forever live on with the JZI branding,” said Robert Fox, who founded JZ Expedited from his kitchen table in 2009 and named it for his sons, Josh and Zach.
Fox remarried five years ago and adopted his wife's daughter, Ivanna. When he started JZI Global Supply Chain Management, he named it JZI to include her.
JZI IntermodaLogistics is based in North Jacksonville at 1111 Imeson Park Blvd., the headquarters of The JZ Expedited Companies. RTS Holdings LLC is listed as the owner. Its address is that of RoadOne IntermodaLogistics at One Kellaway Drive in Randolph, Massachusetts.
Fox said Jan. 24 the holding company for the business units under the JZ umbrella has been consolidated into the two business units under the RoadOne IntermodaLogistics-branded companies as a result of the Jan. 5 acquisition.
JZI IntermodaLogistics, A RoadOne Company, comprises JZ Expedited Trucking and North Florida Warehouse FTZ.
JZI LogisticSolutions, A RoadOne Company, comprises JZ Expedited Logistics and JZI Global Supply Chain Management.
“RoadOne recognized that JZ has very good name recognition which was the main reason that the JZ name was incorporated into the 2 new companies,” Fox said by email.
He anticipates a formal news release in February.
JZ Expedited Logistics has a foreign trade zone status. Kendall P. Kellaway Jr., president and CEO of RoadOne, signed documents to file the new names.
“I am excited for JZ to become part of a great national company like RoadOne and look forward to working closely with Ken Kellaway (CEO) and David McLaughlin (COO/CFO) as they will help grow and strengthen the JZ brand,” Fox said.
Fox was president and CEO and said he will become senior vice president of operations.
He said the count of 40 employees remains the same. The goal is to grow the more than 30 truck owner-operators to 50-75.
RoadOne IntermodaLogistics says it is “North America’s premier full-service intermodal transportation and related logistics company,” offering port and rail container drayage, terminal operations, truckload services, and transloading, warehousing and distribution solutions nationwide.
“We are ready to deliver the transportation requirements you need across the United States and Canada.”
RoadOne.com says the company has more than 2,000 trucks across 71 locations and access to more than 75 million square feet of warehousing, distribution, and transloading space.
RoadOne, it says, can “physically and technologically connect our shippers’ goods to and from ports, railroad terminals and company locations needed to get the job done.”
JZ Expedited Companies is a third-party logistics provider that offers land, air and sea transportation in addition to foreign trade zone and U.S Customs bonded warehousing services domestically and abroad.
The JZ Expedited Companies announced Jan. 4 it plans to expand its warehouse and develop 45 additional acres of yard space at its North Jacksonville site.
The company is in Imeson International Industrial Park, which is near the Blount Island and Dames Point Marine Terminals and not far from Talleyrand Marine Terminal.
JZ Expedited said it will increase its warehouse space from 350,000 square feet among three buildings to 500,000 to 1 million square feet. It now uses 20 acres.
Zach Fox said then that the company expected to start the development in six to 12 months.
“With this plan, the JZ Expedited Companies further stamps its commitment to being a national leader” in several trade and cargo categories, a news release said.
It said the company seeks shipping and cargo partners who want to expand into the Jacksonville market “with dedicated off port space to support container depot operations and outdoor storage for the automotive and heavy equipment industries.”
The JZ Expedited Companies said it can expand its global service center and build-to-suit for long-term contracts.
“This a long-term play that sets JZ up for future growth over the next 20 years in the ever-expanding Jacksonville market,” it said.
In May 2015, Robert Fox said the company was formed from a kitchen table and was preparing to move from leased space at Beach and Southside boulevards to the Imeson site.
Fox launched JZ Expedited Logistics in 2009 and JZ Expedited Trucking in 2014. His biographical information shows that was after more than 20 years in the logistics industry, working around the country for companies including Yellow Freight Systems, Crowley Logistics and General Transport before starting his own company.
With a degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University in 1987, Fox’s first job was as a special agent in Miami for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (now the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives).
During college, he loaded trucks for Roadway Express and he soon decided trucking was his path.