The decades-long relationship with GE Appliances grows closer as Holman adds new GEA locations to its network.
THE HOLMAN NEWSLETTER – Q2 2024
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ONLINE EDITION
Team Anniversaries
Team anniversaries mark important milestones in careers at Holman. Join us in celebrating our Team Members who had anniversaries in April, May, and June of 2024.
Fall into Safety
Learn to identify the leading causes of slips, trips, and falls in order to prevent injuries.
The New Westrock Coffee Distribution Facility
The Holman Team comes through with the successful startup of a new Westrock Coffee facility in Conway, Arkansas.
The Core Values in Action
Holman Team Members constantly live the Core Values at work and in the community.
BRIEN'S DESK
Holman and GE Appliances Move into the Future Together
Since 1984, Holman Logistics has been a proud partner with GE Appliances (GEA), creating a relationship that has grown from modest beginnings at our “Kent 1” facility in Washington State to becoming one of our most significant and successful customer collaborations with five critical locations comprising over 4 million square feet of warehouse space. Today, we are honored to be the number one GEA service provider in the United States, facilitating the movement of approximately 800 full truckloads of appliances into and out of our facilities daily. To give you some perspective, every day we ship out enough appliances to refrigerate 1.39 million gallons of milk, wash 200,000 pairs of jeans, wash 874,000 forks, and bake more than 1.26 million cookies!
The History of Holman and GE Appliances
The GEA and Holman partnership began with a referral to my father, Bob Downie. GE Appliances was looking to increase the pool of providers, and we entered the competition. Ironically, the contact that provided my dad with the referral was also bidding on the GEA business. We were honored to be awarded the contract, marking the start of a decades-long partnership. Our shared success over the years is a testament to our commitment to customer service and our ability to meet the rigorous demands necessary to service the large-scale, dedicated operations of GE Appliances. Our service commitment, which we often refer to as our Brand Promise, is to provide Extraordinary Service to all our customers, and the year 2024, as we all know, represents over 160 years of delivering on this promise.
Growing Together
Over the past several years, Holman has worked hard to be a valued partner in helping GE Appliances achieve the goal set in 2017 to achieve “two times the growth by 2022.” GEA not only met but exceeded this target, a testament to the strength of growing market demand for the GEA product line innovation and the supply chain innovation to serve GEA customers. Our ability to scale alongside GEA has been a critical factor in the continued success of our partnership, demonstrating our commitment to supporting the GEA growth objectives.
A significant change came in 2016 following Haier, a Chinese-based appliance maker (the largest manufacturer of home appliances in the world!), buying GEA. Haier’s global reach and innovation have significantly shaped the future of GEA, positioning it as a leader in the U.S. market while integrating it into a broader, international supply chain. Under Haier ownership, GEA has embraced new opportunities, and Holman has been there every step of the way, adapting our logistics strategies to meet evolving needs and increasing demands.
The operational footprint of our work with GEA has evolved significantly over the years. Holman operated a facility in Albany, New York, before the location was consolidated into the larger Baltimore (ultimately Perryville) Area Distribution Center (ADC). This consolidation reflected the strategic need for GEA to centralize operations and increase efficiency, particularly in regions with high customer demand. Baltimore and our other locations continue to be cornerstones of our operations with GEA.
The Facilities That Serve GEA
Each of our facilities plays a vital role in the GEA supply chain. For instance, one of the newest facilities in the GEA network is in Frederickson, WA, a 436,000 sq. ft. facility operating 18 hours a day across three shifts. It handles approximately 3,000 core appliances in and out daily. GM Chris Adams and the Team did the heroic work of moving out of the much-too-small (285,000 sq. ft.) Auburn facility in just a few days. Wow!
Our Jacksonville, Florida, site, which has been with Holman since 1993, spans 815,000 square feet and has received numerous awards, including the Customer Focused and the Excellence in Safety awards for 2022.
Commerce, Georgia, home to one of our most extensive GEA facilities, opened in 2019 and boasts 1.1 million square feet of warehouse space. This location handles the most diverse range of GEA products and has grown from 36 forklift operators to 113 over the past five years.
Perryville, Maryland, another significant hub, has been part of the Holman-GEA family since the early 1990s and handles the Northeast region of GEA’s most extensive customer base. This facility has repeatedly won the ADC of the Year award and also won the Operational Excellence award in 2022, underscoring the commitment of Team Members there.
Another new facility is the Greenville, South Carolina, location, which opened in 2024. Spanning over 584,000 square feet, Greenville serves as the GEA East Coast hub, receiving ocean freight and redeploying products to other GEA U.S. locations and major retailers like Lowe’s. With 126 dock doors and all lithium-powered equipment, this facility is a cutting-edge warehouse operation well-positioned to contribute significantly to GEA’s continued growth.
Our Future Looks Bright
As our partnership with GE Appliances grows, we remain steadfast in our commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and a customer-focused approach. From our initial referral to today’s expansive network of facilities, Holman has been a trusted partner in the GEA journey. We have weathered industry shifts, expanded our capabilities, and played a critical role in helping GEA meet its ambitious growth targets. We couldn’t be happier to count GE Appliances as one of our most valued customer relationships.
ANNIVERSARIES
A Message from Brien
When people join the Holman organization, they learn that Holman is more than a Team—it is a family. It is a privilege to honor Team Members who have recently celebrated their first year with Holman. We also applaud those who’ve been with us 5, 10, 15, and 20 years! In this issue, we recognize Team Members with anniversaries from April through June 2024. Thank you for your hard work and dedication.
35 years
As an associate here for 35+ years, I have seen immense growth and change. The greatest challenge I face is all the new technologies. I have worked through these challenges with this great leadership team. They help me understand what I need to know and what I don’t need to know.
Gary Wellman
20 years
I truly love my job! From the moment I joined Holman, I realized the people were dedicated and friendly. The tone of the office is one of true teamwork. If one wins, we all win. I feel this is my second home.
(In Memoriam-Catherine passed away this summer.)
Catherine Adams
20 years
Reflecting on 20 years with Holman, I am grateful for the journey we’ve shared. My work has been more than a job – it’s been an opportunity to serve, grow, and make a difference alongside some incredible people. My faith, family, and the friendships I’ve built here have been my foundation. Here’s to many more years of working together!
Donald Boson
20 years
I like how we are able to work independently. I like that we are trusted to get the job done unless help is needed. Other jobs I had in the past had constant supervision when it wasn’t necessary.
William Klock
20 years
My time at Holman has been 20 years of adapting to change; this requires dedication, effort, and the willingness to be flexible.
John Fitzgerald
15 years
The best part about working at Holman is that I’ve gotten the chance to transfer to other warehouses and learn new skills.
Freddie Santiago
15 years
I like the fact that everyone is so friendly and easy to work with here at Holman.
Adrian Haro
10 years
5 years
- Lexie Erive 4/8/2019
- Robert Harrington 4/15/2019
- Samuel Gunnels 4/28/2019
- Ruston Armstrong 4/28/2019
- David Schmidt 5/6/2019
- Yvette Torres 5/12/2019
- Alan Sweatman 5/13/2019
- Joshua Pace 5/13/2019
- Vanessa Morris 5/13/2019
- Bruce Valley 5/15/2019
- David Fitzgerald 5/26/2019
- Joel Wright 5/28/2019
- Kevin Venable 5/29/2019
- Joseph Channel 6/3/2019
- Steven Rahling 6/3/2019
- Russell Kain 6/9/2019
- Jeffery Crowder 6/11/2019
- Jeffrey Bush 6/12/2019
- John Autrey 6/17/2019
- Luis Franco 6/17/2019
- Martin Reta 6/23/2019
- John Sanchez 6/24/2019
1 year
- Andrew Haugen 4/10/2023
- David Wiley 4/10/2023
- Todd Pardue 4/10/2023
- Jeremy Eckersley 4/10/2023
- Quinnon Smith 4/10/2023
- Melyne Pinard 4/16/2023
- Servando Silva 4/17/2023
- Zachary Braswell 4/17/2023
- Juan Espinosa Farinas 4/19/2023
- Anthony Ziegler 4/23/2023
- Caleb Hippely 4/23/2023
- Joshua Gray 4/23/2023
- Michael Martin 5/1/2023
- Desmond Tunnermann 5/1/2023
- Vicente Camejo 5/2/2023
- Jaythan Unchangco 5/3/2023
- Ethan Weaver 5/7/2023
- Miguel Zapata 5/8/2023
- Sergey Sherepitka 5/10/2023
- Morgan Bollman 5/10/2023
- Francisco Fletes 5/11/2023
- Anthony Jones 5/11/2023
- Peyton Cartwright 5/15/2023
- Arnoldo Medrano 5/16/2023
- Michael Brookins 5/18/2023
- Matthew Hinchee 5/22/2023
- Edward Garnett 5/22/2023
- Darrius Payne 5/23/2023
- Joel Renteria 5/24/2023
- Nathan Holland 6/4/2023
- Justin Austin 6/5/2023
- Pedro Rivera 6/5/2023
- Adriana Vazquez 6/7/2023
- Kavin Bailey 6/8/2023
- Michael Darden 6/9/2023
- Rachel Zacarias 6/9/2023
- Keith Linderman 6/9/2023
- Johnathan Childs 6/12/2023
- Carter Ayres 6/14/2023
- Rosa Zamora 6/19/2023
- Anthony Townsend 6/19/2023
- Filipo Siagatonu 6/21/2023
- Roberto Fuentes 6/21/2023
- Brayan Santiago 6/21/2023
- Brian Hasty 6/21/2023
- Susan Schulz 6/22/2023
- Theodis Walker 6/22/2023
- Austin Waldrop 6/26/2023
- Derrick Moore 6/26/2023
- Jeffery Graham 6/26/2023
- Nathanial Caldarazzo 6/26/2023
- Hank Dickey 6/28/2023
- Hilton Tuten 6/28/2023
- Clifford Crenshaw 6/29/2023
- Clifford White 6/29/2023
- Jacob Strickland 6/29/2023
- Takari Thompson 6/29/2023
- Brandon Clark 6/30/2023
SAFETY FOCUS
Fall into a Safer Workplace
Can you feel it? Pumpkins are everywhere, the leaves are turning colors, and football is back! Fall is finally here! Speaking of Fall…did you know that many injuries in 2024 have occurred from our Holman Team Members falling?
Slip, trip, and fall incidents have been rising since the latter half of 2023. We began this year with a Safety Standdown that addressed some of the slip, trip, and fall hazards we were experiencing.
There are a few main contributors that make slip, trip, and fall injuries possible. In descending order, here are the top four causes of our slip, trip, and fall events:
- Debris/trash/liquids on the floor – This is the #1 cause of slip, trip, and fall injuries. We’ve slipped and tripped on everything ranging from pieces of stretch wrap, discarded banding, strips of corrugate/paper, and kibble, to parts of broken pallets. We’ve also slipped on water, coffee, or oil left on floors.
- Workplace materials left in areas that they weren’t supposed to be – These are the materials that are making us slip, trip, and fall: rolls of tape and stretch wrap, whole pallets, slip sheets, and empty corrugated boxes.
- Walking over items and surfaces we shouldn’t be walking over – Stepping over slightly elevated lift truck forks, walking on empty pallets, and stepping over the open gap between a dock door and trailer/railcar have caused accidents in 2024.
- Improper or inadequate footwear – We’ve had at least three slip, trip, and fall events that were caused by shoes that were worn out (smooth soles) or improperly worn (untied).
Here’s the good news – each one of us has the power to prevent slip, trip, and fall events! Here’s what we can do:
- Clean it when we see it – That little spot of coffee on the floor could cause our next injury. Broken pallet pieces need to be quickly cleaned up, and so do pieces of stretch wrap and banding. Any debris or liquid on our floors should be considered a safety hazard – please don’t wait until end-of-shift to clean it.
- Put things back where they belong – Done with that roll of tape or stretch wrap? Take it back to the correct storage location for that item. Doing this also helps everyone else quickly find the materials they’re looking for!
- Take the time to prevent injuries – It only takes a second to completely lower your attachments to the floor (we should be doing this every time that we park and walk away from our lifts.) Do you need to go inside of a trailer? Take time to extend the ramp. Is there a pallet or lift truck in your walking path? Go around it.
- Take care of your feet – Footwear should not ever be the reason that we slip, trip, or fall. Shoes need to be appropriate for the tasks being performed; if your site requires safety-toes, you need to have on safety-toed shoes when you walk in the door. If your shoes have laces, they need to be laced to the top. Inspect your shoes when you take them off to ensure that they’re ready for your next shift. Is the tread worn off? It only takes a second to look.
It’s easy to forget just how serious slip, trip, and fall injuries can be. These injuries can be severe, can take a long time to heal, and can keep you away from work for an extended period.
Let’s Serve Others by removing slip, trip, and fall hazards as soon as we see them. It only takes a few seconds – you may be saving yourself or someone you care about from preventable injury. It’s a lot easier to enjoy Fall when we’re healthy and pain-free.
GREAT IDEAS, GREAT TEAMWORK
The Holman Team excels at putting our Core Values into action in the workplace. Congratulations to recent B2 Savings ideas and Behavior Observations drawing winners!
B2 Savings Ideas
April – Marlene Kessler (Mid-South, AR)
May – Eric Robinson (Jacksonville, FL)
June – Melissa Buckridge (Emporia, KS)
Behavior Observations
April:
1st place – Brandon Reikena (Frederickson, WA)
2nd place – Thomas Albert Tillotson (Auburn, WA)
3rd place – Joseph Partridge (Emporia, KS)
May:
1st place – Robert Majors (Perryville, MD)
2nd place – Arthur Millen (DuPont, WA)
3rd place – Elijah Bengochea (Renton, WA)
June:
1st place – Octavia Redd (Maumelle, AR)
2nd place – Jaythan Unchangco (Frederickson, WA)
3rd place – Alex Bowen (Perryville, MD)
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
New Business Development Manager and New Business
Hello Holman Team Members! It’s been a minute since I last shared some of the happenings around our Business Development efforts. So, here’s a brief update.
We’ve welcomed Chris Cummins as our new Business Development Manager. With 15 years of experience in Logistics/Freight Forwarding, Chris is already making significant strides in our department. His expertise is a great asset to us. And that’s not all! We’re also in the process of recruiting for a marketing position, which will further enhance our business-building efforts. Stay tuned for more details in our next publication.
We continue to add new customers and renew contracts with legacy customers. Recently, we added new “public” customers that will have a favorable impact on our multi-client operations. We are in the process of onboarding these customers and can share more with you soon. We have also renewed contracts with several legacy customers in our multi-client and dedicated operations and are working on several other contract renewals as we continue to grow and strengthen our customer partnerships.
We are also turning our Fredrickson, WA Distributing Center (F1) into a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ). This is an exciting development that will fill a gap in the marketplace, specifically for food and food-related importers. An FTZ operates like a bonded warehouse but with greater flexibility from a storage perspective. We already have deals on the table. I am genuinely excited to see how large we can grow this new service offering in the Pacific Northwest.
As you know, our brand promise is to provide Extraordinary Service to our customers, and you all do a fantastic job delivering that promise day in and day out. Thank you for your efforts!
OPERATIONS
Checking in on One of Our Newest Locations: Westrock Coffee Distribution
Westrock is one of the top private-label coffee suppliers and provides the world’s most iconic brands with the most transformative coffee, tea, flavors, extracts, and ingredient products. Westrock Coffee recently built the largest ready-to-drink manufacturing plant in North America and chose Holman Logistics as its distribution partner.
This year, we began operating the new distribution center for Westrock Coffee in Conway, Arkansas. This 390K sq. ft. facility opened in February and began shipping K-cups and ready-to-drink coffees (bottles and cans) to customers across the U.S. in late May. Adrian “AC” Conley leads our distribution Team of 42 energetic and enthusiastic Team Members. AC transferred from our Kimberly Clark location in Maumelle, Arkansas, to take on this startup operation. Holman is operating at about 25% capacity and gearing up for a HUGE year in 2025.
Holman is also providing manufacturing logistics to the Westrock Plant. This Team is led by John Fitzgerald, who also transferred from our Maumelle operations. More on this Team’s great accomplishments will be included in a later newsletter edition.
I recently asked AC about what drives the Team’s early success. He said, “We are proud to partner with our client on this first-of-its-kind Westrock DC coffee operation. We work closely with the manufacturing teams at plant locations in Conway, AR, North Little Rock, AR, and Concord, NC, to ensure seamless distribution and top quality. Together, we are committed to innovation, continuous improvement, and building a strong, lasting partnership that drives success and Extraordinary Service.”
We are super excited about this opportunity and our future with Westrock Coffee! Thanks to everyone involved in making this a successful startup in Conway. It took commitment and resources from across the Holman network to get this “start-up” up and operating and continuing to improve every day – thank you!
PEOPLE SUPPORT
Focus on Health and Wellness During the Holiday Season
As we near the upcoming holiday season, most of us recognize that this is a time for joy and connection with friends and loved ones. It is also a great time to focus on your own health and wellness! Amid the festivities, managing both mental and physical health should be a priority. The excitement and busyness can often lead to stress and exhaustion, so it’s important to take steps to care for yourself.
For mental health, set realistic expectations for yourself and others, and be aware of your limits. Don’t hesitate to say “no” to obligations that could overwhelm you. Take time to decompress – whether through journaling, reading, working out, taking a walk, or just stepping away for a quiet moment. Keeping healthy boundaries in mind will help you manage the stress around the holidays.
Physical health is equally essential. October brings us our Open Enrollment period, and while health insurance is important, there are many ways we can help manage our health for a better future! There are tons of holiday treats that are tempting and will bring enjoyment, we can also maintain balance by incorporating nutritious meals and staying active! Try a short walk or light exercise a few times a week. This can boost energy levels, improve mood, and help counter holiday stress and the need to overindulge. Also, being mindful to get enough sleep will help you stay energized for all the fun and activities while also reducing stress.
Finally, don’t overlook preventative health measures before the new year begins! Schedule a wellness screening with your doctor, even if you feel healthy. These screenings can check your blood pressure, cholesterol, and other vital health indicators, ensuring that you stay on top of any potential health risks, and can remain healthy for you and your loved ones for a long time to come!
We wish you the greatest health in the coming months!
NEWS FROM AROUND THE NETWORK
Greenville Celebrates Opening with Team Member Appreciation Luncheon
Team Members at the Holman-managed location in Greenville (Piedmont), South Carolina enjoyed their first Team Member Appreciation BBQ on June 25th. To celebrate the Team’s hard work, the Management Team provided and served a BBQ lunch.
A Dark and Stormy Night Gives Opportunity to Live the Core Values
By Neftali Segovia, Operations Manager
Excelling in customer service is the key foundation to creating long-term customer relationships. One night recently, my Team at the new Westrock warehouse in Conway, Arkansas proved their commitment to our customer and to the Holman Core Values by Being Better, Serving Others, and Delivering an Extraordinary Customer Experience.
The power at the facility had gone out due to a severe thunderstorm, and the Westrock backup generators had not kicked on. The key concern for everyone was the finished goods product in the cold room. Temperatures were rising, and we needed to clear out the room and place the product into refrigerated units. My two Team Members and I answered the call late at night to help assist our customer and give them peace of mind. It is in such moments that our drive to be the best helps show what Holman stands for.
OUR CORE VALUES
Teams at Westrock Work Together to Merge Pallets
Holman Teams excel at teamwork! In only two weeks, Teams at the Westrock distribution center in Conway, Arkansas merged 120+ partial pallets to create 60 full-quantity pallets that are sellable product for Westrock. The Audit Team physically merged these pallets, and the CSR Team merged the pallets in High jump.
Commerce, Georgia Location Celebrates Team Members with Perfect Attendance
These Team Members had perfect attendance from January through June, 2024.
Did You Know?
Greenville, South Carolina Team Donates to Local School
Before school started this year, the Holman Greenville Team reached out to a local elementary school not far from the distribution center and asked if they could use additional school supplies. They set up a box in the office area and collected over $500 worth of supplies from both Team Members and Management. The teachers were extremely grateful and plan to reach out to Holman for more possible community work.
