Last year, MoodyOnTheMarket.com reported the sale of St. Joseph-based Hanson Logistics to cold storage industry leader Lineage Logistics. Today, we can tell you of a second major West Michigan cold storage player, sold to another of the consolidators in that field. And ithe move has created a big opportunity for a former Hanson Logistics and Whirlpool executive, Ken Whah, of Stevensville.
Whah will be the President and Great Lakes Region operating partner of RLS Hutt, the new division being created from what was formerly Hutt Trucking and Logistics, headquarterd in Holland, MI. Hutt is another longtime family-owned company, similar to Hanson.
In a statement, RLS Logistics had high praise for Whah:
RLS Partners is bringing Ken Whah onboard as the Great Lakes Partnering Regional Operator and RLS Hutt’s President. Whah brings over 25 years of successful executive experience in supply chain, sales, marketing, engineering, and business leadership. Most recently, Whah was President and CEO of one of the nation’s largest family owned cold storage and distribution companies in the Midwest. (Hanson Logistics)
Whah commented, “I am excited to join the RLS team in their quest to develop a first class national platform, and even more excited and humbled to serve the RLS Hutt team members and the communities we work and live in.”
Whah was President and CEO of Hanson Logistics until December, having been with the firm since 2017. He was a Whirlpool executive for almost 16 years, including being Director of Distribution, North American Logistics.
RLS went on to explain the transaction with Hutt:
RLS Logistics, a leading third party cold chain 3PL, through its affiliate RLS Partners, recently welcomed Hutt Trucking and Logistics, Holland, MI, as a partner and member of the RLS network of cold chain solutions providers, now known as RLS Hutt. The addition of RLS Hutt provides the niche deep frozen food manufacturing industry in the Great Lakes region access to the RLS national network of Warehouse Partners.
RLS Hutt propels RLS into the top ten cold chain providers in North America, offering over 55 million cubic feet of cold storage capacity. The RLS acquisition model is unique in that it preserves the culture, values, and entrepreneurial spirit of family owned businesses. Furthermore, the network fully integrates its facility’s systems to efficiently serve customers and optimize communication.
RLS Hutt, a 3PL warehouse specializing in cold storage and asset based trucking, brings over 35 years of cold chain experience and a team of industry specialists. A leading temperature controlled warehouse in Hudsonville, MI area, RLS Hutt offers cold storage warehousing and transportation services, specializing in frozen and deep frozen temperatures for cold chain solutions. RLS Hutt brings a fleet of trucks with leading edge technology providing transparency into the customer’s supply chain for tight temperature control and 24/7 location tracking. The facility’s strategic location and dedicated team will offer a foothold into the Great Lakes region for the RLS network of family owned temperature controlled warehouse providers.
RLS Hutt’s addition supports RLS’ focus on becoming a top tier network of regional leading, family owned cold storage providers. RLS Hutt brings one cold storage warehouse located in Hudsonville, MI, and a dry warehouse in Holland, MI. Altogether, the company brings over 5 million cubic feet of cold storage and about 20,000 pallet positions to the RLS network. The cold chain warehouses range in temperature from -20 degrees to 62 degrees, depending on the solution needed for their customers.
In addition to being a fully integrated deep frozen solution provider in the Great Lakes region, RLS Hutt also offers truckload transportation, LTL transportation, cross docking, and other value added services. RLS Hutt’s entrepreneurial culture allows their customers to get a white glove specialized customer experience, including add on services such as promotional packaging solutions in a deep frozen environment and customized inspections in an ambient warehouse environment.
“My father and I started Hutt 36 years ago, and we are humbly proud of the opportunities and the people we have worked with over the years,” stated Jim Hutt, Founder Hutt Trucking. “We believe that RLS is the best partner to help us carry forward what we put in place and offer expanded opportunities for the company and team members.”
