After two-plus decades managing military logistics, Chris Andrews successfully parlayed the skills he honed in the Army into a management job in the private sector. Now, he's working to help other vets do the same.
David Maloney has been a journalist for more than 35 years and is currently the group editorial director for DC Velocity and Supply Chain Quarterly magazines. In this role, he is responsible for the editorial content of both brands of Agile Business Media. Dave joined DC Velocity in April of 2004. Prior to that, he was a senior editor for Modern Materials Handling magazine. Dave also has extensive experience as a broadcast journalist. Before writing for supply chain publications, he was a journalist, television producer and director in Pittsburgh. Dave combines a background of reporting on logistics with his video production experience to bring new opportunities to DC Velocity readers, including web videos highlighting top distribution and logistics facilities, webcasts and other cross-media projects. He continues to live and work in the Pittsburgh area.
Three years ago, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Andrews retired from the Army after serving his country for 26 years. Although he has retired from the military, Andrews has hardly "retired from life," as he puts it. He's now pursuing a second career serving as distribution and logistics manager at the Mesquite, Texas, distribution center run by Benjamin Moore Paints.
Andrews, who spent much of his time in the Army working in military logistics, says the Army prepared him well for his current situation. Among other skills, it taught him leadership, dedication, teamwork, and the nuts and bolts of getting materials from one place to another on time and in good condition.
Now, Andrews is working to help other veterans make a similar leap. At the Warehousing Education and Research Council's annual conference earlier this year, he participated in panel on the "Vets To WERC" program, an initiative aimed at connecting military veterans with employers needing their skills (and of which DC Velocity is a founding partner). As we celebrate Veterans Day in November, DC Velocity Chief Editor David Maloney talked with Andrews about his transition to the civilian work force, the differences between military and private-sector logistics, and his advice for other veterans seeking careers in private industry.
Q: First, can you briefly describe what you did in the military and how that led to your involvement in the supply chain?
A: I first enlisted in the military what seems like eons ago. After three years, I went to college and got my commission as a second lieutenant in the Army cavalry, which was combat arms [troops that participate in direct tactical ground combat]. That was very fulfilling because I was on the best team in the world, and it was something that I could really relate to. At that time, the Army was taking combat arms officers and moving them over into logistics because it was looking for people who understood what the combat arms units needed to fulfill their missions. So I decided to put in for a branch transfer to the Transportation Corps. The transfer was approved, and I went to Fort Eustis, Va., to go through the Transportation Officers Advanced Course.
Q: What did that teach you?
A: I learned a lot about the intricacies of managing transportation and supply chain distribution from a tactical kind of frontline level. You learn how to take assets and work out a plan to be able to support any mission, any disaster, anything that the Army or the military in general does in support of the nation. You could not fail because there were too many lives on the line.
Q: Where else have you been deployed?
A: After I graduated from the officers advanced course, I went to Fort Carson, Colo., to serve as the commander of the 4th Infantry Division's Transportation Company, which was responsible for supporting over 18,000 soldiers in all types of missions. That is really where I cut my teeth—that's where I learned how things worked and that teamwork is absolutely essential to mission success. During Desert Shield and Desert Storm, I was called upon to get all of the assets together to be shipped from Fort Carson to Saudi Arabia. Over 5,000 vehicles had to get moved out in a very short period. That was definitely a standout event in my life because we really accomplished something special. I was so proud of the team that I had.
Q: You also worked with civilians later in your military career. Can you tell us about that?
A: Yes, I had a chance to participate in the Army's "Training With Industry" program back in the '90s, in which selected officers were given a chance to go work with a civilian company for a period of time. In my case, I went to Sea-Land Corp., which was at the time an innovator and a world leader in container shipping. I moved to Long Beach, Calif., to work in the terminals there and learn how you load a ship and how you deal with unions. Then, in December 1994, I went to Dallas to work in the company's administrative offices.
Q: You also have experience with combat deployments.
A: Yes, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I served with the security assistant teams that were supporting units in the Middle East. We handled the whole supply chain—I mean, everything from maintenance to transportation, ordnance, and contract management. I learned a lot. We then deployed to Iraq, which was another of those combat zones where you are in a very difficult situation. Combat is one of those things that really test your mettle as a military person. That was a time of great learning, of great satisfaction, and I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish in Iraq. That experience was a kind of validation that everything I had learned up to that point was correct, and it cemented the foundation for everything I did afterward, including here at Benjamin Moore.
Q: What led to your transition out of the military and into the private sector?
A: After my deployment to Afghanistan in 2013, I realized that my time in the military was coming to an end. I think I had done just about everything I wanted to as an officer, and I wanted to retire—but retire from the military, not retire from life. So I submitted my paperwork, retired in July 2014, and moved to Plano, Texas.
Q: How did the opportunity with Benjamin Moore come up?
A: I had been in Plano about two weeks when I got a phone call from a headhunter at Everest Group who had seen my résumé online. He was calling to see if I might be interested in talking with Benjamin Moore about a distribution logistics manager position in Mesquite, Texas.
My interview with Benjamin Moore turned out to be one of those interviews that were absolutely perfect. I had been on the best team in the world—a dynamic team, one that absolutely hit on all cylinders and where everyone just worked so well together. After being on one great team, I wanted to be part of another, and when I interviewed, it became clear that this was another dynamic team. It was evolving. It was pushing the outer limits of doing things logistically that the company had not done before.
Q: Can you give me some examples?
A: Well, the plan was to expand our network—our retailers—and invest in better equipment and technology. There was a clear vision of where we wanted to go, and that was to be the premium paint company in the U.S. To do that, you had to have the best logistics processes in place or be working toward that.
Q: What skills and experiences helped you make the transition from the military to the business world?
A: I think dealing with both military and civilians throughout my time was instrumental. It really allowed me to understand that while the two groups are working toward the same goal, they tend to go about it a little differently. So, you have to allow people to take those gifts that they have and let them flourish. I was able to hone my skills with respect to providing guidance and providing oversight without impeding their progress or hurting their morale.
Q: What differences have you found between military logistics and logistics in the private sector?
A: When you look at it from a logistical standpoint, there is not much difference. I almost look at the retailers that we support as the frontline. They are dealing with the public and selling paint and paint products, so we have to do everything in our power to ensure that they have all those assets, all those products, so that they can pay their bills and pay their employees and support the public.
Q: How did you find the overall transition to civilian life? Was it a difficult adjustment?
A: When I submitted my paperwork to retire in 2013, I had roughly eight months in which to go through the transition that the Army offers. I was mentally prepared for it. Now, having said that, I will tell you that there are certain aspects of the transition that are tough to get used to. One is staying in place when you've been used to moving about every three years. You've got to establish some roots. I am fortunate that I have a job that I am very happy with, but that is not the case with some people who are transitioning from the military.
Q: Can you elaborate on that?
A: There are a lot of vets out there who are still unemployed. So, that transition is ongoing with them in a very personal way. This is where we've got to get employers matched up with vets who want jobs. The thing is, you're not going to find a work force out there that is more committed, more loyal, and that has this same level of real-world expertise. It is ready. They just need a chance to be able to go out and become part of another dynamic team.
Q: You spoke at a panel on the Vets To WERC program (an initiative that seeks to match veterans with supply chain job opportunities) at this year's WERC conference. How did you become a part of that?
A: My name came up in conversations with people at Benjamin Moore. We started talking, and they asked me to be on the panel and talk about my experiences. I just think it is an awesome program.
Q: To close, what advice would you offer a veteran who is seeking a career in the private sector?
A: I would say to the vets that are out there that you need to showcase who you are. Showcase what you can bring to a company. Use all those skills that you learned in the military. Don't ever stop trying. There are people out there that want to hire you.
I would say the same thing to employers. You have a work force out there that is absolutely ready to go. And somewhere, you have got to meet.
I am passionate about this issue because there are so many veterans who are still unemployed despite the tight job market. What baffles me is that there's this group of people from the vets side and a group of employers looking for qualified people. Somehow, they just can't seem to get together. So we have to be able to bridge that gap.
Most of the apparel sold in North America is manufactured in Asia, meaning the finished goods travel long distances to reach end markets, with all the associated greenhouse gas emissions. On top of that, apparel manufacturing itself requires a significant amount of energy, water, and raw materials like cotton. Overall, the production of apparel is responsible for about 2% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions, according to a report titled
Taking Stock of Progress Against the Roadmap to Net Zeroby the Apparel Impact Institute. Founded in 2017, the Apparel Impact Institute is an organization dedicated to identifying, funding, and then scaling solutions aimed at reducing the carbon emissions and other environmental impacts of the apparel and textile industries.
The author of this annual study is researcher and consultant Michael Sadowski. He wrote the first report in 2021 as well as the latest edition, which was released earlier this year. Sadowski, who is also executive director of the environmental nonprofit
The Circulate Initiative, recently joined DC Velocity Group Editorial Director David Maloney on an episode of the “Logistics Matters” podcast to discuss the key findings of the research, what companies are doing to reduce emissions, and the progress they’ve made since the first report was issued.
A: While companies in the apparel industry can set their own sustainability targets, we realized there was a need to give them a blueprint for actually reducing emissions. And so, we produced the first report back in 2021, where we laid out the emissions from the sector, based on the best estimates [we could make using] data from various sources. It gives companies and the sector a blueprint for what we collectively need to do to drive toward the ambitious reduction [target] of staying within a 1.5 degrees Celsius pathway. That was the first report, and then we committed to refresh the analysis on an annual basis. The second report was published last year, and the third report came out in May of this year.
Q: What were some of the key findings of your research?
A: We found that about half of the emissions in the sector come from Tier Two, which is essentially textile production. That includes the knitting, weaving, dyeing, and finishing of fabric, which together account for over half of the total emissions. That was a really important finding, and it allows us to focus our attention on the interventions that can drive those emissions down.
Raw material production accounts for another quarter of emissions. That includes cotton farming, extracting gas and oil from the ground to make synthetics, and things like that. So we now have a really keen understanding of the source of our industry’s emissions.
Q: Your report mentions that the apparel industry is responsible for about 2% of global emissions. Is that an accurate statistic?
A: That’s our best estimate of the total emissions [generated by] the apparel sector. Some other reports on the industry have apparel at up to 8% of global emissions. And there is a commonly misquoted number in the media that it’s 10%. From my perspective, I think the best estimate is somewhere under 2%.
We know that globally, humankind needs to reduce emissions by roughly half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 to hit international goals. [Reaching that target will require the involvement of] every facet of the global economy and every aspect of the apparel sector—transportation, material production, manufacturing, cotton farming. Through our work and that of others, I think the apparel sector understands what has to happen. We have highlighted examples of how companies are taking action to reduce emissions in the roadmap reports.
Q: What are some of those actions the industry can take to reduce emissions?
A: I think one of the positive developments since we wrote the first report is that we’re seeing companies really focus on the most impactful areas. We see companies diving deep on thermal energy, for example. With respect to Tier Two, we [focus] a lot of attention on things like ocean freight versus air. There’s a rule of thumb I’ve heard that indicates air freight is about 10 times the cost [of ocean] and also produces 10 times more greenhouse gas emissions.
There is money available to invest in sustainability efforts. It’s really exciting to see the funding that’s coming through for AI [artificial intelligence] and to see that individual companies, such as H&M and Lululemon, are investing in real solutions in their supply chains. I think a lot of concrete actions are being taken.
And yet we know that reducing emissions by half on an absolute basis by 2030 is a monumental undertaking. So I don’t want to be overly optimistic, because I think we have a lot of work to do. But I do think we’ve got some amazing progress happening.
Q: You mentioned several companies that are starting to address their emissions. Is that a result of their being more aware of the emissions they generate? Have you seen progress made since the first report came out in 2021?
A: Yes. When we published the first roadmap back in 2021, our statistics showed that only about 12 companies had met the criteria [for setting] science-based targets. In 2024, the number of apparel, textile, and footwear companies that have set targets or have commitments to set targets is close to 500. It’s an enormous increase. I think they see the urgency more than other sectors do.
We have companies that have been working at sustainability for quite a long time. I think the apparel sector has developed a keen understanding of the impacts of climate change. You can see the impacts of flooding, drought, heat, and other things happening in places like Bangladesh and Pakistan and India. If you’re a brand or a manufacturer and you have operations and supply chains in these places, I think you understand what the future will look like if we don’t significantly reduce emissions.
Q: There are different categories of emission levels, depending on the role within the supply chain. Scope 1 are “direct” emissions under the reporting company’s control. For apparel, this might be the production of raw materials or the manufacturing of the finished product. Scope 2 covers “indirect” emissions from purchased energy, such as electricity used in these processes. Scope 3 emissions are harder to track, as they include emissions from supply chain partners both upstream and downstream.
Now companies are finding there are legislative efforts around the world that could soon require them to track and report on all these emissions, including emissions produced by their partners’ supply chains. Does this mean that companies now need to be more aware of not only what greenhouse gas emissions they produce, but also what their partners produce?
A: That’s right. Just to put this into context, if you’re a brand like an Adidas or a Gap, you still have to consider the Scope 3 emissions. In particular, there are the so-called “purchased goods and services,” which refers to all of the embedded emissions in your products, from farming cotton to knitting yarn to making fabric. Those “purchased goods and services” generally account for well above 80% of the total emissions associated with a product. It’s by far the most significant portion of your emissions.
Leading companies have begun measuring and taking action on Scope 3 emissions because of regulatory developments in Europe and, to some extent now, in California. I do think this is just a further tailwind for the work that the industry is doing.
I also think it will definitely ratchet up the quality requirements of Scope 3 data, which is not yet where we’d all like it to be. Companies are working to improve that data, but I think the regulatory push will make the quality side increasingly important.
Q: Overall, do you think the work being done by the Apparel Impact Institute will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the industry?
A: When we started this back in 2020, we were at a place where companies were setting targets and knew their intended destination, but what they needed was a blueprint for how to get there. And so, the roadmap [provided] this blueprint and identified six key things that the sector needed to do—from using more sustainable materials to deploying renewable electricity in the supply chain.
Decarbonizing any sector, whether it’s transportation, chemicals, or automotive, requires investment. The Apparel Impact Institute is bringing collective investment, which is so critical. I’m really optimistic about what they’re doing. They have taken a data-driven, evidence-based approach, so they know where the emissions are and they know what the needed interventions are. And they’ve got the industry behind them in doing that.
The global air cargo market’s hot summer of double-digit demand growth continued in August with average spot rates showing their largest year-on-year jump with a 24% increase, according to the latest weekly analysis by Xeneta.
Xeneta cited two reasons to explain the increase. First, Global average air cargo spot rates reached $2.68 per kg in August due to continuing supply and demand imbalance. That came as August's global cargo supply grew at its slowest ratio in 2024 to-date at 2% year-on-year, while global cargo demand continued its double-digit growth, rising +11%.
The second reason for higher rates was an ocean-to-air shift in freight volumes due to Red Sea disruptions and e-commerce demand.
Those factors could soon be amplified as e-commerce shows continued strong growth approaching the hotly anticipated winter peak season. E-commerce and low-value goods exports from China in the first seven months of 2024 increased 30% year-on-year, including shipments to Europe and the US rising 38% and 30% growth respectively, Xeneta said.
“Typically, air cargo market performance in August tends to follow the July trend. But another month of double-digit demand growth and the strongest rate growths of the year means there was definitely no summer slack season in 2024,” Niall van de Wouw, Xeneta’s chief airfreight officer, said in a release.
“Rates we saw bottoming out in late July started picking up again in mid-August. This is too short a period to call a season. This has been a busy summer, and now we’re at the threshold of Q4, it will be interesting to see what will happen and if all the anticipation of a red-hot peak season materializes,” van de Wouw said.
The report cites data showing that there are approximately 1.7 million workers missing from the post-pandemic workforce and that 38% of small firms are unable to fill open positions. At the same time, the “skills gap” in the workforce is accelerating as automation and AI create significant shifts in how work is performed.
That information comes from the “2024 Labor Day Report” released by Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), the firm’s government relations and public policy arm.
“We continue to see a labor shortage and an urgent need to upskill the current workforce to adapt to the new world of work,” said Michael Lotito, Littler shareholder and co-chair of WPI. “As corporate executives and business leaders look to the future, they are focused on realizing the many benefits of AI to streamline operations and guide strategic decision-making, while cultivating a talent pipeline that can support this growth.”
But while the need is clear, solutions may be complicated by public policy changes such as the upcoming U.S. general election and the proliferation of employment-related legislation at the state and local levels amid Congressional gridlock.
“We are heading into a contentious election that has already proven to be unpredictable and is poised to create even more uncertainty for employers, no matter the outcome,” Shannon Meade, WPI’s executive director, said in a release. “At the same time, the growing patchwork of state and local requirements across the U.S. is exacerbating compliance challenges for companies. That, coupled with looming changes following several Supreme Court decisions that have the potential to upend rulemaking, gives C-suite executives much to contend with in planning their workforce-related strategies.”
Stax Engineering, the venture-backed startup that provides smokestack emissions reduction services for maritime ships, will service all vessels from Toyota Motor North America Inc. visiting the Toyota Berth at the Port of Long Beach, according to a new five-year deal announced today.
Beginning in 2025 to coincide with new California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards, STAX will become the first and only emissions control provider to service roll-on/roll-off (ro-ros) vessels in the state of California, the company said.
Stax has rapidly grown since its launch in the first quarter of this year, supported in part by a $40 million funding round from investors, announced in July. It now holds exclusive service agreements at California ports including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Hueneme, Benicia, Richmond, and Oakland. The firm has also partnered with individual companies like NYK Line, Hyundai GLOVIS, Equilon Enterprises LLC d/b/a Shell Oil Products US (Shell), and now Toyota.
Stax says it offers an alternative to shore power with land- and barge-based, mobile emissions capture and control technology for shipping terminal and fleet operators without the need for retrofits.
In the case of this latest deal, the Toyota Long Beach Vehicle Distribution Center imports about 200,000 vehicles each year on ro-ro vessels. Stax will keep those ships green with its flexible exhaust capture system, which attaches to all vessel classes without modification to remove 99% of emitted particulate matter (PM) and 95% of emitted oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Over the lifetime of this new agreement with Toyota, Stax estimated the service will account for approximately 3,700 hours and more than 47 tons of emissions controlled.
“We set out to provide an emissions capture and control solution that was reliable, easily accessible, and cost-effective. As we begin to service Toyota, we’re confident that we can meet the needs of the full breadth of the maritime industry, furthering our impact on the local air quality, public health, and environment,” Mike Walker, CEO of Stax, said in a release. “Continuing to establish strong partnerships will help build momentum for and trust in our technology as we expand beyond the state of California.”
That result showed that driver wages across the industry continue to increase post-pandemic, despite a challenging freight market for motor carriers. The data comes from ATA’s “Driver Compensation Study,” which asked 120 fleets, more than 150,000 employee drivers, and 14,000 independent contractors about their wage and benefit information.
Drilling into specific categories, linehaul less-than-truckload (LTL) drivers earned a median annual amount of $94,525 in 2023, while local LTL drivers earned a median of $80,680. The median annual compensation for drivers at private carriers has risen 12% since 2021, reaching $95,114 in 2023. And leased-on independent contractors for truckload carriers were paid an annual median amount of $186,016 in 2023.
The results also showed how the demographics of the industry are changing, as carriers offered smaller referral and fewer sign-on bonuses for new drivers in 2023 compared to 2021 but more frequently offered tenure bonuses to their current drivers and with a greater median value.
"While our last study, conducted in 2021, illustrated how drivers benefitted from the strongest freight environment in a generation, this latest report shows professional drivers' earnings are still rising—even in a weaker freight economy," ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said in a release. "By offering greater tenure bonuses to their current driver force, many fleets appear to be shifting their workforce priorities from recruitment to retention."