ABF expands operations in Asia

ABF Freight System has added 12 Asian countries to its global market, and now has 20 offices in the region that work to feed the company’s supply-chain logistics business.

The less-than-truckload freight company — the primary subsidiary of Fort Smith-based Arkansas Best Corp. — previously had offices in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The expansion now allows operations in Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines, India and Sri Lanka.

The offices allow the company to provide “seamless, single-contact supply chain solutions for customers importing from Asian manufacturing centers,” according to the ABF press release.

“ABF’s expanding portfolio of logistics services now extends from the Asian manufacturer’s floor to domestic door delivery. In between, customers benefit from a single point of contact and total end-to-end supply chain visibility,” Roy Slagle, ABF senior vice president of sales and marketing, said in the statement.

The company would not release details on new hires or expansion costs. Immediate responsibility for the Asian offices is Carlos Martinez-Tomatis, ABF Global Supply Chain Services division vice president.

Company shares (NASDAQ: ABFS) closed Monday at $19.15, up 22 cents. During the past 52 weeks the share price has ranged from a $29.08 high to a $18.07 low.