Honolulu Freight Service: Constancy of Change Change is a constant in logistics, and Hawaii is no exception. The most successful logistics providers ensure their clients experience seamless delivery, especially as conditions evolve. Growth and innovation are strategies Honolulu Freight Service (HFS) has managed well as the freight forwarder serving the Pacific for nearly 90 years. Its success has been displayed by building a tradition of superior service and cost-effective solutions for every customer. Through its growing network of asset-based trucking companies, state- of-the-art terminals, warehouses, logistics technologies, and detailed tracking information, HFS can provide visibility and shipment information over land, air, and sea. 2025 marks a major shift in operations for HFS through infrastructure and technology improvements to its Hawaii services. After years of growth, HFS is completing renovations for its new Hawaii headquarters at the former Love’s Bakery headquarters in the heart of Honolulu. This 92,400-square-foot building and three acres of industrial property will allow the company to streamline and upgrade operations. “The new location provides operational efficiencies and expands in-town chilled and frozen as well as dry storage potential,” says James Beidleman, HFS president and CEO. “Eventually, two of the three HFS operations will be consolidated into this new headquarters.” The new location is slated to open in late 2025 with more than 200 employees. Through their new operating system, HAWAII LOGISTICS
Serving the Pacific for nearly 90 years, Honolulu Freight Service (HFS) moves shipments in a timely manner, providing visibility and shipment information over sea, land, and air.
controls throughout shipment and cold chain handling. “Our goal is to keep shipments moving in a timely manner throughout the islands, and that is particularly critical for refrigerated goods,” he says. “We’ve developed an unbroken cold chain for all shipments—big and small— throughout the islands that is rolling out this year, so goods never sit on an open tarmac in the sun.” Due to Hawaii’s location, logistics providers need to be familiar with ocean/ consolidation/rail/truck and final-mile delivery all in one shop. “Our ability to provide all of this is what makes Honolulu Freight Service stand out,” Beidleman says. Maintaining Complete Cold Chain Control HFS has introduced a new local less- than-container load (LCL) system for its inter-island chilled and frozen shipments to greatly improve control and consistency in the cold chain, Beidleman adds. Chilled and frozen goods are loaded directly into dedicated refrigerated shipping containers by pallet, then shipped inter-island, with shipments once a week. HFS trucks can immediately deliver door-to-door to the customer with complete control over the cold chain. Unloading onto the terminal floor or wait times outside in the open environment, are things of the past. “This system greatly helps local neighbor-island businesses with LCL shipments of sensitive materials, such as
perishable food items,” Beidleman says. HFS loads direct containers between Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Island of Hawaii once a week. Complementing the HFS inter- island cold chain container movements are their daily inter-island airfreight movements. This service is a function of their Oahu-based trucking division (XPress Trucking). Inter-island airfreight moves through their TSA- approved facilities, providing same-day transportation of products between each of the Hawaiian Islands. 2026 will mark 90 years of service for the company under the third generation of Beidleman family ownership and management. “Working together with the hundreds of families at HFS, we are so proud and thankful for what we’ve built, and we are excited about what lies ahead,” Beidleman notes. In addition to Honolulu, HFS terminal locations include Tacoma, Washington; Los Angeles and Oakland, California; Portland, Oregon; and Guam. Seamless Shipping The Aloha spirit that typifies Hawaii is a term that is especially apt in the islands’ world of logistics. “Aloha” is a word used in both greeting and farewell. For logistics providers, Aloha spirit typifies how cargo shipments are handled both entering and leaving the state. “Mahalo” is another word spoken both in greeting and farewell on the islands. It is an expression of gratitude and thanks. Not surprisingly, logistics pros serving the state hear it often. n
HFS is replacing several manual processes with new software and
technology throughout each division. “This puts the focus on the customer rather than on administrative personnel. New procedures are being adopted to include e-signatures, dispatch systems, communications, and other tools,” Beidleman says, adding that HFS is also evaluating new technologies for more efficient real-time temperature
58 Inbound Logistics • June 2025
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