As a leading provider of bulk intermodal services across North America, Odyssey provides ISO tanks that utilize an extensive rail network for the long-haul portions of domestic shipments. This helps address the cost, capacity, and sustainability challenges of shipping bulk over long distances.
Diane Lyons, vice president, sales, with Odyssey Tank Intermodal. Odyssey, a multimodal logistics provider, has worked through numerous and wide-ranging challenges. It continually monitors the laws governing the transportation of hazardous and non-hazardous products, and can rely on its extensive infrastructure and ability to ship products across transport modes. These resources allow it to help chemical shippers tackle whatever challenges they may confront. Among other services, Odyssey offers 3PL, 4PL, domestic ISO, intermodal, asset and brokerage bulk tank transport, and international transportation management. Odyssey is certified by the American Chemistry Council as a Responsible Care partner company. Through its fully outsourced solutions, Odyssey provides the ability to manage global chemical supply chains. “We essentially take over the logistics function for a chemical manufacturer,” says Robert Boyle, business unit leader with Odyssey Enterprise Managed Services, a unit of Odyssey Logistics. Along with handling the basic blocking and tackling of chemical logistics, Odyssey can tap into its multiple divisions to leverage a range of synergies. “We have the capacity to craft end-to-end logistics solutions,” Boyle adds. The company’s logistics experts can apply their analytical skills to identify opportunities for greater efficiency and effectiveness and provide increased visibility and control.
emissions by more than 489,000 tons in 2021, among other achievements. Moving forward, Odyssey’s initiatives will be centered around two core aspects: market awareness and technology. Quick changes in market dynamics are to be expected in the future, Boyle notes. Odyssey’s ability to respond to these changes in real time will be critical. To that end, Odyssey devotes a great deal of resources to helping customers determine how to spend their transportation budgets most effectively, while meeting their business requirements. “Combining multimodal services with the ability to be technology-forward allows us to focus on our customers’ specific needs,” Lyons says. “We help them navigate current and future market challenges, while empowering a more agile supply chain.” Quality Carriers, a division of leading transportation supplier CSX Corporation, has designed new domestic intermodal ISO tanks that can offer a safe, efficient rail option for chemical shipments. Randy Strutz, president, notes that bulk chemical intermodal shipments haven’t gained much traction in the chemical industry in the United States. “We designed the equipment to U.S. standards with U.S. fittings, ground level vapor recovery, and other features to make it easier for customers to switch to intermodal from over-the-road,” Strutz says.
Among other initiatives, the Odyssey team is dedicated to developing technology that allows shippers to quickly and automatically access capacity, and carriers to bid on lanes. LEVERAGING THE NETWORK As a leading provider of bulk intermodal services across North America, Odyssey’s chemical ISO tanks utilize an extensive rail network for the long-haul portions of domestic shipments. This helps address the cost, capacity, and sustainability challenges of shipping bulk over long distances. Odyssey’s leadership team is evaluating a new service to use rail farther into Mexico. Currently, Odyssey typically rails to Laredo, Texas, and then trucks shipments from there. “Intermodal allows the existing driver pool to be more efficient by shifting the long-haul portion of the move to rail,” Lyons says. On top of that, intermodal offers the unique ability to turn long-haul freight into more appealing local work for many truck drivers. “Intermodal can help play a part in attracting more drivers to the industry by changing the parameters of the shipments,” she adds. Through its Cloverleaf Program, Odyssey helps clients address their Scope 3 sustainability reporting challenges and measure and optimize sustainability, service, and cost, Boyle says. The Cloverleaf Program, has also helped Odyssey to optimize nearly 1.2 billion miles to more sustainable modes and reduce yearly carbon dioxide
78 Inbound Logistics • June 2022
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