A Multi-Service Solution for Southeastern Steel Customers Listening to the customer is a trait Watco is
Steel customers are sending coils, plates, beams,
known for. So it’s no surprise that when steel
and other finished products – mostly by barge – to
customers in the southeastern U.S. mentioned
Watco terminals. Memphis Dock Street Marine
issues they were encountering, the Watco team
Terminal, Decatur River Port and Port Birmingham
was paying attention.
in Alabama, the Port of Vicksburg in Mississippi,
“They were telling us trucking capacity was tight,” said Len Cresenzo, a Watco Sales Director based in Memphis, Tennessee. “They were having trouble getting shipments out or in, and space at mills and processing facilities was becoming maxed out.” After hearing what the problems were, Watco was able to find the right solution. With its vast network of Transportation, Material Handling and Storage, and Logistics capabilities, Watco took a multi-service approach.
and the Tulsa Port of Catoosa Marine Terminal in Oklahoma are serving as warehousing and distribution centers. For their outbound shipments, about 50% of these customers are able to use either Watco’s rail lines or trucking that’s coordinated by Watco Logistics. Last month, Crescenzo had an opportunity to network with others connected to the steel industry at the Steel Market Update (SMU) Steel Summit conference in Atlanta, Georgia. He shared a new steel transloading brochure and had a straightforward message about
“We offered what we termed a hub-and-
Watco: “As customers face a demanding market,
spoke solution,” Crescenzo explained. “We’re
we’re positioned to provide the right locations
combining our barge, rail, and trucking
and services, giving them one less thing to be
capabilities with warehouse space.”
concerned about.”
4 The Dispatch | September 2021
