Lynden is known for providing innovative solutions to its customers. In a new twist on the term 'holding pen,' Lynden created a specially designed rack to hold surfboards for damage-free ocean transit. "There will always be a market for surfboards in Hawaii," explains Los Angeles Service Center Manager James Bisho, "so why not be the leader in providing cutting-edge transportation from the mainland to the islands?"

Lynden handles just about any type of freight imaginable from Los Angeles to Hawaii - from heavy machinery to perishable fruit to solar panels - via both air and ocean, full-container-load (FCL) and less-than-container-load (LCL). Coby Peterson of Marko Foam Products approached Lynden about shipping foam surfboard 'blanks' from LAX to Honolulu knowing they would be stowed in a container, but he didn't expect a special rack designed for just his freight. Lynden's Business Development Manager Maggie Parks couldn't wait to take Peterson's call. "I knew we could help him with this unique product," she says. "We thrive on and excel at requests like this. We are very good at creating solutions and showing nimbleness with how we can handle freight."

Lynden's 40-foot containers are equipped with Kinedyne Kaptive Beam® decking systems that can be adjusted at multiple levels to stack freight in a variety of configurations. The specialized containers are the only ones available in Hawaii and, with containers now in short supply, the 'sea cans' expand Lynden's shipping capacity at a critical time. 

"With the Kaptive Beam® system, we can carry more cargo per container. Customers save time and money and realize increased value with every load," Parks explains. "I am receiving positive feedback from our surfboard customers on this new option for surfboards and blanks. We have taken a collaborative approach, finding better ways of packing and moving the boards."

"Lynden has greatly increased our business on the Hawaiian Islands by providing a reliable and cost-effective shipping method to better serve our customers," says Peterson, Marko's Manager of Business Development and Marketing.

Besides Marko Foam Products, based in Huntington Beach, CA, Lynden is now handling shipping for other California companies including Catch Surf and Pyzel Surfboards. Pyzel, a leading global surfboard manufacturer, is moving full containers of boards and blanks to Honolulu inside Lynden's Kaptive Beam®-configured containers.

Lynden is well-known as one of the largest providers of air freight forwarding between the mainland and Hawaii, but it's now gaining recognition for ocean service with a variety of LCL options. The multi-mode capabilities of choosing barge, steamship or air and mixing the modes to speed up or slow down delivery for changing timelines and budgets is a selling point.

"Our service levels give us multiple layers of experience and options to offer customers," explains Stuart Nakayama, Lynden Vice President of Trade Lane Development. "Ocean LCL has always been a part of our service, but things really took off last year when we added our containers equipped with the Kaptive Beam® system, which allows us to manage our loads more effectively and price competitively. We can mix and match heavy, odd-sized loads, double-stack and handle just about anything - from tall pallets of odd-sized freight like surfboard blanks, to smaller pieces."

With backed up ports, slowed supply chains, and a shortage of containers, ocean shipping has been anything but smooth sailing this year. "The ocean shipping industry is still feeling the effects of the pandemic. It's like a snake trying to eat a rabbit," Nakayama says. "Log jams at port of entry are still occurring and impacting the Southern California market. It used to take four days to get large vessels unloaded, reloaded and leaving the port. Now it takes weeks. In my 33 years in the industry, this is unprecedented. As the experts, we are here to help our customers navigate these sometimes choppy waters and make sure we take care of their logistics needs." 

Despite the current challenges, Lynden employees still manage to pull off wins for customers on a routine basis. Recently Lynden's Los Angeles team worked through a weekend after an urgent shipment arrived after deadline on a Friday night. They knew their customers at a well-known grocer had a division vice president arriving on Monday to inspect the store. The bagged salads had to be on the refrigerated shelf when he arrived. So they flagged the perishable freight, quickly split the cargo, prepared the documents and booked space on the first available flights. The store passed the inspection.

"Whether it's working overtime, creating new ways to protect freight, or offering the latest and best equipment to ship that freight across the Pacific, we are always thinking of our customers," Nakayama says, "even if it means building holding pens for surfboards!" 

The COVID pandemic put a strain on retail businesses this year and that was especially felt during the holiday season. “I don’t think any of our retail customers could’ve prepared for the massive changes brought on by the pandemic,” says Howard Hales, Lynden Logistics Domestic Services Manager in Seattle. “COVID turned the world upside down and retail was hit hard. At the beginning of the shutdown this spring, we were in daily communication with our retailers. They needed to know where their product was along the supply chain and either stop shipments or store products at our warehouses until stores re-opened.”

The pandemic has been an elusive opponent for retail companies. Not knowing when stores could safely re-open, store managers played a waiting game wondering when conditions would improve enough to bring shoppers back into stores. According to Hales, retail companies are typically more than a year out on planning for their sales seasons. A whole supply and sales cycle is set based on shipping season-specific merchandise, and having the stores filled with that particular product in time for back-to-school or Christmas shoppers.

“When COVID hit, retailers were forced to shutter their stores for two to three months, and it broke that sales cycle,” he explains. “By the time they were able to start opening stores, they had merchandise on their shelves that had moved beyond the planned season, and new product was on the way or in their warehouses waiting to be moved to the stores.”

For Lynden’s long-time customers Gap and Old Navy, this overstock was both a dilemma and an opportunity. Their elegant solution made national headlines. Recognizing that the COVID crisis has left many families struggling to buy basic necessities like clothing, Old Navy donated $30 million of new clothing to American families. National and local charities, such as Delivering Good, helped distribute the clothing to those who needed it most. Gap asked Lynden to help coordinate the shipments to its major markets of Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

“That decision created a whole new logistics cycle,” Hales says. “Gap had to source and supply all of their stores with packaging material so the merchandise could be boxed up and moved. They then had to coordinate the pickups with their local delivery providers for final delivery to the local charities.” As Gap’s primary transportation provider for Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, Lynden coordinated store recoveries in the three markets and redelivered more than 400,000 units to local charities. Old Navy and Gap also donated 50,000 reusable masks to Boys & Girls Clubs of America as many have remained open and operational throughout the crisis as a safe place for kids and families in underserved communities.

Lynden performed similar work for other retail customers. “We had two COVID-related shutdowns for TJ Maxx,” says Stuart Nakayama, Director of Strategic Accounts and Hawaii Trade Services in Los Angeles. “Working with our ocean carrier Pasha, we came up with a solution to help them safely store their products through both shutdowns.” Lynden also helped ship personal protective equipment (PPE) to Hawaii and distributed it to the stores there, as well as all Hot Topic clothing stores in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico upon re-opening of their retail locations.

“The trick was not all stores were opened at the same time, and store hours and availability of store personnel varied,” Nakayama says, “so our Lynden employees had to hold product and get creative on delivery dates and times.”

In addition to apparel, Lynden works with “essential” retailers consisting of restaurants, health and beauty, and grocery stores in national markets. “Service to these customers was, and still is, impacted by airline capacity and delivery networks to some degree,” Nakayama says, “but it’s slowly improving. This year we have seen many changes in our retail markets and shopping patterns. While we can’t predict future change, Lynden can be the constant amid the change for our retail customers.”

LTI, Inc. drivers in Caldwell and Jerome, ID answered the call this spring when the supermarket chain WinCo Foods was hit with an unprecedented demand for groceries due to the shelter-in-place orders. WinCo's daily freight volumes grew from 2.4 to 7 million pounds of grocery products. "We agreed to help and quickly sent out trucks and drivers to the Boise, ID distribution center," says LTI, Inc. Operations Manager Gordy Sant. "Within the same day Caldwell drivers were hauling 400,000 pounds of groceries to several WinCo locations." In all, LTI, Inc. drivers hauled 3.4 million pounds of freight to various Idaho communities during the rush period. Jerome drivers also hauled loads to Salt Lake City, Western Oregon or wherever products were needed. "Everyone at LTI, Inc. pulled together to cover shifts for these drivers so we could assist in this emergency situation," Gordy says. "We continue to haul groceries for WinCo as needed. This is a great example of how Lynden and its people can quickly diversify and an opportunity to show our strength in an area outside of the milk industry."

A cross-town move from one REI store to another went off without a hitch thanks to Lynden Transport’s Anchorage team and experienced drivers.

All retail merchandise from the previous store location in Anchorage was transported to the new, bigger facility in Midtown Mall within a few days. "Some of the gear was palletized and some of it was loosely stacked. REI even left apparel on the clothing racks and rolled them right onto the trailers," explains Northwest Regional Sales Manager John Husby. "The only thing we didn’t move were the lighting fixtures."

In addition to the store-to-store freight, Lynden drivers loaded up trailers at REI’s distribution center in Sumner, WA, with additional merchandise to stock the 50,000-square-foot space. Sumner is the usual pickup location for both Fairbanks and Anchorage REI stores. Lynden Transport drivers drop the trailers for loading at the center, then take them the rest of the way north via ship. Trailers for Fairbanks go via rail and are then intercepted for truck delivery to the REI store. Kayaks and canoes sometimes ride the rail barge, according to John, and Alaska Marine Lines barges are often used for larger freight.

John attended the store’s soft opening in January. "Everything was in the store and everyone was all smiles. "Lynden’s support for our relocation was invaluable to us," says Sarah Chadd, REI Logistics Supply Chain Analyst.

Lynden supported several retail customers opening new stores at the Ala Moana Mall in Honolulu this spring. David Yurman Jewelry built a new location with Lynden exporting all store fixtures, lighting, flooring and an angel statue designed by Yurman himself for the exterior entrance.  Lynden’s Chicago District Operations Manager Jason Hiti Shannon coordinated pickup and deliveries from Yurman’s New Jersey distribution center to the island which included warehousing the material and coordinating deliveries with the construction team to keep the project on schedule. According to New York Senior Account Executive Giovanna Aquilino, everything arrived on time with great care from Lynden.

In addition, Lynden provides transportation services for L & J Interiors of jewelry and cosmetic fixtures for new retail store openings including the Bloomingdale’s anchor store at the Ala Moana Mall.  Lynden also supports L & J Interiors’ remodel and new store openings for Macy’s Inc. in Hawaii, San Juan, Guam and Lower 48 locations.