Crowley Announces Opening of Distribution Center in Guatemala’s El Naranjo Free Zone

2004-10-20

(Jacksonville, Fla.; October 20, 2004) To better serve local apparel makers and their suppliers of materials requiring free zone status, Crowley Logistics’ Apparel Transportation subsidiary is opening a distribution center October 22, inside the El Naranjo Free Zone at Zona 4 Mixco in Guatemala.

Services provided at the 13,000-square-foot facility will include shipment consolidation/deconsolidation, inventory control, storage and local and regional distribution services. This center will be an addition to the existing warehouse and distribution work the company does from its Crowley Logistics de Guatemala facilities in Zona 12, Guatemala City.

We expect the initial customer base to be existing customers who have used our distribution centers in Honduras, El Salvador and South Florida, said Leo del Calvo, General Manager, Apparel Transportation. Now our customers will be able to utilize us for their distribution within Guatemala as well.

By operating within a free zone, faster and more efficient movement of shipments to garment makers also operating in these duty free areas will be possible. Additionally, the company will be able to provide freight consolidation for finished goods shipments from free zones back to the United States, said John Hourihan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Logistics.

Crowley Logistics, a third party logistics provider headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., is a subsidiary of Crowley Maritime Corporation, and is part of its liner segment. As a third party logistics provider, the company and its subsidiaries offer supply chain management, freight consolidation, air and ocean container services, warehousing and distribution, pick and pack, freight forwarding, transportation management, cross-docking and customs brokerage and clearance.

Oakland-based Crowley Maritime, founded in 1892, is primarily family- and employee-owned and is engaged in worldwide logistics, liner shipping services, contract towing and transportation, energy support services, ship assist and escort services, vessel management and petroleum and chemical marine transport. Additional information about Crowley its subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet at www.crowley.com.