Russ Wiles – May. 20, 2009
Arizona Republic

Singapore-based shipper NOL Group said it will relocate its regional headquarters for the Americas to an office building in northeast Phoenix.

The parent of shipping giant APL earlier announced it would relocate its regional headquarters from Oakland, with the move expected to be completed by Sept. 30.

NOL expects to employ 300 to 400 people at the MAX at Kierland building, 16220 N. Scottsdale Rd., when fully staffed. About one-half of those jobs will be filled by employees relocating from Oakland and other offices, with the rest hired locally. The company will occupy 1 1/2 floors.

APL is the world’s seventh-largest container-shipping company. NOL is parent to that firm and to APL Logistics, employing roughly 10,000 people worldwide. Workers at the Phoenix site will coordinate shipping, terminal and logistics activities throughout the Western Hemisphere, including marine, rail and truck transport.

NOL Group picks Phoenix area for new Americas headquarters

Transportation and logistics leader plans to move in second half of 2009
Oakland, January 7, 2009 – Global container transportation and logistics group Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) said today it will relocate its Americas regional headquarters to the greater Phoenix, Arizona, area during the second half of 2009.

The headquarters shift is part of NOL’s global strategy to place its cost structure on a more sustainable footing in the face of the current economic downturn, while continuing to provide the highest standards of service to its customers.

NOL said the move from its current headquarters in Oakland, California, to Arizona should be completed during the third quarter of the year.

“We’re excited to announce that Arizona will be the new home for our regional headquarters,” said NOL’s Regional President for the Americas, John Bowe. “The greater Phoenix area will be a cost-effective base of operations for us and we’re going to a state that is well-known for its support and encouragement of business.”

Bowe added that cost was not the only factor in the decision to relocate the regional headquarters. “Arizona will be a very convenient location from which to manage our operations throughout the Americas,” he said. “And the civic and business community has been very welcoming. We’re looking forward to making Arizona our home.”

The Americas regional headquarters coordinates NOL’s shipping, terminals and logistics activities across North, Central and South America. It manages everything from marine operations to intermodal transport of containers by rail and truck.

While the regional headquarters office is moving, the company stressed that its shipping line – APL – will continue to call regularly at its West Coast marine terminals in Oakland, Seattle and Los Angeles. APL’s global services also include vessel calls at ports up and down the U.S. East Coast as well as in Central and South America.

The relocation to Arizona is one of a series of cost-saving measures NOL has announced over recent months as global containerized trade conditions have continued to decline. Other initiatives undertaken by the group include:

Reducing capacity in its major ocean trade lanes;
Idling vessels; and
Restructuring its Logistics business.

Relocation is the latest of those measures to be implemented. It is a necessary step for the future, Bowe said, to establish an effective long-term cost structure for the group’s Americas headquarters.

“We have always benefited from the hard work of our Oakland management and staff,” Bowe said. “We are confident that the move to our new location will be accomplished with the same professionalism and care for our customers’ business as has been the case during our years in Oakland.”

Media Inquiries:
Mike Zampa
Telephone: (1) 510 272 7380
Email: michael_zampa@apl.com

Shipping leader APL finds home in Phoenix, moving by 3Q 2009

Building on Scottsdale border to be new Americas headquarters for parent company NOL Group
Phoenix, Ariz, 20 May 2009: NOL Group, parent company of global shipping leader APL, today identified an office building in Phoenix, Arizona as the new home for its regional headquarters in the Americas.

Singapore-based NOL said it will occupy one and a half floors of the 6-story MAX at Kierland building, located at 16220 North Scottsdale Road, on the border between Phoenix and neighboring Scottsdale. The company expects to relocate from its current regional headquarters in Oakland, California by the end of the third quarter.

NOL Group is the parent company of APL, the world’s seventh-largest container shipping company, and supply chain services provider APL Logistics. The company employs approximately 10,000 people worldwide including 4,000 in North, Central and South America.
“We’ve searched long and hard ever since we announced our intention to relocate in the Phoenix metropolitan area last January,” said John Bowe, President of the Americas for NOL Group and APL. “I’m pleased to say that we’ve found a new home that will meet our business objectives as well as the personal needs of our employees and their families.”

Between 300 and 400 people will be employed at the new headquarters when it’s fully staffed. About half of those jobs will be filled locally. The rest will go to employees relocating from Oakland and other offices.

“We are excited that APL has chosen Phoenix as their Americas headquarters and that they plan to add jobs in Phoenix,” said Mayor Phil Gordon. “Our city offers the best of both worlds: a thriving economy and well-educated workforce — a perfect fit for APL.”
Councilwoman Peggy Neely added: “The selection of northeast Phoenix by APL for their Americas headquarters is a huge win for the district, the city and the local job market, especially in the current economic climate. APL is a proven leader in moving and managing containerized trade and their commitment to the community and the environment will be a tremendous asset to Phoenix.”

The regional headquarters in Phoenix will coordinate the company’s shipping, terminals and logistics activities throughout the Americas. That includes everything from marine operations to intermodal transport of containers by rail and truck.

“The relocation of APL to Phoenix is a nod toward this region’s economic development strategies internationally and in California,” said Barry Broome, President and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “Attracting this shipping industry leader adds value to our region’s transportation and logistics hub through its global brand and quality jobs.”
Media Enquiries:
Mike Zampa
Telephone: (1) 510 272 7380
michael_zampa@apl.com

About NOL
Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) is a Singapore-based global container shipping, terminals and logistics company. Its container shipping arm, APL, provides world-class container shipping services and intermodal operations supported by leading-edge IT and e-commerce. Its Terminals unit has one of the world’s leading container terminal networks, with key gateway facilities in Asia and North America. Its logistics business, APL Logistics, provides international, end-to-end logistics services and solutions, employing the latest IT and data connectivity for maximum supply chain visibility and control. NOL Web site: www.nol.com.sg