Company Profile
Ryder System, Inc.
Company Overview
Ryder System, Inc. is a FORTUNE® 500 provider of leading-edge transportation, logistics and supply chain management solutions. Ryder's product offerings include: Fleet Management Solutions (FMS), which provides leasing, rental and programmed maintenance of trucks, tractors and trailers to commercial customers; Supply Chain Solutions (SCS), which manages the movement of materials and related information from the acquisition of raw materials to the delivery of finished products to end-users; and Dedicated Contract Carriage (DCC), which provides a turn-key transportation service that includes vehicles, drivers, routing and scheduling. Ryder serves customer needs throughout North America and in Mexico, Europe and Asia.
Company History
With a $35 down payment on a Model A Ford truck, Ryder began its business hauling concrete back in 1933. In 1938, a Miami beverage distributor agreed to lease five trucks, launching Ryder's full-service leasing business. From those beginnings, Ryder has evolved into one of the world's leading suppliers of supply chain and transportation management solutions with nearly $5 billion in annual revenue.
Throughout Ryder's more than 75-year history there have been many important events that have shaped the success of the organization. Presented below is a chronicle of some of those historical occurrences.
1930s - The Beginning
1933 - Company founded by James A. Ryder in Miami, Florida. The first Ryder Truck was a black, 1931 Model "A" Ford.
1937 - Fleet expanded to 15 trucks.
1938 - Champagne Velvet Beer business became the first Ryder lease account.
1945 - Started dedicated contract carriage for The Miami Herald, a relationship that continues today.
1949 - Expanded operations to five branches and 450 trucks.
Created "captive shops" at customer locations and opened a network of service locations that pioneered the practice of preventive maintenance.
Revenue from truck leasing and rental activities topped $1 million.
1955 - Incorporated and became Ryder System, Inc.
Became a publicly-traded company with the issue of 160,000 shares of common stock over-the-counter at $10 per share.
1959 - Featured on the cover of BusinessWeek and recognized as a leader in transportation.
1960 - Stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
1965 - Sold Ryder Truck Lines.
1978 - James A. Ryder, founder and chairman, retired.
Leslie O. Barnes named President and Chief Executive Officer, elected Chairman of the Board.
Corporate revenue surpassed the $1 billion mark.
1979 - M. Anthony Burns elected President and Chief Operating Officer.
More than 13,000 “One-Way” Ryder rental trucks kept America moving.
1986 - Entered public transportation management with the acquisition of ATE Management and Service Company.
1988 - Entered German market offering truck leasing.
Expanded automotive transportation operations to Canada.
1994 - Began operations in Mexico.
Began Logistics Management with acquisition of LogiCorp.
1995 - Began operations in Argentina and Brazil.
Named to FORTUNE magazine’s listing of the 500 largest public companies in the U.S.
1996 - Sold One Way Consumer "Yellow" Truck Rental division.
Rebranded fleet to white with new red and black logo to focus on commercial customers.
1997 - Sold Automotive Carrier division.
Named most admired highway transportation company by FORTUNE magazine.
1998 - Again named highway transportation company by FORTUNE.
Named best large Florida company for women to work for by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.
Named one of America's best companies for African-Americans, Asians and Hispanics by FORTUNE.
Named one of the 50 best workplaces for Hispanic women by Latina Style.
1999 - Opened the nation's first Charter School in the workplace.
Sold Ryder Public Transportation Services.
Hired Gregory T. Swienton as President and COO.
Named one of the 100 best workplaces for Hispanics by Hispanic magazine for the eighth consecutive year.
Again named one of the 50 best workplaces for Hispanic women by Latina Style.
Formally established an e-Commerce Group.
2000 - Created Company-wide Asset Management Group.
Launched used vehicle sales web site -- usedtrucks.ryder.com.
Launched e-Channel Solutions, an Internet-based end-to-end fulfillment solution.
Launched RyderFleetProducts.com, a web site providing resources for planning, ordering and delivery of fuel, lubricants and a wide range of parts and equipment.
Named top Third-Party Logistics provider, for the third consecutive year, by Inbound Logistics magazine.
M. Anthony Burns retired as CEO, retaining role as Chairman of the Board.
Gregory T. Swienton named President and CEO.
2001 - Launched Asia-Pacific headquarters with acquisition of Singapore-based Ascent Logistics Pte Ltd.
2002 - M. Anthony Burns retired as Chairman of the Board.
Gregory T. Swienton named to Chairman of the Board, retaining roles as President and Chief Executive Officer.
Settled trademark infringement lawsuit with Budget Group, Inc.
2003 - Named one of the 100 best workplaces for Hispanics by Hispanic magazine for the tenth year.
Acquired General Car and Truck Leasing and announced LOI to purchase RUAN.
2004 - Finalized acquisition of Ruan Leasing Company.
Launched www.RyderSafetyServices.com site – an industry resource for safety products and services.
Earned U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection anti-terrorism certifications (C-TPAT) and (FAST).
Closed the sale of our 405,000-square-foot corporate headquarters at 3600 NW 82nd Avenue in Doral, Fla.
2005 - Acquired N.Y.-based 4 G’s Truck Renting Co.
Celebrated the opening of the Company’s smaller and more efficient New Global Headquarters.
Began operations in third South American market, Chile.
2006 - Celebrated 50 years as a publicly traded company.
Celebrated 35 years of operating in the United Kingdom.
Celebrated half-century mark as an international company with 50th anniversary of operating in Canada.
2007 - Announced acquisition of Pollock NationaLease in Canada.
Announced the launch of RydeGreen™ line of tractors and trailers, designed to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
2008 - Celebrated 75th anniversary.
Acquired Lily Truck Leasing in Northeast U.S.
Acquired Florida-based Gator Leasing.
Acquired Pennsylvania-based Gordon Truck Leasing.
Acquired Transpacific Container Terminal Ltd. (TCTL) and CRSA Logistics Ltd. (CRSA) in Canada, as well as CRSA Logistics operations in Hong Kong and Shanghai, China.
Launched RydeGreenSM Hybrid straight truck line, available for order by Ryder lease customers.
Announced strategic focus on the Company’s service offering in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and Asia. Discontinued SCS operations in South America and Europe.
2009 - Acquired Connecticut-based Edart Leasing.
Published first Corporate Social Responsibility report, highlighting the Company’s contributions in driving environmental leadership, ensuring safe and secure transportation, supporting employees and their communities, and advancing world-class governance, ethics, and compliance.
Announced $1 million donation to the American Red Cross, to be disbursed over a three-year period.
Certified as a Third Party Logistics Provider (3PL) in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) for logistics operations in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Ranked number one for security practices in the Transportation, Logistics, Supply Chain, and Warehousing industry sector by The 2009 Security Benchmarking Survey, published in Security Magazine.
2010 - Announced joint venture with Cargo Services Far East Limited (CSFE), an Asia-based logistics solutions provider specializing in export consolidation services, to offer retailers source-to-store logistics capabilities between Asia and North America.
Announced grand opening of retail Used Vehicle Center in Greater Toronto, offering one of the largest used truck inventories in North America.
Launched multilingual used vehicle sales websites.
Announced first ever natural gas vehicle program to be deployed in a commercial truck rental and leasing operation.
Notable Clients
Miami Herald, Philips Consumer Electronics, Home Depot, Dunkin Donuts
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
Inbound Logistics: Top 100 Motor Carriers – Ryder was named a top carrier by Inbound Logistics magazine for providing quality processes and procedures in procurement (2003, 2005, 2008-2009).
Inbound Logistics: Best Third-Party Logistics Provider – In 2009, Ryder was named the Number-One third-party logistics (3PL) provider in the annual Inbound Logistics Top 10 3PL Excellence Awards. Ryder has won this top spot eight times in the eleven years it has been published (1998-2002, 2007-2009).
Supply & Demand Chain Executive: Pros to Know – Ryder’s President of Global Supply Chain Solutions, John Williford, was chosen as one of the “Provider Pros to Know.” Mr. Williford was recognized for helping Ryder customers manage supply chain risk, increase their competitive advantage, and deliver value to their bottom lines in the midst of an unprecedented economic downturn (2009).
Inbound Logistics: 25 Green Supply Chain Partners – Ryder was named one of 25 Green Supply Chain Partners by Inbound Logistics magazine (2009).
Supply & Demand Chain Executive, Green Supply Chain Award – For two consecutive years, Ryder was selected as a recipient of the Green Supply Chain Award. Ryder was chosen for being a provider of supply chain solutions that is assisting its customers in meeting green or sustainable supply chain goals (2008, 2009).
Michigan Minority Business Development Council, Corporation of the Year in Transportation – Ryder was named Corporation of the Year in the transportation category in recognition of its supplier diversity program (2009).
Hispanic Business: One of the Diversity Elite 60 – For two consecutive years, Ryder was recognized for going beyond workforce diversity initiatives and implementing strategies to reach more Hispanic consumers and increase business with minority- and Hispanic-owned suppliers (2008, 2009).