Global shipping leader APL makes move to Phoenix

Global shipping leader APL announced upgrades to its twice-a-week Miami service connecting the U.S. to Central America. NOL Group, parent company of container shipping leader APL, opened its new Americas headquarters here and said it’s now better positioned than ever to support growth in global trade.

"We've got a new home and a keener focus on how best to serve international shippers," said John Bowe, President of the Americas for Singapore-based NOL. "We’re in the perfect place to help customers manage their global supply chains."

Singapore-based NOL has relocated its Americas headquarters from Oakland, California, to a new building at 16220 N. Scottsdale Road in Phoenix. NOL said the move to Phoenix was prompted by a desire to reduce headquarters costs and co-locate business units from around the country that need to work closely together.

NOL employs about 300 people in Phoenix. Approximately half of those were hired locally. The remainder transferred from Oakland and other U.S. locations. More than 2,000 people work for NOL throughout the Americas.

"We're now centrally located to manage our operations throughout the Americas," said Bowe. "What's more, we've got adjacent functions all under the same roof and the result will be better, more responsive service for our customers."

NOL's primary business is 160-year-old APL, the world's fifth-largest container shipping line. It also owns APL Logistics, the global supply chain management business, and a Terminals division that manages four U.S. West Coast terminals and two others in Asia.
Staff in the new Phoenix headquarters will oversee all of those activities for NOL in North, Central and South America.

The company provides container transportation and logistics support for many of the largest multinational corporations. APL's fleet of 140 container ships connects the U.S. to Asia, Europe and Latin America. The shipping line also manages rail and truck transport for cargo in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.