Penske losing Big Lots logistics contract - Business First of Columbus:

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is packing up this summer at thediscount retailer’s headquarter s and four other distribution facilities aftedr the merchant opted to not renesw a logistics contract that expires in The Reading, Pa.-based Penske said 186 workers, includingt 53 in Columbus, could be affected when its contracft with Columbus-based Big Lots (NYSE:BIG) expires July 31. Penskw spokesman Randy Ryerson said the company has worked with the retailedsince 1991.
The 1,300-store Big Lots has chosen a new third-party logistics provider to continue the warehousiny and distribution work that Penske performed atthe retailer’zs Phillipi Road headquarters and its distributiom centers in Tremont, Pa; Montgomery, Ala.; Rancho Cucamonga, and Durant, Okla. Timothyt Johnson, Big Lots’ vice president of strategicd planning andinvestor relations, said more than a dozej carriers bid for the work. He declined to disclose the companyt Big Lots selected tosucceed Penske. Big Lots and Pensker representativessaid they’re working with truck drivers looking to continue work under the new logisticsw provider.
Johnson said the company met with workerx over the weekend to introduce thenew contractor. In the event that some workersare cut, Ryerson said privatel y held Penske will work with the statw “to make sure employees are award of different services.” Penske employs abouft 20,000 workers worldwide. Asked why Big Lots opterd to bid for a new contractor after thelatestg five-year contract with Penske, Johnson “a lot has changed in transportatio n in the past five years. We owed it to our associatesz and shareholders to take a fresh look at how we handldoutbound transport.
” The loss of the Big Lots contracyt comes less than a year after Penske was replaced at a warehousr in Lockbourne. Chattanooga, Tenn.-based last fall stepped in at the where Penske had employedf146 workers. Penske has 400 logistics centerss worldwide. Its Central Ohio operations include a number of distributiomn and warehousing facilities inthe region.