| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
The Holman Story
|
|
 |
|
Holman began in 1864 as a small
transfer company in Portland, Oregon. At the time, Oregon’s
statehood was six years young. Portland, or “Stump
Town”, consisted of sawmills, rough plank sidewalks,
and streets of dirt turning to mud when it rained. The railroad
was still years from reaching Portland. Still, the fledgling
town was fast becoming a major freight depot of the Columbia.
Two teenaged brothers perceived the opportunities arriving
with every steamship. On the docks of the Willamette River,
with the aid of two draft horses and a cart, the boys launched
a modest transfer business. Edward and Jack Holman had
come west the year before, looking to escape the sweat
shops of New York. The young boys had spent the early Civil
War years packing hard tack and munitions for General Grant.
Sitting atop their two-wheeled drays, the brothers bumped
and careened their way through the city streets, hauling
all kinds of goods for the early Portlanders. As their
business flourished and the demand for their services rose,
Holman Transfer soon became the family business.
As Holman Transfer entered
the 20th century, new innovations would bring Holman’s
services to new levels and new directions, the first of
which being the horseless cart.
With engine powered carts, Holman could serve its customers
in the fraction of the time it took with horses. Business
continued to prosper, even through the First World War.
|
After
aiding the U.S. Military’s needs on the Pacific Coast
during WWII, Holman flourished under the joint leadership
of Herbert’s two sons, Herbert Jr. and Leonard. Herbert
Jr. concentrated primarily on warehousing, while Leonard
focused on trucking. The company boasted twenty trucks
(Diamond T’s and White’s), innovative automated
forklifts, and over 50,000 sq. ft. of multi-storied, wood-floored
warehouse space. Much of the company’s business involved
consignee hired pick-up and deliveries. Holman was proving
itself to be an excellent regional logistics provider.
When
Holman celebrated its centennial in 1964, it was operating
over 200,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space consisting
of new, all-concrete buildings with modern rack systems.
At the time, the industry had just begun using standardized
steel containers and piggy-back trailers, making products
easy to move from train to truck and/or ship. Running
a truck fleet of 50, the bulk of Holman’s business
was made up of candy, drugs, food, and chemicals.
By 1970, with well established warehouse operations in
Oregon and Washington State, Holman was one of the most
prominent names in Northwest public warehousing.
The
next significant innovation would occur in the 1980’s:
the ability for electronic data interchange. Instead
of teletype, phone/mail orders and immeasurable
paper work, Holman quickly implemented EDI, Warehouse
|
| |
|
With the onset of
The Great Depression in 1929, the logistics industry
was hit hard. Everywhere, transfer companies were
folding or consolidating. The owners of Holman, fearful
of the times, wanted to sell. Herbert M. Clark, the
company’s young controller, saw opportunities
on Holman’s horizon. So, at the height of the
Depression, Herbert
|
|
Management
Systems, bar codes and radio frequency terminals.
Being among the first in logistics to utilize such
advancements, Holman provided the most effective
and efficient of supply chain abilities.
When
Holman entered the twenty-first century, it brought
data interchange to an entire new level by providing
customers with
|
|
| |
|
managed to purchase Holman, using
only his company stock and his life insurance as collateral. “We
learned to respect the dollar at an early age,” reflected
Herbert Jr., years later.
Holman’s
assets included a half-dozen trucks, a couple of horse-drawn
wagons, and one warehouse. The truck fleet, comprised of
Doane’s and McDonald’s, sported hard rubber tires,
good for the dirt and muddy roads still so common at the
time. America’s highways, however, were about to experience
a major transformation. Throughout the Depression, the Bureau
of Public Roads, together with civil and public works projects,
created literally hundreds of thousands of miles of new,
paved roads. Ships, docks, tunnels, bridges, roads, and highways
sprang up seemingly overnight. New truck technology quickly
followed.
Although
still in debt, and the economy still in depression, Herbert
had faith in Holman’s future. Holman steadily modernized
its fleet with diesel engines, multi-speed transmissions, tandem
axles, heavy-duty pneumatic tires, and most significantly,
the tractor-trailer/tank combination. Customer service had
reached new heights as Holman’s capabilities expanded.
|
|
complete access
to their inventory over the internet with its eTrac software.
Holman clients can access inventory reports, order history
and even make new orders at any computer that has internet access.
Holman
still enjoys the daily presence of Leonard Clark, who brings
sixty years of warehouse and transportation experience
to all of Holman’s locations. In addition, third-generation
family members are active in management and board operations.
Holman’s
dedication to providing the best value available has propelled
it through the Civil War, two World Wars, the Great Depression
and more. From its humble horse and cart beginnings, through
technological advances and complete industry evolution,
Holman has consistently demonstrated its core belief that
if an idea or goal can be conceived, Holman can see it
to completion. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
