2008-05-15 20:28:57 -
- Matson Navigation Company has been honored with two 2007 Toyota Logistics Excellence awards, one for Marine Quality and the other for Outstanding Achievement.
The Quality Award recognizes Matson for meeting Toyota's damage percentage requirements, as well as implementing a comprehensive damage prevention program that included a collaborative working relationship between both companies. The program involved Toyota and Matson
developing a number of initiatives designed to ensure vehicles were transported as safely and securely as possible, with an overall focus on continuous improvement.
The Outstanding Achievement Award honored Matson for its role in successfully providing sailing and delivery priorities for Toyota's roll out program for its new "Tundra" model with auto dealers in Hawaii and Guam, in order to coincide with release dates on the U.S. Mainland. The project encompassed meeting requirements of rental car markets, inventory and distribution from West Coast facilities and initiating systems development with Toyota Logistics Systems to provide accurate advanced shipment notification.
"Matson is extremely proud to receive these two high honors from Toyota," said Ron Forest, Matson's senior vice president, operations. "Delivering quality service for Toyota involves a cross functional team effort by operations personnel in all key port locations, as well as maintaining high levels of customer service and sales staff communications in order to meet the manufacturer's unique needs in the Hawaii and Guam markets. We are very pleased to have achieved a very successful damage prevention program. In addition, the recognition for Outstanding Achievement is equally gratifying. Matson's contribution to Toyota's roll out program for its new Tundra model in Hawaii and Guam was a carefully coordinated project that reflected a strong collaborative relationship between the two companies. Matson also demonstrated its ability to transport Toyota's fleet of oversized vehicles to all of the major ports in Hawaii, as well as Guam. We look forward to continuing to work with Toyota Logistics in 2008 and build on the successes realized in 2007."
Matson provides ocean transportation services to Hawaii, Guam, China and Micronesia, as well as logistics services through its subsidiary, Matson Integrated Logistics. Matson is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. of Honolulu (NASDAQ:ALEX).
Matson Navigation Company
Jeff Hull, 510-628-4534
public relations
JHull@matson.com 
