The Journey of Logistics Plus: A Story of Grit, Vision, and a Little Bit More
This is something we recently compiled in response to an external media inquiry, so we thought we’d share it here as well.
Introduction
In the world of supply chains and global logistics, a few companies manage to stand out. Fewer still can trace their success to a story as personal — and unlikely — as that of Logistics Plus.
At the heart of it is Jim Berlin: a guy who didn’t come up through boardrooms or business schools, but through real work, real risks, and a relentless belief that there had to be a better way to do things.
The following is by Jim Berlin, Founder & CEO of Logistics Plus, Inc. (with some input from his personal AI chatbot 😀)
The Reluctant Logistics Revolutionary
I didn’t set out to build a company. I was just trying to make a living — driving trucks, taking odd jobs, figuring things out as I went. I didn’t have a fancy degree. What I did have was curiosity, grit, and a belief that most problems had solutions if you looked at them the right way.
Over the years, I worked in just about every part of logistics — from the ground floor up. Along the way, I learned that moving stuff from Point A to Point B wasn’t just about trucks and warehouses — it was about solving puzzles. It was about people. It was about trust.
By the early 1990s, I had built a reputation for taking on messy, complicated problems — and actually enjoying the challenge.
In 1996, came the real turning point: GE Transportation in Erie, Pennsylvania needed help managing transportation logistics during a big outsourcing shift. A lot of people thought the project was doomed. I thought it sounded like fun.
I set up shop with little more than a phone, a borrowed desk, and an idea: do whatever it takes to get the job done — and do it better than anyone expects.
That was the start of Logistics Plus.
The Birth of Logistics Plus
At the beginning, it was just a few of us squeezed into a tiny office inside GE’s massive site. The only promise we made was simple: Passion for Excellence.
It wasn’t just a slogan. It meant we were going to care more, work harder, and figure out smarter solutions than anyone else.
The “Plus” in Logistics Plus mattered, too. It stood for creativity, service, and the mindset that no matter what a customer needed, we were going to find a way — and then add a little extra.
Every customer felt like our only customer.
No job was too small. No detail was too minor.
That approach became the foundation of everything we built.
Vision and Core Values
I never wanted Logistics Plus to be a place where people just punched a clock. I wanted it to be a place where people actually liked what they were doing — and took pride in doing it well.
Our core values grew naturally out of that spirit:
- Passion for Excellence: Find a way to be better today than yesterday.
- Global Mindset: Solve problems anywhere, anytime, with a local touch.
- Entrepreneurial Spirit: Think like an owner. Take initiative.
- Customer Focus: Build partnerships, not transactions.
- Integrity and Transparency: Do the right thing — even when nobody’s looking.
Build a team of people who care, trust each other, and love the work — and the results take care of themselves.
Solutions That Redefined an Industry
What started with GE grew quickly.
We took on more clients, bigger challenges, crazier projects — and just kept figuring it out.
Today, Logistics Plus offers full-service supply chain solutions, including:
- Freight Management: Truckload, LTL, ocean, air, rail — you name it.
- Warehousing & Fulfillment: A growing network for storage, distribution, e-commerce, and installations.
- Global Logistics: International freight forwarding and project cargo.
- Supply Chain Consulting: Helping clients rethink and optimize everything.
- Technology Solutions: Creating user-friendly TMS, WMS, and other logistics applications.
One thing that’s never changed: we specialize in tough stuff — oversized, high-stakes, complicated projects.
If it’s easy, it’s probably not for us.
Global Growth and Recognition
From a borrowed desk in Erie, we’ve grown into a global organization, fast approaching one billion in global sales, with offices in over 50 countries and a network that spans six continents.
Along the way, we’ve earned recognition like:
- EY Entrepreneur of the Year (and a spot in its Hall of Fame)
- Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies (multiple years)
- Top 3PL Provider by industry publications
- Great Place to Work Certification (year after year)
We’re proud of the awards — but prouder of what they stand for: a team that never forgot its roots, no matter how far we’ve come.
The Culture Behind the Success
Ask anyone at Logistics Plus what makes us different, and you’ll hear it: culture.
We’re not a top-down corporate machine. We’re a tight-knit group that values creativity, individuality, and trust.
Anybody here can walk into my office with an idea or a problem — and they do.
In a world racing toward automation and AI, Logistics Plus stays human.
Our customers aren’t just numbers. They’re relationships. They’re friends.
Looking to the Future
Nearly three decades in, and Logistics Plus is just getting started.
We’re doubling down on what’s always made us different: creativity, flexibility, and a willingness to take on the tough stuff others won’t touch.
We’re expanding our global reach, building smarter supply chains, and helping our clients grow by finding solutions where others only see obstacles — taking away headaches so they can focus on running their businesses.
The world keeps changing fast — and while we’ve always embraced cutting-edge technology to stay sharp and competitive, we’ve never lost sight of what matters most.
At Logistics Plus, we’re trying to make sure that even as we stay human — building real relationships and solving real problems — we also have all the high-tech tools our customers need, and always will.
At the core, our mission stays simple:
Solve problems. Create opportunities. Have fun doing it.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Possibility
From a single desk in Erie to a worldwide network, the story of Logistics Plus proves that vision, heart, and persistence still matter.
We didn’t grow because of some master plan.
We grew because we cared.
We solved problems.
And we always — always — tried to do just a little bit more.
The best part?
We’re still just getting started.
Onward!
