CHICAGO and NOVI, Mich. [December 19, 2024] – Telegraph, a pioneering rail technology solutions provider, and Lineage, the world’s largest global temperature-controlled warehouse REIT, announce Lineage’s investment in Telegraph and commercial agreement to provide Lineage rail customers with enhanced railcar telematics. This partnership seeks to enhance sustainability and reduce food waste by leveraging cutting-edge freight rail technology and industry-leading logistics solutions.

Food waste represents one of the greatest social challenges of the modern era. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in the United States alone, 13.5% of US households faced food insecurity in 2023. At the same time, over 119 billion pounds of food are wasted each year. Lineage, a global leader in temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics, plays an important role in the worldwide food supply chain. Their mission is to transform the cold chain to reduce waste and help feed the world. Leveraging their strategically located network of temperature-controlled warehouses and an industry-leading refrigerated railcar network, Lineage aims to lower the cost of distribution and improve food availability across North America.

Telegraph delivers a comprehensive platform uniting railroads, shippers, logistics providers, and leasing companies to enhance collaboration and clarity. Recognizing that transportation mode is one of the most impactful decisions a company can make to reduce their carbon footprint, Telegraph makes shipping by rail seamless and integrated. 

Because of their shared values and missions, Lineage has invested in Telegraph and is leveraging their technology suite with its customers, providing increased transparency, more efficient planning, and a seamless experience for shippers.

“This collaboration is a testament to the core values of our two companies,” said Sudarsan Thattai, Lineage’s Chief Information Officer & Chief Transformation Officer. “Revolutionizing the food supply chain is at the heart of why we do what we do at Lineage. By working with Telegraph, we can better capture the sustainability benefits of freight rail, while making decisions based on precise data via an intuitive platform. This makes it easier for our customers to feel confident in choosing our fleet and our team, which is now enhanced by a powerful technology stack.”

Lineage operates the largest private fleet of refrigerated and temperature stable railcars in North America, as tracked by Umler. Due to the thermal performance of its fleet and onboard monitoring technology, rail can be a safe, efficient conveyance method for food products. Now, by working with Telegraph, Lineage will operationalize the use of railcar telematics at scale. Enhanced technology for rail freight creates an exciting opportunity to accommodate both a wide variety of products and the supply chain visibility and optimization expected by modern companies.

“We are extraordinarily proud to be working with Lineage,” said Harris Ligon, CEO of Telegraph. “Not only has the team at Lineage been a positive force to collaborate with, we believe our shared vision and ability to execute means that we can take steps toward a meaningful reduction in carbon emissions and improve food accessibility for families across the country.”

As companies look for ways to improve their own sustainability metrics, freight rail remains one of the most attractive options to positively impact supply chains. The pioneering collaboration of Lineage and Telegraph seeks to transform the cold chain to create a more cost-efficient, precise, accessible way to help feed the world.

About Telegraph
Founded in 2020, Telegraph is a leader in delivering digital solutions to railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, terminals, and railcar leasing companies. With an innovative platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, and proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers and makes shipping by rail easier and more effective. For more details, visit www.telegraph.io and follow us on LinkedIn. 

About Lineage  
Lineage, Inc. (NASDAQ: LINE) is the world’s largest global temperature-controlled warehouse REIT with a network of over 480 strategically located facilities totaling over 84 million square feet and approximately 3.0 billion cubic feet of capacity across countries in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Coupling end-to-end supply chain solutions and technology, Lineage partners with some of the world’s largest food and beverage producers, retailers, and distributors to help increase distribution efficiency, advance sustainability, minimize supply chain waste, and, most importantly, feed the world. Learn more at onelineage.com and join us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Lineage intends for all such forward-looking statements to be covered by the applicable safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in those acts. Such forward-looking statements can generally be identified by Lineage’s use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” “seek,” “objective,” “goal,” “strategy,” “plan,” “focus,” “priority,” “should,” “could,” “potential,” “possible,” “look forward,” “optimistic,” or other similar words. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including known and unknown risks, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Therefore, such statements are not intended to be a guarantee of Lineage’s performance in future periods. Except as required by law, Lineage does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this release.

Media Contacts:
Telegraph Public Relations
[email protected]
(708) 374-8150‬

Lineage
Christina Wiese
[email protected]

 

The post Telegraph and Lineage Announce Partnership That Seeks to Create a More Sustainable Food Supply Chain appeared first on Telegraph.

When we talk about technology changing the landscape of anything, what are we really talking about? Well, when we think about the advent of the smartphone, for example, that technology boldly changed the lives of ordinary people all over the world – it gave us ease of connectivity, access to information, and, perhaps as an unfortunate side effect, the dissolution of needing to shake a Polaroid picture to capture a moment in time. Ultimately, the smartphone transformed everyday life for everyday people. As with the smartphone, other technology has the ability to make many aspects of both our personal and professional lives easier.

At Telegraph, we felt the call to create the most dynamic, user-friendly platform for rail operators. Our technology is meant to propel a centuries old industry forward, while simultaneously making it easier for every person working with railroads to succeed at their job, by creating a process to adeptly manage exceptions, streamline communications, and increase visibility across every railroad in North America.

People Leaders Pave the Way

We sat down with Lynda Patterson, SVP of Sales at Watco Logistics, to chat with her about our ongoing partnership. Lynda recognizes that people are really at the core of everything we are doing together – whether that is equipping an operator to simplify her workflow, or giving a shipper better visibility into his shipments. Additionally, she is quick to point out that there is no forward momentum in any space without technology, and rail is no exception. With the rapid development of technology in the past decade, most people generally have an innate expectation of its capabilities and how it impacts their lives. With the same ease they have in ordering a pizza from their smartphone, it is paramount that rail operators be able to readily and quickly access what they need in order to efficiently deliver results for their customers.

Lynda says it perfectly, “Technology is going to be a requirement [in rail]. [The] expectation is going to be a quicker product, an easier product, and technology is going to be the enabler of that. At the core, it is really about our people, it’s our team members out there every day grinding…and obviously using technology, like Telegraph, and what you guys have availed to us as a differentiator. It’s the Telegraph tool coupled with our team members, that I would say are best-in-industry rail leaders.”

Every Day in Logistics is Triage

One of those best-in-industry leaders at Watco is Sabin Reynolds who serves as the Director of Logistics on Lynda’s team. We dove in with Sabin to really understand how Telegraph is changing the day-to-day life of a rail operator. It is imperative that operators have an arsenal of different tools at their disposal, and the ability to quickly pivot and execute. Sabin shared that his mornings often begin in a way akin to doing triage. He prioritizes his critical items, and only after those, plus his list of “just do its”, are taken care of is he able to then focus on strategy and relationship building. Prior to using Telegraph, Sabin would log in to three, four, five, or more portals just to get visibility access. Sabin’s ultimate goal is to spend less time on managing exceptions, and more time strategizing, teaching, and helping customers grow their business.

Every Day with Telegraph is Game Changing

It is crucial for rail operators to have access to technology that is easy to use and brings simplicity to complex operations. Sabin and his team have been empowered by using Telegraph. With proactive exception management capabilities, realtime ETAs across railroads, and advanced rail analytics to help customers identify bottlenecks and expand their rail business, Sabin is able to dedicate more time to those items he sees as crucial to long-term success. That’s why he says that with Telegraph, “Every step forward has been game changing – an enormous industry-first game changer for everyday rail operators…it’s my single source of truth, and [having a platform] that consolidates everything into one spot is what makes my life easier.”

Building the Right Platform to Get the Job Done

Ultimately, technology only works when it works for people in a way that makes some aspect of their life easier or better. At Telegraph, we have created a modern rail platform that enables rail operators to nimbly pivot, plan, and, ultimately, service their customers with ease.

Our team would love to help you schedule a demo and understand how Telegraph’s platform can optimize your rail experience.

Visit Watco to learn more about their customer experience and end-to-end supply chain solutions.

The post Technology Equips People. People Drive Results. appeared first on Telegraph.

Rail provides many unique benefits to shippers, most notably cost savings and reduced emissions, as compared to other modes of transportation. These benefits empower shippers to capture increased savings while improving their environmental impact.

Freight rail operations are nuanced and require keen expertise. Fortunately, the right technology, coupled with the right people offers simplicity to rail shippers and logistics firms. So what happens when best-in-class service meets best-in-class technology? Telegraph and Watco put this question to the test, and have been delighting customers with the results.

Strength in Proactive Visibility

Rail shippers are well accustomed to reactive operations. 70% of all rail shipments move on multiple railroads, which means shippers are reliant on multiple companies to provide accurate and timely tracking. In order to track a shipment from point A to point B, a typical rail shipper relies on old-school methods such as: portals, spreadsheets, and emails. This means hours are spent communicating back and forth among different parties, rather than proactively actioning shipments in need of attention.

Telegraph partners directly with railroads, shippers, terminals, and logistics companies to simplify inbound pipeline management.  With enhanced rail visibility and exception management tools, shippers can anticipate delays and pivot when necessary; with streamlined communications, teams can communicate more efficiently whether they are in the office or out in the yard; with advanced rail analytics, shippers can glean business critical insights into network trends. Ultimately, providing good service means being proactive, with the ability to inform your customers about what is happening so that they can make adjustments and avoid the unnecessary costs associated with delayed shipments.

Stability in Proactive Service

Watco, an industry leading 3PL with operations in both the U.S. and Australia, is committed to serving their customers and solving any supply chain challenge. Their 40 years of expertise allow them to provide an unparalleled end-to-end experience tailored for their customers’ unique supply chain needs. Watco Logistics teams leverage Telegraph’s suite of cloud-based tools to empower shippers with clear rail visibility insights, ultimately delivering on their commitment to provide exceptional service on every load. Watco customers now have access to real-time visibility of their rail and intermodal shipments, eliminating the need for static reporting or web scraping siloed portals.

Ben Hanson, VP of Logistics Sales at Watco, notes, “When you can come to the table with your customer with something else that has some value and some merit, and say, these are the things we are doing….this gives you the visibility to see where your shipment might be before things become an issue, and you can make decisions before that, that is what they want to see, that is what makes their life easier.” The combination of Watco’s dedicated service with Telegraph’s modern rail technology is giving shippers the ability to make strategic real-time decisions in their supply chain.

Watco demonstrates true commitment to their customer experience. By partnering with Telegraph, Watco provides best in class service for rail shippers, simplifying historically complex workflows and empowering shippers to reap the benefits of the most critical transportation mode in the North American supply chain.

Reach out to our team today to schedule a demo and learn more about Telegraph’s modern rail platform. 

Visit Watco to learn more about their customer experience and end-to-end supply chain solutions.

The post Best in Class Service Meets Modern Rail Technology appeared first on Telegraph.

“At Watco, we are committed to finding the best way to serve our customers. Working with Telegraph has been one of the best opportunities to bring our vision for a customer-centric platform to life,” said Watco Senior Vice President Lynda Patterson.

Using Telegraph’s groundbreaking software, Watco combines advanced technology with its decades of rail logistics experience to help shippers solve their toughest logistics challenges, especially rail transportation. The enhanced platform gives customers visibility of their railcars beyond Watco facilities or tracks.

“We recognized a distinct need for software designed for the rail-centric supply chain,” explained Telegraph co-founder Shachar Astor. “The industry presents unique challenges that this collaboration allows us to address. Together, we’re making rail a more compelling option for shippers.”

To make the connections between the roughly 600 railroads serving North America and the network of transloading facilities, intermodal terminals, and ports, the Watco team needs to connect and collaborate in one place. Telegraph helps railroads, shippers, logistics providers, and railcar lessors work more efficiently via a singular platform. The company uplevels the consumer experience, making it easier for businesses to incorporate rail into their procurement and execution processes.

“Telegraph’s tool helps us be more effective and efficient so we can focus on solving common rail issues for our customers. It’s quick, easy, and powerful,” said Watco Vice President of Logistics Sales Michelle Bowling. “We help our customers keep their freight moving and provide significant cost-saving opportunities such as rate negotiations and demurrage risk mitigation.”

Over the past decade, every major mode of transportation has experienced rapid technological innovation — except rail. Telegraph provides exceptional predictability and visibility for carload and intermodal shipments. Leveraging EDI, API, and telematics integrations, the platform delivers best-in-class forecastability and pipeline management. To date, the company has saved customers thousands of hours in manual work and millions of dollars in accessorial charges.

The structure of the industry — both highly capital intensive and highly efficient — presents a unique opportunity to build a fully integrated solution that allows for better access and collaboration. However, “Collaborative environments must exist for an explicit purpose,” added Amaro Luna, another of Telegraph’s co-founders. “Other industries have upgraded their tech stack. Instead of just meeting the bar, we’ve built with operators in mind, delivering intuitive software that empowers users to make proactive decisions in a primarily reactive space.”

“It’s a pleasure to build alongside the team at Watco. Both organizations share an operational grit and customer focus that has unlocked immense value. We’re excited about our shared pursuit of making it easier for everyone to incorporate rail into their supply chain,” added Telegraph CEO Harris Ligon.

Watco sees the partnership as the beginning of a new era of rail shipping. “We serve every transportation need of a broad mix of customers,” shared Bowling. “The question we continue to ask ourselves is: How can we bring the benefits of shipping by rail to a larger group of customers faster? With Telegraph, we’ve found the answer.”

About Telegraph

Telegraph provides a cloud-based operating system for railroads, shippers, logistics service providers, and railcar leasing companies. With an innovative platform that provides price transparency, shipment visibility, and proactive business intelligence, Telegraph empowers customers and makes shipping by rail easier and more effective. For details, visit www.telegraph.io

About Watco

Watco is a leading transportation service and logistics company that provides transportation, material handling and warehousing, logistics, railcar repair, and design and development for customers throughout North America and Australia. For details, visit www.watco.com

The post Telegraph and Watco Announce Collaboration to Streamline Rail Logistics appeared first on Telegraph.