Louisville Switching Blog

We want to share about an exciting partnership we ventured into a few months ago. Back in the early summer we were contacted by the folks down at Ellis Park in regards to renting one of our Ottawa yard trucks. A bit of a strange request as we usually deal with third party logistics companies, distribution facilities, or corporate customers. We've had our share of clients like Ellis Park over the years, for instance we've provided our Ottawa Terminal Tractors for the Louisville Palace Theatre in downtown Louisville— but still, it's not the norm.

Ottawa Trucks, also commonly (and formally) referred to as Kalmar Ottawa, is a company of many things. It is also a subsidiary of the CargotecCorporation, a Finnish industrial machinery company with almost 11,000 employees worldwide as of 2015. The company that has built a reputation of excellence over the decades wasn't always in such a powerful position, however - it's beginnings are shockingly humble for an organization that has set and reset the standard in trailer moving solutions time and again.

Kentucky is a great place to do business. Its central location, low cost of living and operation and many other perks have made it the go-to spot for companies all over the nation. Following is an overview of the five largest business parks in the state as well as a peek at what types of industries each park serves.

There is a company here in Louisville that has a very rich history in the shipping industry. Dating back to 1879, the Kentucky Trailer company, known then as The Kentucky Wagon Manufacturing Company, paved the way for shipping companies based out of Louisville, Kentucky.

When it comes down to sheer tonnage of material being shipped throughout the world, U.S. seaports send off and receive a truly staggering amount of goods. Seaports are a major part of the logistics industry that makes what we do at Louisville Switching possible. You can read more about over the road freight on the blog. Seaports along the Gulf Coast are the most popular, but a few eastern and western ports do rank among the top 10 busiest ports in the United States. Check out the top 10 seaports in the U.S. below.

This nation's seaports serve to load and unload ocean-going vessels. The vast majority, 99.4% by weight and 65% by value, of all this country's overseas cargo moves through our seaports. But there is another player in the waterways' infrastructure that keeps the logistics network of the United States running.

This blog is the second post in a two-part series on options for purchasing, leasing, renting and refurbishing an Ottawa Yard Truck. Last week, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of buying new vs. buying refurbished. You can check out that post here: Ottawa Yard Trucks | Buying New vs. Refurbished. Today, we will discuss the different advantages of renting vs. leasing an Ottawa Yard Truck.

Although Steve is not an employee of Louisville Switching, we consider him to be a part of our family. He is always willing to help us out when we need machine work done and has built custom parts and tools for us. His business is next door, and his door is always open. He has been a lifesaver for us more than once. We consider him our neighbor extraordinaire.