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Philly's Pilot Freight grows US sales vs UPS, FedEx

A Lima-based freight fowarding firm is boosting US shipments as the economy recovers, while UPS and FedEx report flat domestic sales volume

Today, United Parcel Service said its US shipment volume rose around 2% during the second quarter, vs last year (read here, search on "US Domestic Package") Last month, FedEx said its US shipments rose 1% during the previous three months, vs last year (read here, search on "average daily package volume").

By contrast, Lima-based Pilot Freight says its shipments for clients from its 65 U.S. facilities, rose 25% in the past quarter, compared to last year.

Pilot, owned by combative Philadelphia union lawyer Richie Phillips, counts General Electric and a long list of industrial, computer and appliance distribution, medical, and online retail companies among its clients. The company expects sales of $380 million this year, almost double what it grossed five years ago.

How'd they do that? By not raising prices or cutting people like the big guys, the company says. More in my column in today's print Inquirer here.