Lipman adds logistics

IMMOKALEE — Tomato giant Lipman has launched a new logistics division to handle vegetable distribution in-house.

The company, which bills itself as the largest grower of open-field tomatoes, says the move will make the company into a full-service brokerage.

The new division, called Lipman Logistics Services, will be based out of the company's Hendersonville, N.C., center. It has hired 19-year food industry veteran Joe Filipski to oversee the division's growth.