A common refrain from Gulf Coast executives, that hiring and retaining talented people is a constant challenge, hasn't thwarted aggressive growth targets at PLS Logistics.
The suburban Pittsburgh-based company, which provides logistics and freight brokerage services for shippers in a variety of industries, opened a Tampa office late last year. It has since grown from nine to 60 employees, mostly in entry-level sales, with plans to hire another 150 people by mid-2016. The firm moved into a bigger space in the Westshore district in early November.
PLS Logistics Senior Vice President Bob Janeda says his experience hiring employees in Tampa has been relatively easy. “There is access to outstanding college graduates here,” Janeda tells Coffee Talk. “We have found some really great people.”
Founded in 1991, PLS Logistics ships more than 1 million loads a year, on everything from flatbed trucks and vans to trains and barges. It has a network of 150,000 trucks and is ranked 22nd on the Transport Topics 2014 Top 25 list of logistics brokerage firms nationwide. PLS Logistics, with 600 employees, has five branch offices outside the headquarters, including another Florida location in Jacksonville.
Tampa, says Janeda, has potential to become one of the top offices in diversifying the PLS Logistics customer base. He hopes the success in hiring salespeople will carry on in 2015. Says Janeda: “We are looking for young and hungry people who really want to learn the logistics business.”