1. In the early nineties, a business relationship started between Southwest Cargo and BTX Global Logistics
that has developed into much more than an exchange of transactions. Matt Buckley, Vice President of Cargo
and Charters at Southwest Airlines smiles as he recounts the names of BTX employees he has worked with
over the years. “Chris, Ross, Brian, Rich –all of them are really great folks,” Buckley says. “We enjoy working
with them because they have high quality service standards.”
Interestingly, the rapid growth of both companies that led up to the business relationship is a story with many
parallels.
Growing up, Ross Bacarella, CEO of BTX Global Logistics, watched his father, Tony Bacarella, build a
freight forwarding company. For over ten years Tony commuted to and from JFK from Connecticut and later
established an operation in the heart of Fairfield County, Connecticut. “We started really small. A lot of blood,
sweat, and tears went into the company, especially because my father believed that customers deserved
more,” says Bacarella. “For him it was always more about providing his customers with exemplary service.”
After his college graduation in 1984, Bacarella joined his father in the freight forwarding business, where he
learned the nuances of domestic and global logistics. The more he learned, the more opportunity he saw for
improvements, particularly with pressure mounting to compete with the larger integrators in the market. “I
could see that technology was becoming a major differentiator for the industry. It was important for customers
to have interaction and transparency regarding their cargo shipments,” Bacarella says. The adoption of new
technology enhancing the tracking capabilities for customer freight started a genesis of consistent growth
for BTX Global Logistics. By 1993, BTX took a giant step and became a standalone logistics firm. Operations
were growing and the future of the company looked promising.
Meanwhile, across the Mississippi River and 1700 miles to the south, another firm was making headway in the
shipping industry, too. Southwest Airlines had recently received approval to expand their Cargo operations
from a contracted service to an internal department. In 1990, CEO Herb Kelleher made a commitment to
invest in Cargo as a Southwest operation. Says Matt Buckley, “We really took off after that.”
Wally Devereaux, current Senior Director of Cargo and Charters, joined the team in 1999 and has observed
significant growth of the department. “We were just a team of twenty people back then,” Devereaux says.
“Now we have fifty-five in-house stations and another 25 stations with contracted workers. We were just built
on great service and being reliable.”
Southwest Cargo developed their reputation in the cargo industry over the next decade by delivering quality
service and getting shipments to their destinations on time and in good condition. Expanding from 160
aircrafts in 1990 to 700 aircrafts today, flight routes grew from approximately 330,000 trips a year to over 1.3
million a year, as well as an additional 63 cities served.
Devereaux and Buckley explain
many of the Southwest Cargo
facilities interacted regularly with
BTX employees and personal
relationships were developed.
“They stress the importance of
relationships like we do,” Buckley
says. “People like to do business
with people, not companies.”
When BTX opened its Houston
station in 1999, interaction
between the two companies
became even more frequent.
Bacarella said a partnership with
Southwest Cargo was essential
for success in that market.
“Southwest is a premium choice
for moving belly cargo across the
nation,” Bacarella said. “They
have an incredible record, they’re
on time, and they’re creative.”
Humble beginnings and a
dedication to service are not the
only traits BTX and Southwest
share. Both are known for an employee centric culture emphasizing community and a fun, family-oriented
environment. So close are the two firms that, when launching their new marketing campaign, BTX requested
the inclusion of Southwest Cargo.
The resulting image features Southwest Cargo
Agents, a Southwest aircraft, and BTX Global
Logistics packaging in the safe and steady hands
of a Southwesst employee. “We were honored
that a valued customer like BTX wanted to
feature our Employees and our brand,” says
Amy McKinney, Southwest Cargo and Charters
Business Consultant. “Sharing the same vision for
reliable service, it was a simple decision to work
together on the marketing.”
With twenty years, an average of eight-thousand yearly shipments, and 29 million pounds of cargo behind
them, Devereaux and Bacarella are looking forward. “Southwest is opening up more lanes internationally,”
Bacarella notes. “We will be there to support them.”
“Our goal is to help BTX be successful,” Devereaux says. ‘This relationship will continue to grow.”
—Whitney Way, Cargo and Charters Marketing Contributor, Southwest Cargo
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
Humble Beginnings, Expansion, and
Innovation Lead to a 20 Year Partnership
SOUTHWEST CARGO
Relationships matter. In a meandering industry where
competition is stiff, transportation policy consistently
changes, and customer needs fluctuate with the economic
climate and technology developments, relationships are
invaluable.
“People like to do
business with people,
not companies.”