Unishippers Franchise of Long Beach Ranks on Inc. 5000 List

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Owner Darrell Chamness Finds Growing Success with the Nation's Largest Shipping Reseller

August 30, 2010 // Franchising.com // SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Unishippers Global Logistics, LLC, the nation's first and largest small package and freight shipping reseller, announced today that the Unishippers of Long Beach franchise has been named to the 2010 Inc. 5000 list. This is the second consecutive year that a Unishippers franchise owner has made this list.

This annual list put together by Inc. magazine represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy – America's independent-minded entrepreneurs. As an individually owned franchise, Unishippers of Long Beach is distinct from the dozens of franchising companies that are included in this year's list, making this achievement even more impressive.

"Because I've recruited a talented staff that is able to generate sales, provide exceptional face-to-face customer service, and provide quotes instantly, my business operated very efficiently," said Darrell Chamness, owner of the Unishippers of Long Beach. "In today's business world, you have to surround yourself with premiere people that take pride in their work and go above and beyond normal duties."

The list features a profile for each company and is searchable according to numerous criteria, including industry, city, state, region, and year founded. The 2010 Inc. 5000 list measures revenue growth from 2006 through 2009. To qualify, companies had to be U.S.-based and privately held, for profit, independent — not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies — as of December 31, 2010. Revenue in 2006 must have been at least $200,000, and revenue in 2009 must have been at least $2 million.

Chamness opened Unishippers of Long Beach in 2005, after more than ten years as an investor with other Unishippers locations. From 2006 to 2009, the Unishippers of Long Beach increased its revenue by 65.72 percent. Over the past year, Chamness and his team of shipping consultants and customer service professionals supported more than 150 customers offering a number of select shipping solutions. In fact, in July 2010, Unishippers of Long Beach helped coordinate 3,340 nationwide freight shipping solutions for its customers.

Chamness attributes the growing success of his Unishippers franchise to a niche he helped create for freight forwarders and other third party logistic companies receiving shipments at the Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles, and coming in from Los Angeles International Airport. Here, these companies predominately were only using the ocean and air to distribute these goods because they were only equipped for those logistics. When Chamness introduced Unishippers to these freight forwarders, these businesses became instantly attracted to its unmatched truck freight options and shipping solutions that reduce costs of moving cargo and merchandise throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

"Being ranked on the Inc. 5000 list as a franchise business location is definitely impressive, but doing it during a period of economic uncertainly and contraction is remarkable, said Dan Lockwood, President of Unishippers Global Logistics, LLC. "With the unmatched shipping options, rates, and customer service that Darrell and his team provide, they have risen above market conditions and have created sustainable success in this slow economy."

With more than 285 franchise locations, Unishippers provides small business owners a complete line of shipping options, including express, ground, freight, and international, all from one company. Partnering with more than thirty regional and national shipping carriers, including, UPS®, YRC™, Estes, and Saia, Unishippers can offer small and mid-sized business owners complete shipping options, attractive pricing, and local customer service that its customers can't receive anywhere else.

About Unishippers

Founded in 1987, Unishippers has grown to the largest reseller of shipping services in the nation with more than 285 franchise locations. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, the Unishippers concept is simple – work with major carriers including UPS®, Saia, Estes and YRC™ to handle the pickup, transport and delivery of customers' shipments. All the while, local franchisees work to provide customers with service and support. By leveraging the combined shipping volume of all its customers, Unishippers gets deeply discounted rates from its carriers, resulting in lower shipping costs. Unishippers serves more than 75,000 small to mid-sized businesses, and has been recognized as a top franchise in 2009-2010 by Entrepreneur, Franchise Times and AllBusiness.

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