For immediate release

DAYTON, Minn. (June 23, 2014) – From a business based on a whim and the will of a former teamster trucker, King Solutions has earned its reputation as a national leader in meaningful supply chain solutions. This year marks the company’s 25th anniversary, and with it comes celebration, but also a reflection back to the inception of the family business.

“King Solutions was founded simply through an entrepreneurial desire to bring new transportation solutions to the marketplace and develop business by making a difference,” said Michael Patterson, president and CEO of King Solutions. “Our company vision says it best — we strive to be a national leader known for creating meaningful supply chain solutions, while empowering the success of those within our community.”

King Solutions’ core offerings include global freight, logistics and fulfillment, and customized care. In an industry that is traditionally impersonal, the company is based on faith, values and commitment, with a core philosophy of making a difference — putting customers first, creating unique solutions, and treating clients and employees like family. Today, the company moves over 400,000 shipments per year, continues to innovate new solutions for its clients, fuels community-giving programs and even employs a company chaplain.

An entrepreneurial history

In 1989, Patterson started King Solutions with a colleague, Meyer Bolnick (now retired), in a Northeast Minneapolis truck shop. The company was established as a values-based organization committed to a customer-focused approach, and it grew quickly. Along the way, additions to its breadth of capabilities, like an independent truck line, retail project management and 24/7 shipment management, continued to drive growth. By 2008, the company had purchased, built and moved into its current home in Dayton, Minn., with over 150,000 square feet of space. The latest developments include international freight capabilities and more warehousing room to serve customers even better. To date, the company has transported more than 6.2 million shipments across the United States.

A family affair

Family runs deep at King Solutions. Patterson’s relatives are an integral part of the company, including Lindsey Patterson (Patterson’s daughter), Tony Patterson (Patterson’s son), Adam Gelling (Patterson’s nephew) and Josh Gelling (Patterson’s nephew). Every person that makes up the rest of the 100 employees of King Solutions is also considered family. Among current employees, total combined working years tops 900, with the longest tenure stretching nearly the full 25 years of King Solutions’ history.

A company that continues to innovate

Part of King Solutions’ creative suite of services includes industry-first GPS tracking on individual freight units. This is key for high-value or time-sensitive shipments, where 24/7 visibility, control and real-time data are essential for making informed decisions quickly when traditional truck or trailer tracking won’t cut it. Frequency of status updates can be customized to fit needs, and a website for tracking units allows customers to check on national or international shipments in real time. “At King Solutions, we tailor our approach for each customer — whether we are shipping freight, managing projects or fulfilling orders,” added Patterson.

The company most recently unveiled a new service called CoastalPlus™. This service expands freight movement for less-than truckload (LTL) shippers around the perimeter of the country and competes against other
truck lines, ultimately bringing more flexibility to King Solution’s freight customers.

A long-lasting commitment to community

From participating in and hosting monthly charitable events to giving to those in need, King Solutions makes sure the community and those who live in it succeed. In the last 25 years, the company has taken great pride in its community — donating over $1 million to local charities. Through its “MaKING a Difference” program, King Solutions picks a new cause to support every month, from food drives to highway cleanup. And these aren’t initiatives driven only from the top; almost half of the 100 employees of King Solutions are personally involved with the charities and communities the company supports. In 2012, the company founded a social responsibility program, “ThinKING Green,” to make a further commitment to reduce its environmental impact. King Solutions employs best practices in usage related to paper, water, fuel, biodegradable resources, energy and recycling. As part of the ThinKING Green program, the company is a member of The Smart-Way Transport Partnership that helps freight companies improve fuel efficiency, grow environmental performance and increase supply chain sustainability.

In addition to building the MaKING a Difference and ThinKING Green programs, King Solutions collaborates with Opportunity Partners, a group that redefines “disability” through advanced learning, community support and meaningful work. As part of the community care initiative, individuals from Opportunity Partners join the King Solutions’ workforce and contribute skills and talents in administrative and building maintenance duties. The company even “wears” its commitment to the causes it supports in the interior design of its headquarters, where meeting rooms have been named in honor of such laudable entities as the Minnesota Ovarian
Cancer Alliance and the Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge (a rehabilitation center for life controlling addictions). And just this year, King Solutions added a chaplain to its roster as a resource for its employees to ensure that everyone has the support he or she needs to succeed.

On top of planned customer appreciation days later this year, King Solutions will honor the company’s 25th anniversary and entrepreneurial roots through a pay-it-forward Kickstarter donation campaign launching in August. Fans will be able to vote online for their favorite potential beneficiary from a list of King Solution’s chosen contenders; the winner will receive a $2,500 donation.

With a constant commitment to “believing in better,” the company has many achievements to show for the last 25 years. Even while taking time to look back and celebrate the company’s silver anniversary milestone, Patterson remains excited for the future, and anticipates no change in the company’s steadfast commitment to the people and causes it cares most about. “We won’t stop asking ‘What can we do for you?’ of our clients, our employees and our community,” stated Patterson.

About King Solutions

King Solutions is a leading provider of freight transportation, warehousing and order fulfillment services based in Dayton, Minn. Established in 1989, King Solutions is committed to a customer-focused approach, creating tailored solutions through a powerful network of shipping resources, information services and dedicated employees. For more information, visit kingsolutionsglobal.com