This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with Ryan Keepman, CEO of Evans Transportation Services.
He discusses the company’s recent expansion into Mexico and growth over the past several years, with revenues rising from $80 million to $400 million since 2018. The Delafield-based transportation and logistics firm projects 24% growth this year alone, and Keepman attributes that to both the company’s evolving culture and bringing in new technologies.
“Our business is people,” he said. “We don’t own any trucks. We are an intermediary of services, so putting an emphasis on our people, our culture, ensuring that they had the ability to grow … Finding the right people, building a culture around those people to empower them. Building more and better leaders, as cliche as it sounds.”
Within the last two years, the company has opened a project logistics division that can move large shipments that require engineering teams, barges, cranes and other equipment. This year, he says it will likely bring in $15 million in revenue.
Keepman highlights pent up demand for more shipping capacity in Mexico as more companies are setting up operations there as part of the “nearshoring” trend.
“To put it in perspective, for every three trucks that go into Mexico, seven trucks are needed to come back into the U.S. right now,” he said. “So there’s a large demand. And a lot of our customers and their suppliers are moving operations into Mexico.”
The podcast also touches on Keepman’s expectations for future demand, particularly the need for better infrastructure over the southern border.
“Right now, the increase is only going to create more demand for Mexico to invest back into themselves,” he said. “And so I think as we see that infrastructure improve on the other side of the border, we’ll also see a greater presence of American companies in Mexico.”
Listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
