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Southshore Purchases Mini Storage Property

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Southshore Companies recently completed the purchase of an existing mini storage property at 3505 Lakeshore Drive, St. Joseph, Michigan now known as Hawthorne Mini Storage.  Situated on 1.44 acres, there are three separate buildings consisting of 87 units and approximately 12,000 square feet of total mini storage space for personal and commercial needs.  This property is immediately adjacent to Southshore’s 3515 Lakeshore Drive property at the corner of Hawthorne Avenue and Lakeshore Drive.  Southshore has consistently received mini storage space inquires and we are now pleased that we have a solution for these customers.  This property is the newest addition to the Southshore Companies portfolio of commercial properties available for lease in the southwestern Michigan area. 

For more information about mini storage solutions, please contact us at 269 983 2772 or 269 983 2080.

Southshore Upgrades to ISO 9001:2015 Quality Standard

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Southshore Companies is pleased to announce that our third party warehousing, logistics and transportation operations have been certified to the ISO 9001:2015 standard by Management Certification of North America (MCNA). This achievement demonstrates Southshore’s ongoing commitment to high quality operational requirements and superior customer service.  Southshore has maintained continuous MCNA ISO certification since December 2008.

The recent ISO 9001:2015 standard is focused on performance through the application of business management principles and is less prescriptive than the previous 9001:2008 standard. The new standard combines the process approach with risk-based thinking and employs the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle at all levels of the organization

Application of the principles contained in the ISO 9001:2015 standard helps Southshore to consistently provide products and services that meet customer requirements and expectations. Customer satisfaction is key to customer retention. Effective application of Southshore’s quality system helps assure conformity to the customer’s requirements.

The ISO quality management system utilizes a set of procedures spanning all key business processes. Regular measurements against quality goals ensures that the processes are effective and are achieving the goal of continuous improvement and customer satisfaction. Maintaining an ISO certification requires a company-wide culture of quality minded individuals and exhibits Southshore’s ongoing dedication to quality and superior customer service.

The execution of Southshore’s ISO quality management system is the responsibility of all Southshore operations employees. The leadership of Southshore’s ISO quality management system is provided by Bob Oberheu and Denise Whitaker.

Southshore Acquires St. Joseph Commercial Property

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Southshore Companies is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of the commercial property at 2538 S. Cleveland Avenue, St. Joseph, Michigan.  Situated on 1.87 acres, the building consists of approximately 26,000 square feet of mixed used commercial space.  This property is the newest addition to the Southshore Companies portfolio of commercial properties available for lease in the southwestern Michigan area.  With office and retail suites facing the main traffic route of Cleveland Avenue, the building spaces range in size from 1,500 square feet to 3,000 square feet.  In addition, there is approximately 16,000 square feet of warehouse and shop space in the rear of the building serviced by ground level overhead doors.  This building provides a lot of flexibility to meet tenant demands for competitively priced space. 

For more information about this building, please contact Jordan Kirshenbaum at 269 208 0126.

The Return of Spring

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The Southshore Companies sales and marketing department is excited about this spring and summer season. With the return of warmer temperatures, some of Southshore’s seasonal food related warehousing and transportation customers have returned, in at least one notable case, increasing projected volumes by as much as 200%!  As a company, we look forward to again serving these accounts and expanding on our growing business relationships within the food manufacturing industry. Southshore is proud to be an associate member of the Michigan Food Processors Association. The Southshore warehousing logistics operations are based in St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, Michigan; Elkhart, Indiana; Normal, Illinois; and Spencer, Iowa.

New Southshore Warehouse in Bridgman, Michigan

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The Southshore Companies, through an affiliated entity, recently purchased the former PEMCO facility in Bridgman, Michigan. This property consisting of about 20 acres and a main building of approximately 130,000 square feet is a prior heavy industrial site that has been repurposed for Southshore’s leasing activities. The property was rescued from a tax foreclosure that would have hit the citizens of Bridgman and Berrien County with a tax liability payback of more than $500,000. Berrien County Community Development Director, Dan Fette, Treasurer, Bret Witkowski, and Commissioner, Teri Frehling, worked with the City of Bridgman City Manager, Juan Ganum, and Jordan Kirshenbaum of Southshore to successfully complete the transaction.  Please see The Herald Palladium newspaper article and the Moody on the Market piece for detailed descriptions of the community benefits of this Southshore property purchase.

Southshore’s first tenant in the building is United Container Co., a Michigan-based recycled corrugated packaging distributor.  Southshore looks forward to doing business in Bridgman, Michigan in a facility that has been brought back to economic life.

MAHLE Behr and Southshore in Dayton

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MAHLE Behr Dayton LLC (formerly Behr Dayton Thermal Products LLC) selected Southshore Companies following a national search of third party logistics providers to provide on-site material management services in support of the MAHLE Behr assembly plant located in Dayton, Ohio. MAHLE is a tier one automotive parts manufacturer based in Stuttgart, Germany. It is one of the 30 largest automotive suppliers worldwide and one of the three largest systems suppliers worldwide for piston systems, cylinder components, valve train systems, air management systems, and liquid management systems.

Southshore manages material arriving from MAHLE Behr’s domestic and international suppliers in a 200,000 square foot on-site warehouse and delivers material to the assembly plant at the rate of one truckload per hour, 24 hours per day, 6 days per week. On-time delivery of the correct visually defect-free material in the proper order and quantity is performed by Southshore using the assembly plant’s SAP Kanban pull signal. Additionally, Southshore uses the enterprise software SAP to perform shipping, receiving (using Uniform Receiving Labels (URLs) and other material movements. Southshore maximizes warehouse space utilization by using floating/chaotic warehouse concepts. Additionally, Southshore manages empty tote and dunnage returns to the supply base on a daily basis. Southshore works closely with the assembly plant to manage inventory levels that support the plant’s needs while keeping inventory to a minimum. 

Southshore’s 2014 Perfect Safety Record Is No Accident

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An emphasis on safety can generate cost savings – both direct and indirect. A series of relatively minor incidents can still seriously injure employees and lead to lost productivity, higher insurance bills and government fines. Although not usually severe, warehouse accidents are numerous – the warehousing industry experiences nearly 15,000 injuries and illnesses each year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Investing in safety in general, is a smart move. The average cost of a recordable injury in the United States is $35,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Maintaining a robust safety culture is a continuous effort. Southshore understands that safety is not a one-time deal. Emphasizing safety throughout the company continuously has a positive influence on our success.  We stress that safety is not separate from what warehouse employees do every day. Safety is a key aspect of how our employees do their job, and that’s the mindset we must have.

Successful AIB Audit at Southshore

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Southshore was recently audited by AIB International, Inc. (American Institute of Baking) and awarded a Recognition Document for achieving high standards for Food Distribution Centers. This achievement of excellence was awarded in recognition of Southshore’s ability to meet and exceed AIB’s key requirements for keeping food products in a facility wholesome and safe. Along with Southshore’s ISO 9001:2008 certification, this AIB Recognition Document demonstrates Southshore’s ability and ongoing dedication to consistently provide products and services which enhance customer satisfaction and meet applicable regulatory requirements.

AIB standards focus on five categories: (1) operational methods and personnel practices, (2) maintenance for food safety, (3) cleaning practices, (4) integrated pest management and (5) adequacy of prerequisite and food safety programs. The auditor uses a three-step process to assess risk: (1) determine the most significant observation(s) in a category and assign a score range, (2) determine the severity of the most significant observation(s) and decide whether the initial score should be at the top or bottom of the score range assigned, (3) lower the initial score in 5 point increments for each additional observation if the assigned score is at the top of the score range. A Recognition Document is awarded to the facility when there is no category score less than or equal to 135, the total score is at least 700 and there are no unsatisfactory findings.

AIB International was founded as the American Institute of Baking in 1919 as a technology center for the North American baking industry. Its original mission was to “put science to work for the baker”. In 1948, AIB developed the Food Safety Education/Audit department to extend this commitment to the area of food safety. AIB’s basic theme has since widened to provide science, regulation and best practice-based programs, products and services to food and beverage production and handling facilities and their suppliers worldwide. Today, AIB audits over 10,000 facilities a year.

Oberheu and Joslyn Promoted

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The Southshore Companies is pleased to announce the management promotions of Robert Oberheu to Senior Operations Manager and Jason Joslyn to Operations Manager effective February 1, 2013. Bob and Jason head Southshore’s public and contract warehouse services and transportation services. They are responsible for the successful delivery of these business segment services to Southshore’s customers company-wide. Southshore has expanded its customer base and geographic reach to Illinois and Iowa during the last two years. This expansion requires enhanced operations management planning and control. Bob and Jason are being recognized for their professionalism and outstanding work on behalf of Southshore’s customers over the past eleven and five years, respectively.

Southshore Offers Space for Lease

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Southshore Companies, located in St. Joseph, Michigan, continues to offer a variety of space for lease. With over one million square feet of buildings, Southshore has a space to fit almost any need. Warehouse space, office space, industrial buildings and manufacturing buildings are owned by Southshore in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. Southshore Companies offers competitive lease rates and flexible terms. If we don’t have the space you are looking for, Southshore will build to suit. With commercial land in Michigan and Indiana, we may just have the location you have been looking for, and if not, Southshore will help you locate it. For more information and current availability, please call Southshore Companies at 269 983 2080 and ask for Jordan Kirshenbaum or email Southshore. We look forward to having you as our newest customer.

Southshore is ISO 9001:2008 Recertified

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Southshore Companies has been recertified by Management Certification of North America (MCNA) to the ISO 9001:2008 standard. ISO 9001 is a quality management system (QMS) tool created and maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the largest developer of international business process standards in the world. Recipient organizations must demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services that aim at enhancing customer satisfaction and meet applicable regulatory requirements. Maintaining an effective quality management system provides our organization with a formal framework for process improvements and quality standards. The system provides a set of procedures that cover all key business processes to ensure they are effective and a methodology for continuous improvement. By becoming certified in the ISO 9001:2008 standard, we demonstrated the seriousness of our efforts to provide excellent and ever improving service to our customers. Maintaining the certification exhibits Southshore’s ongoing dedication to quality and superior customer service.

Southshore Grows in Elkhart, Indiana

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The Southshore Companies had been seeking additional, quality warehouse space to purchase in the Elkhart, Indiana market to service our warehousing logistics, distribution and real estate lease customers.  We were fortunate to recently acquire two warehouse buildings that are located close to our existing 190,000 square foot distribution facility in Elkhart.

Southshore’s real estate development staff and mechanical contractor partners have completed significant improvements to the buildings including new exteriors, upgraded and painted interiors and comprehensive warehouse air conditioning systems.

Within forty-five days of the real estate closing, Southshore was able to fully occupy the space in both buildings.  A long time Southshore customer is utilizing Southshore logistics outsourcing services in one building and the other building has been leased to an innovative fiber manufacturing company.

Southshore is thankful to the professional services firms that assisted us with these real estate acquisitions, and most importantly, we are grateful to our customers who make the decision to do business with Southshore every day.  Once again, Southshore has demonstrated a commitment to intelligent business growth driven by customer requirements.

Driving Success with Penske

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Southshore is pleased to announce the renewal of its transportation equipment leasing contract with Penske Truck Leasing Co., L.P. The Southshore Companies enjoy a flexible business relationship with Penske. According to Phil Maki, Southshore’s Treasurer and risk management officer, “Penske delivers a consistent, exceptional service level with contract triggers that match Southshore’s commitments to its customers.” Jon Keefer, Southshore’s Logistics Supervisor, appreciates “being able to pick up the phone and talk to someone at Penske that can immediately solve [his] problem.” Given a transportation environment of rising fuel and maintenance costs, Southshore relies on Penske to maintain a truck fleet optimized for fuel economy and performance which helps make Southshore a cost effective transportation service for its customers. Southshore is an integrated group of logistics businesses providing third party logistics services in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois.

Elkhart Office Space for Lease

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Southshore is pleased to announce the immediate availability of approximately 19,000 square feet of quality office space in Elkhart, Indiana. This office space is located at 2421 S. Nappanee Street (State Route 19) near the intersection of Hively Avenue. The space was formerly occupied by Adorn as their corporate headquarters and offers amenities including complete network and telephone system wiring, small and large conference rooms, employee lounges and break rooms, a secure lobby with seating areas, private offices of various dimensions and large open work areas. Key-card controlled employee access and parking is available at the back of the building and away from the customer entrance on Nappanee Street. 

This office space is immediately available and adjacent to Southshore’s 167,000 square foot logistics warehouse space and distribution center. Southshore offers public and contract warehouse and transportation services in addition to space leasing in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Illinois. Warehouse space is divisible to 1,000 square feet and includes ground-level overhead doors and truck docks. Please call Jordan at Southshore (269 983 2080) if you would like to schedule a site visit or learn more about this space.

Southshore Companies Thanks David Kirshenbaum

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On January 1, 2011 David Kirshenbaum retired from the Southshore Companies.  Ted Kirshenbaum continues as President of the Southshore Companies and Jordan Kirshenbaum as Vice President.  Southshore wishes David well in his many community activities and volunteering.  Please feel free to wish David well in this new chapter of his life by contacting him at dave.kirshenbaum@gmail.com.

Southshore’s New Public Warehousing Operation

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Southshore Companies is excited to launch a new public warehousing operation in St. Joseph, MI.  While Southshore Companies is proud of its long history providing warehousing and logistics services to food manufacturers in Michigan, Southshore Companies also services many manufacturing and manufacturing services companies with Michigan warehousing solutions.  The new public warehousing project will launch in March, 2011 and will service one of the region’s largest manufacturers of industrial resin.  With both domestic and international logistics requirements, the customer selected Southshore Companies after a search of regional 3PLs.

Southshore Receives ISO Re-Certification

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Southshore was recently audited for ISO compliance by Management Certification of North America (MCNA) and successfully received re-certification of our ISO status.  According to ISO rules, yearly audits and site visits are required to maintain certification.  Bob Oberheu, Southshore’s Operations Manager, stated that the ISO audit was thorough and the auditor visited two sites, St. Joseph and Elkhart.  Southshore warehouse team members at these two sites performed exceptionally well according to the auditor and were able to display a comprehensive working knowledge of the Southshore ISO quality management system. 

Due to the continuous improvement principle promulgated by the Southshore ISO Committee, the 9001:2000 Standard was recently replaced by the new 9001:2008 Standard.  As a result, Southshore was required to be audited to the new 2008 Standard.  Most of the changes from the old Standard relate to an increased responsibility for documentation and record keeping.

All of us at Southshore appreciate the time and effort expended by those who do the work necessary to maintain ISO certification and the Southshore quality culture.

InterCare Project Receives National, State and Local Attention

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The InterCare Benton Harbor Facility Project has been highlighted in national, state and local media.  Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Adminstrator Mary Wakefield, Ph.D., recently addressed health center leaders in a tele-town hall meeting hosted by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and moderated by President and CEO Tom Van Coverden.  Velma Hendershott, CEO of InterCare, also participated as a panelist with this exclusive group celebrating National Health Center Week which occurred from August 8 to August 14.  Velma described “how her center has been serving residents out of an old hospital constructed in 1907. Recovery Act dollars will help fund construction a new 40,000 square foot facility. The new site will help them respond to the demand for services which is projected to increase 35 percent over the course of the next few years and will create up to 50 construction jobs and many additional health care jobs in a community where the unemployment rate is over 12 percent”.  In addition, Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm, visited the InterCare construction site on July 20, 2010 to congratulate Velma Hendershott and her team on the project.  Finally, local media, including the Herald-Palladium newspaper, have featured the InterCare Benton Harbor Facility Project with front page coverage of the InterCare ground-breaking event on August 12.

InterCare has contracted with Southshore for project management and owner’s representative services for the project.  Southshore is proud to be part of the InterCare team bringing quality, accessable and affordable primary health and dental care to the greater Benton Harbor community.

InterCare Selects Owen-Ames-Kimball as General Contractor

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InterCare Community Health Network has selected Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. as the general contractor for the InterCare Benton Harbor Facility Project.  Owen-Ames-Kimball is a general contractor and construction manager based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Owen-Ames-Kimball is an employee owned company with operations beginning in 1891.  It is anticipated that construction will begin approximately July 2, 2010.

The project consists of the development of the approximate 5.7 acre site with the construction of a new approximate 41,000 square foot masonry bearing and steel framed, single story facility with upper level mechanical mezzanine.  The project will not seek LEED Certification, but has been designed to incorporate many sustainable materials and construction processes.  The project is being funded approximately 85% by an $8.5 million grant by the Health Resources and Services Administration through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Approximately 15% of the project will be funded from other sources.

Southshore Companies is the Project Manager and Owner’s Representative for the project and TERA Architects, Benton Harbor is the project Architect.

InterCare Teams with Southshore on new Benton Harbor Medical Clinic

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The White House announced on December 9, 2009 that InterCare Community Health Network will receive a federal grant in the amount of $8,500,000 to replace its two existing Benton Harbor clinics with a new outpatient facility to be constructed on the corner of M-139 and Empire Avenue.  InterCare submitted a proposal for the funding in August as part of a highly competitive bid for federal stimulus funds that had been set aside for community health centers across the country.   InterCare is one of only two health centers in Michigan that were awarded the grant funds.  In total, 85 health centers in thirty states received awards out of a pool of over 600 applicants. 

According to Velma Hendershott, CEO of InterCare, the new state-of-the-art facility will improve patient flow and eliminate the inefficiencies associated with having services in different areas of the same building.  After receiving word of President Obama’s announcement, Ms. Hendershott stated, “InterCare is thrilled to have been a recipient of such a significant grant in a very competitive nationwide bidding process.  We clearly know that the health care needs in the Benton Harbor community are there.  We see it every day.  To receive these funds and be able to serve the community in a new, state-of-the-art facility is the realization of a long held dream.”

InterCare has served the medically underserved in southwest Michigan for over 36 years.  In this time, InterCare has grown from a small seasonal migrant health center to a six-county health center network with six fixed sites, two mobile units, and a migrant voucher program.  The organization administers the fourth largest WIC program in Michigan and is involved in a variety of other special programs.  Today, nearly 50,000 residents and migrants are served each year in southwest Michigan by InterCare. It is expected that InterCare’s patient demand will increase by 35% in the next few years.

The new InterCare facility is expected to break ground in early 2010.  It is anticipated that up to 45 full-time construction jobs will be created by the project for up to a year’s duration.  In addition to existing staff, the new facility will house three new medical providers, at least three new dental providers, and more mental health professionals.  Additional patient support jobs will also be created.

Southshore Companies in St. Joseph is providing project management services.  Phil Maki, Treasurer of Southshore, will assume primary oversight for completion of the project.  According to David Kirshenbaum, Vice President, Southshore Companies is proud to be associated with this signature project for the Benton Harbor community.  TERA Architects of Benton Harbor, led by Tracy Ezell, is in the final stages of designing the approximately 35,000 square foot environmentally friendly building.

InterCare plans to complete the financing for the $10 million building with a USDA Rural Development Health Facilities loan.  InterCare recently purchased the seven-acre parcel of land for the building from the House of David after its Board of Directors carefully considered two other options for meeting its strategic goals in Benton Harbor, as well as the results of a patient survey completed last year.

InterCare Community Health Network is part of America’s health care safety net that serves nearly 20 million people across the country each year. As a community and migrant health center, InterCare provides quality, cost-effective health care to populations most at risk.

InterCare’s Benton Harbor health center has been in leased space in the Mercy Center since 1991.  In 2008, InterCare acquired Lakeland’s Mercy Family Clinic in the same facility.  The co-located sites currently occupy about 25,000 square feet of space on two floors in two separate wings of the building.

2009 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO

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Southshore Companies will be exhibiting at the 2009 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO this December 8-10 at the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Southshore continues to focus its warehousing and transportation businesses on meeting the food grade storage and logistics needs of the agricultural and food manufacturing industries in Michigan and the entire Midwest.   With over 1.5 million square feet of distribution space in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, Southshore is prepared to meet the seasonal and ongoing demands of the industry.  For pricing information please call Jordan at 269 983 2080 ext 216.

A Boring, but Critical Requirement of Warehousing

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This summer, Southshore again made a significant investment in our facilities in Elkhart, Indiana.  At a cost of approximately $200,000, Southshore contracted to have approximately 75,000 square feet of warranty roof material installed at our warehouses on Nappanee Street and Lusher Street.  These new roofs will continue to provide Southshore’s warehouse and lease customers with dry, high quality warehouse space and Southshore will be able to protect our real estate assets for another 15 years.  Warehousing may appear to be boring, but ask the Southshore customer who has peace of mind because their product is safely handled and protected in a Southshore facility.

The Southshore Companies provide public and contract warehousing logistics, transportation and warehouse space leasing in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. 

Southshore Announces New Tenants

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Southshore scored a local victory in another tenant relocation and expansion project.  Working simultaneously with Michigan Fashion 4 Less, Inc. and Community Connections of Southwest Michigan, Southshore was able to renovate 9,000 square feet of retail and office space at 1613 M-139, Benton Harbor, Michigan under tight deadlines to accommodate the two new tenants and now neighbors.  Michigan Fashion 4 Less will operate 6,000 square feet of retail space focusing on apparel, health and beauty accessories.  Community Connections will operate 3,000 square feet of program and office space, “teaching and empowering people with disabilities to make choices about living independently, controlling and directing their own lives and asserting their rights and responsibilities.”  Southshore welcomes these two tenants and wishes them success in their new business locations.

Heathkit Educational Systems Moves to Southshore Space

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Southshore welcomes Heathkit Educational Systems (www.heathkit.com) as the newest tenant at 2024 Hawthorne Avenue, St. Joseph, Michigan. Scott Donohue, Southshore’s Facilities Manager, directed significant remodeling and updating of office and warehouse space for Heathkit. The Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce (www.cornerstonechamber.com) recently conducted a ribbon cutting ceremony to salute Heathkit’s commencement of business operations in St. Joseph. Founded in 1926, Heathkit Educational Systems develops and distributes technical education curriculum, courseware and hardware to assist academic institutions, corporations, training centers, and self-study users worldwide.

The Southshore Companies provide warehousing logistics, transportation services, fulfillment and commercial real estate development and space leasing in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Connecticut.

South Bend Tribune Features Southshore

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The South Bend Tribune’s business publication, Tribune Business Weekly, recently featured an in depth piece on Southshore’s history from a single, vacant fruit canning facility into an integrated logistics business with operations in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Connecticut.  In the article, Jordan Kirshenbaum, Southshore’s Vice President of Business Development, explained Southshore’s successful business strategy which is centered on customer, geographic and market diversity with an emphasis on steady, deliberate and profitable growth.  Jordan also talked about the Southshore customer service effectiveness and decisiveness, “When they call Southshore, they can talk to one of the owners of the company in one phone call.” 

The Southshore Companies provide warehousing logistics, transportation services, fulfillment and commercial real estate development and space leasing in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Connecticut.

Southshore Employees Complete First Aid Training

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The Southshore Companies Safety and Disaster Recovery Committee recently sponsored an extensive refresher training course consisting of CPR, AED and basic First Aid training for Southshore employees. The American Red Cross and Lakeland HealthCare of St. Joseph, Michigan provided the training, facilities and equipment. Blake Clifford, Southshore Companies Director of Operations, organized the focused event to teach Southshore personnel the critical life saving skills needed to be an effective responder to a variety of workplace emergencies, including heart attack and stroke. The Southshore Companies third party logistics operations are located in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Connecticut providing warehousing logistics, fulfillment, transportation services and real estate development and leasing.

Shifting Into High Gear

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The Southshore Companies are growing, again.  Vice President of Business Development, Jordan Kirshenbaum, recently hired Hal Killam as Southshore Companies’ newest transportation sales associate.  Hal is responsible for the sales of Southshore’s fast growing freight brokerage division.  Hal works directly with shippers, carriers and brokers, in addition to utilizing Southshore’s owned transportation equipment pool to move FTL and LTL freight throughout the United States and Canada.  The Southshore Companies are integrated third party logistics businesses providing warehousing, transportation and real estate development in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Connecticut.

Southshore Companies Offers Expanded Freight Brokerage Services

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Southshore Companies has launched an expanded freight brokerage service suite, including: LTL, FTL, expedited and managed rail services. By pairing its asset based transportation service with freight brokerage services, Southshore Companies is positioning itself to offer seamless logistics solutions to its customers.

In addition to the third party logistics, real estate development and asset based transportation services that have been the cornerstone of Southshore Companies customer service focused business for nearly three decades, more comprehensive freight brokerage service adds one more reason Southshore Companies offers single source 3PL solutions to its customers in the Midwest and Northeast.

Southshore Announces Continuous Improvement Software Implementation

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Southshore Companies is pleased to announce the full operational implementation of TQMS Incorporated’s CIS, Continuous Improvement Software. Southshore Companies Director of Operations, Blake Clifford, said; “the new CIS software will allow us to be fully ISO 9001:2000 compliant and certified by the first quarter of 2009.” Southshore Companies Vice President of New Business Development, Jordan Kirshenbaum, was equally enthusiastic, saying, “the new Continuous Improvement Software, in addition to expanded WMS capabilities with its customizable online interfaces and user dashboards allows Southshore to provide warehouse and logistics solutions aligned with industry best practices.”  Southshore Companies continues to provide quality warehouse and logistics solutions in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Connecticut using industry leading technology to provide dependable customer service, with verifiable quality control.

Southshore Establishes Lead Logistics Program

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Southshore is pleased to announce the introduction of its new lead logistics or 4PL program.  In an effort to expand its warehousing logistics services, Southshore has successfully partnered with 3PLs in markets where Southshore previously had no service capability.  Jordan Kirshenbaum, Southshore’s manager of new business development, was excited to report that “establishing strategic 4PL relationships is critical in continuing to serve our existing customers with temporary warehousing logistics requirements in other markets.”  Southshore has seen an increase in the number of RFQs for container unloading requirements near the Port of Long Beach, CA and now with key 4PL relationships in that market, Southshore can quickly implement a solution for a valuable customer with a trusted 4PL partner.

Go Green

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As the winter season arrives in the Midwest and Northeast United States, the Southshore Companies are going green by installing new, more efficient warehouse heating units.  Leading the charge is Southshore’s David Kirshenbaum, President and green technology supporter.  “Although a neutral carbon footprint would be great, we’re taking the implementation of environmentally friendly techniques in the way we heat and cool our buildings one step at a time,” says David.  The new heating units will utilize air rotation technology in conjunction with a series of computer controlled fans programmable to distribute the warm air evenly throughout the contract warehouse space and at the correct times according to the warehouse activity level.  The replacement of air make-up units is initially costly, but the new units will use less energy and make an impact on energy cost over the long term.  With over 2 million square feet of warehouse space in four Midwest and New England states, the Southshore Companies hopes to bring total energy consumption down by 15% this year primarily through warehouse heating reductions.  Southshore is convinced that going green is simply a good business practice.  When asked about his strong commitment to the environment, David indicated that it’s time to “go green or go home!” 

The Southshore Companies provide warehousing logistics, fulfillment, transportation services and commercial real estate development in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Connecticut.

Southshore Construction Project, On-Time and Under-Budget

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Southshore is pleased to announce the completion of a 3,000 square foot office suite build-out for Lincare, Inc. of Clearwater, Florida. The project was completed on-time and under-budget. Southshore’s Director of Facilities, Scott Donohue, was the project manager and he worked successfully with Southshore personnel, electrical, plumbing and HVAC contractors to complete the project ahead of Lincare’s required occupancy date. Lincare had been a Southshore Companies tenant for five years in other space and during that time Lincare corporate philosophy changed. Lincare now wanted a more prominent location to attract walk-in customers and Southshore was able to move Lincare from the existing building into a more desirable location. Asked to comment on the project, Scott said, “anytime we are able to complete a construction project on-time it feels great.” Scott went on to say that, “it feels especially good to be able to take care of our customer by moving Lincare into the space they wanted.” The Southshore Companies perform commercial real estate development, third party logistics, fulfillment and transportation integration in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Connecticut.

United States Postal Service Awards Contract to Southshore

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The Southshore Companies were recently awarded a United States Postal Service contract to perform warehousing logistics and distribution services in East Hartford, Connecticut. In January 2007, Southshore presented its solution as a third party logistics provider together with its qualifications and experience to the USPS. Southshore was selected in a comprehensive USPS competitive bidding process to select the best value supplier of warehousing logistics services for USPS mail transport equipment in the Hartford, Connecticut area. Southshore’s price and technical operations were judged superior by the USPS. As a result, Southshore’s proposal was selected as providing the best value to the United States Postal Service. 

An excerpt from the Southshore proposal to the USPS reads:

“We believe that we have developed substantial relationships with a broad range of USPS personnel in both Connecticut and Washington, D.C. which have contributed to Southshore’s comprehensive understanding of the MTE environment, its cyclical activity behavior and how best to react in this environment to the benefit of the USPS. In addition, based on our past sixteen years of experience with the USPS, our facilities, our proven ability to expand and contract space as required by the USPS, our experienced management and trained warehousemen, our MTESS systems knowledge and superior administrative staff, our safety and security program, our quality improvement program, and our overall commitment to excellent service, Southshore believes that it is uniquely and superbly qualified to continue to provide services to the United States Postal Service as an MTE full service commercial warehouse and storage facility contract provider. All of these Southshore performance factors yield a best value proposition for the United States Postal Service.”

Southshore is extremely proud to have performed collaborative logistics services for the Postal Service under a series of contracts since 1991. Southshore’s third party logistics services support the USPS Mail Transport Equipment Service Center network in the United States and the needs of large commercial mailer customers of the USPS in the northeast United States.

Head of the Class, Continuing Education at the Southshore Companies

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The Southshore Companies St. Joseph, Michigan warehouse manager, Bob Oberheu, recently completed the International Warehouse Logistics Association’s, four day Essentials Course in Logistics Management. This comprehensive continuing education course is promoted by the IWLA (www.iwla.com) as “the industry’s premier training camp.” The class outline includes best practice topics ranging from warehouse construction and layout techniques to warehouse law and state of the art warehouse management information technologies.

Southshore is a third party logistics provider with logistics outsourcing operations in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Connecticut. The Southshore Companies require all managers to participate in continuing education through the IWLA or other recognized professional continuing education programs. In addition, Southshore has initiated a series of monthly manager training teleconferences with all Southshore locations to discuss continuing education topics, customer case studies and logistics best practices. Drawing on his experience at the IWLA Essentials Course in Logistics Management and his wide experience as a warehousing logistics and distribution operator, Bob Oberheu will organize and lead these Southshore manager teleconferences.

Southshore Goes West

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As summer begins to sizzle, Southshore goes west to meet with its customers located in the western United States: Redcat Motors, Adonis Furniture, Ingomar Packing Company and Escalon Premier Brands. The Southshore Companies service a variety of industries with third party logistics customers located all across the nation. This summer, with temperatures already peaking above 100 degrees in the desert, Bob Parks, East Hartford Manager, and Jordan Kirshenbaum, St. Joseph Manager, traveled through Arizona and California to meet with existing Southshore customers. 

Southshore’s commitment to customer service and open lines of communication doesn’t stop at the warehouse door. Southshore believes that meeting customers at their facilities, wherever those facilities might be located, is a good way to foster a spirit of collaborative logistics and provide continuous improvement throughout the supply chain while strengthening customer relationships.

The trip was a great success. Customer warehousing logistics and distribution issues were discussed, alternatives evaluated and solutions were developed for implementation. Without exception, all of Southshore’s west coast customers, from food processors to furniture manufacturers, were extremely pleased with the visits, which resulted in a more comprehensive Southshore understanding of customer requirements and stronger integrated logistics relationships.

Southshore Delivers 3PL Services to Robert Bosch

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The Southshore Companies have provided third party logistics and distribution services to Robert Bosch Corporation since 1984.  Southshore is extremely pleased that Bosch made the recent decision to expand and enhance the off-site supplier material warehouse (Bosch Material Warehouse or BMW) operated by Southshore in support of the Bosch manufacturing plant in St. Joseph, Michigan.  This vendor managed inventory (VMI) application has received outstanding reviews by Bosch personnel throughout North America.The most significant enhancement was the systems conversion of the BMW inventory control system to the Bosch SAP system.  This conversion has resulted in a more efficient and effective relationship between Bosch and Southshore personnel.

  • Instead of picking production parts at the warehouse on a predetermined schedule every two or three hours, SAP allows the Southshore offsite warehouse to have full visibility to real time inventory levels in the Bosch manufacturing plant.  This creates the ability to verify inventory needs throughout the day as necessary, and to pick parts continually based on up to the minute data.  This means the Bosch plant is receiving only what it needs and precisely when it needs it, thereby reducing inventory levels in the Bosch plant.
  • Nearly 70,000 square feet of dedicated BMW space was reconfigured in the weeks prior to the conversion in order to accommodate a more streamlined and efficient receiving and put away process, as well as a repacking process.
  • The conversion of the BMW to the SAP system took place over two days, beginning early Saturday morning and finishing late Sunday night.  This project presented a significant challenge for Southshore requiring thousands of scans, involving approximately 350 different Bosch part numbers and representing approximately 40 separate Bosch suppliers.  Bosch demanded an expedited conversion schedule over a single weekend to complete the entire project.  This included the scanning of all Bosch inventory resident in the BMW into SAP, resolving all inventory discrepancies and being ready to ship to the Bosch plant at 5:00 AM Monday morning.  Southshore was successful in exceeding Bosch’s expectations for the conversion.
  • Converting to the Bosch SAP system has taken Southshore to a higher level of integration with Bosch and has enhanced Southshore’s technical expertise. Most importantly, Southshore’s integration into the Bosch SAP system allows Southshore to do more for our customer Bosch at a lower cost.  Southshore is working more closely and assisting Bosch in supply chain logistics management areas that were not possible prior to the SAP conversion.

Southshore is grateful to Robert Bosch for providing the opportunity to demonstate another example of Southshore’s collaborative logistics.  We are now in a position to offer the expertise gained from this project to other customers requiring a higher level of warehousing logistics services.

Outstanding Real Estate Development Project for Child & Family Services

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Child & Family Services of Southwestern Michigan, Inc. (CFS) is a non-profit social services agency serving communities in Berrien County, Michigan. Since its founding in 1891, CFS has served over 250,000 people with a broad array of social services for children, families and adults of all ages including adoption; foster care; individual, marital and family counseling; crisis intervention and residential treatment; and home and respite care.

Representatives of CFS and Southshore started a series of meetings in 2002 that led to the definition of functional requirements, conceptual design and detail design of new working spaces for CFS administrative and program activities. In October 2003, Southshore’s real estate development staff completed the construction of the new CFS administrative offices and program space. CFS recognized Southshore’s exceptional efforts on this project by presenting their annual CFS Guardian Angel Award to Ted and Judy Kirshenbaum. Ted is a principal of the Southshore Companies. In the 2004-2005 Child & Family Services of Southwestern Michigan, Inc. Annual Report, Dr. Karen Olson, CFS Executive Director, writes:

“The rich history of Child & Family Services would not be what it is today without the generosity of many individuals, organizations and businesses that contribute their time, talent and resources to CFS. This year”s recipients of the Guardian Angel award for outstanding contribution to further the mission of CFS are Ted and Judy Kirshenbaum of Southshore.

“In 2002, when a move from Chapin Hall on South State Street became inevitable, the Board of Directors commissioned Dr. Olson to begin a search for new offices. From the first minute the Kirshenbaums walked in the door, it was evident that Southshore had taken an interest in our agency and really cared about us and the work we do.

“Ted understood that we continually maintain a very tight budget, and that this move would be no exception. The quality of our new buildings on our campus on M-139 was beyond the dreams of anyone on the CFS staff – in a word, they are gorgeous. CFS has gotten incredible “bang for the buck” from Southshore. Ted built beautiful structures; however, it was Judy whose assistance in choosing the décor made them both professional and beautiful.

“Enough cannot be said about how wonderful Southshore has been to CFS. They know-how to provide top-notch customer service, and the care and concern shown for the CFS staff and its clients have been incredible. Thank you to Ted and Judy Kirshenbaum and everyone at Southshore for all they have done for CFS.”

Southshore is extremely proud of its long and close relationship with Child & Family Services of Southwestern Michigan, Inc. Please go to the CFS website for more information about the work that CFS does in our community.

Southshore Moves to New Warehouse in Dayton, Ohio

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Southshore completed significant improvements to an existing warehouse at 5621 Webster Street, Dayton. The Southshore Companies managed the construction of warehouse improvements to bring the new warehouse to food grade status. Southshore moved the warehouse to be closer to its key customer in Dayton, Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas, Inc. (formerly A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company). Southshore has been performing finished goods warehousing and worldwide distribution of Tate & Lyle’s citric acid and related products in Dayton since 1996. Southshore provides daily transportation between the Tate & Lyle Dayton plant to the Southshore warehouse where Southshore prepares the product for shipment to Tate & Lyle customers throughout the United States and the world.

Southshore is capable of constructing new warehouse space or leasing warehouse space for its customers depending on specific third party logistics customer requirements.

The Southshore Companies Marketing Plan

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The Southshore Companies, a third party logistics and real estate development company headquartered in St. Joseph, Michigan with facilities in Elkhart, Indiana; East Hartford, Connecticut; and Dayton, Ohio, tapped Logistics Marketing Advisors, a marketing consulting group based in Connecticut, to analyze Southshore’s current and future marketing strategies and customer relationships.  The four-month project began with an initial consultation, internal executive interviews and company-wide meetings, and the project progressed to customer interviews and a strategic market analysis. The project concluded with a two-day conference where the results of the project were presented and Jim Bierfeldt of Logistics Marketing Advisors delivered a comprehensive marketing plan for Southshore”s warehousing logistics and warehouse leasing operations. 

With improved branding, advertising strategies, market positioning and updates to key technological capabilities, Southshore will be even better positioned in the marketplace to effectively serve its existing and new third party logistics and real estate customers.

Earning More By Storing Less

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The Southshore Companies, a St. Joseph, Michigan based third party logistics and real estate development group of businesses, knows about competition.  Competition today requires some manufacturers to become warehousers and some warehousers to become even more to their customers.

Southshore designed a unique just-in-time parts delivery system to fit the logistics requirements of one of Southshore’s major customers.  Southshore implemented an off-site vendor managed inventory (VMI) warehouse for a tier-one auto supplier that consolidates supplier inventory in a single Southshore location for as needed delivery to production lines.

Southshore is a 3PL provider offering warehousing logistics, dedicated transportation services and real estate leasing and development services in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Connecticut.

Project Opens Door for Southshore Companies

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After an extensive search for a third party logistics provider, Southshore was selected to develop and implement an off-site material warehouse for a tier one supplier to the automotive industry. The project goals were to reduce material inventory cost and to improve material supply chain status visibility through an internet based supply chain management information system. Savings would be realized through transportation consolidation of inbound material. Savings would also be realized through the discrete assembly of hundreds of part numbers into smaller production quantities with hourly delivery service based on demand pull signals from manufacturing.

This partnership represented an opportunity for Southshore to participate with its customer to develop a beta test vendor managed inventory warehouse, which if successful, could serve as an implementation model for other customer operated plants in North America.

Southshore successfully implemented this material warehouse in less than sixty days. The project tasks included: defining warehouse operations processes, management reporting and quality control requirements; designing, writing and obtaining customer approval of a warehouse operations manual; hiring and training of warehouse personnel; acquiring computer and office systems; and modifying and testing these systems.

Southshore’s beneficial project outcomes included significant enhancements in technological capabilities and personnel skills in the areas of collaborative inventory management systems, real-time supply chain visability, and enterprise resource planning systems integration. Southshore and its customer partner are extremely pleased with the project’s payoffs to date and we are hopeful that other customer plants will follow this material warehouse model.

Southshore looks forward to working with its existing and prospective customers seeking to gain similar warehousing logistics efficiencies. Southshore has demonstrated that it can successfully complete similar complex projects which demand an enhanced level of technical expertise delivered by a company dedicated to customer satisfaction and true collaborative logistics partnerships.

2004 – The Year of Safety

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David Kirshenbaum, Southshore President, has declared 2004 the Year of Safety for the Southshore Companies.  The Southshore Companies Safety Committee has launched an initiative to improve safety in the work environments of all of our business segments.

The Safety Committee has researched safety regulations, rewritten safety programs, performed building safety assessments and conducted employee training.  A safe physical environment and safety attitude among Southshore employees and management will benefit Southshore and our customers through safety oriented operating enhancements, focused risk managementent and cost containment.  The safety intiative in 2004 will enhance the effectiveness of all Southshore operations during 2004 and in the future.  The Safety Committee members are Scott Donohue, Bob Oberheu, Donna Orvis, Charles Pitts and David Kirshenbaum.

Our Locations
Corporate Office
233 Hawthorne Avenue
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085

T: 269-983-2080
F: 269-983-7307


Michigan
3515 Lakeshore Drive
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085

2024 Hawthorne Avenue
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085

331 Miller Street
Benton Harbor, Michigan 49022

9864 Church Street
Bridgman, Michigan 49106


Indiana
2421 S. Nappanee Street
Elkhart, Indiana 46517

T: 269-983-2080
F: 269-983-7307

4210 W. 67th Street
Anderson, Indiana 46011

T: 765-222-9170


Illinois
1500 Fort Jesse Road
Normal, Illinois 61761

T: 309-451-3500
F: 309-452-5926


Iowa
2101 E. 8th Street
Spencer, Iowa 51301

T: 712-580-5454
F: 712-580-5456


Nebraska
3000 Enterprise Avenue
York, Nebraska 68467

T: 402-362-2882