Pilot Freight expects 30 percent growth in 2018 ‘heavy-and-hard-to-handle’ e-commerce

Pilot Freight Services released its Q2 2018 results in which it projects its “heavy and hard-to-handle” (H3D) e-commerce business will grow 30 percent by year-end. In terms of traffic, the company has moved about 24,000 tonnes of freight so far this year, which it said is a “12 percent increase over last quarter.”

John Hill, president and chief commercial officer said “home delivery and e-commerce offerings will continue to be a focus,” as it integrates last-mile-only solutions to its existing full-mile service.

Bulkier goods, such as couches, mattresses and exercise equipment that are traditionally sold in-store, have begun to gain prominence in the e-commerce realm. Perpetuated by e-tail giants like Amazon and Overstock.com, these companies ride on high volume and thin margins to nudge out brick-and-mortar competition.

Pilot also said it is investing in technology “to seamlessly integrate and automate platforms while increasing transparency.” The company hosts a number of digital services, including an online shipping navigator, a digital scheduling service and a shipment tracking app.