K&B Transportation: Nearly Four Decades of Moving America's Perishable Freight

Founded in 1987, K&B Transportation has grown from a small regional trucking operation into a major carrier specializing in transporting perishable food products. Today, the South Sioux City, Nebraska-based company operates more than 2,000 pieces of equipment and serves customers 
throughout the Greater Midwest and other parts of the United States.

From 25 Trucks to a Major Refrigerated Carrier

K&B Transportation’s story began when Ken Ackerman founded the company in Sioux City, Iowa, with 25
tractors and 85 meat-rail trailers. The original operation primarily transported carcass meat between IBP
processing facilities.

When changes at IBP altered that business model in 1989, K&B shifted its attention toward over-the-road
freight throughout the Midwest. That decision helped set the stage for decades of expansion.

The company relocated to South Sioux City in 1997 and continued growing through acquisitions, including
Artex Transportation in 1999 and Marx Truck Line in 2001. In 2000, founder Ken Ackerman stepped away
from day-to-day operations, with his sons Kory and Brock Ackerman assuming leadership responsibilities.
Kory Ackerman currently serves as president and Brock Ackerman as vice president.

That family-business history remains an important part of K&B’s identity even as the size and sophistication
of its operation have changed dramatically.

Specializing in Perishable Transportation

Refrigerated transportation presents challenges that extend well beyond simply moving a trailer from one
location to another. Temperature-sensitive freight, narrow appointment windows and demanding
supply-chain schedules make communication, equipment reliability and load visibility especially important.

K&B has positioned itself around those requirements.

The company offers over-the-road, dedicated and regional transportation solutions, with a particular
emphasis on perishable products. Its dedicated programs can be customized around a customer’s freight
requirements, including committed tractors, trailers, drivers, management resources and supporting
systems. Regional service provides transportation within defined geographic areas without requiring
customers to commit to specific freight volumes.

K&B says its focus extends beyond simply hauling a customer’s freight. The company describes its
approach as a transportation partnership in which both the carrier and shipper work toward improving efficiency and meeting broader business objectives.

Technology and Visibility Become Increasingly Important

Modern trucking is as much an information business as a transportation business. Customers increasingly
expect to know where their freight is, whether it is on schedule and when it will arrive.

K&B says it monitors loads around the clock and has partnered with FourKites to provide real-time load
visibility. The technology is designed to give customers greater insight into shipments while helping the
carrier identify potential problems and respond before they create larger service disruptions.

The company reports an on-time delivery performance of more than 98 percent.

K&B also says it continues to invest in transportation technology and equipment as part of its effort to
improve both operational performance and the customer experience. Its South Sioux City facilities include
its maintenance operations, operations department, sales and accounting functions, along with a separate
Driver Learning Center supporting recruiting, training, safety and other driver-related functions.

Drivers Remain at the Center of the Operation

Technology may help manage freight, but trucking still depends on professional drivers to make the system
work.

K&B’s recruiting program emphasizes driver compensation, scheduled home time, vacation, safety and
referral bonuses, equipment and relationships between drivers and dispatchers. The company also
operates resources specifically for its driving workforce, including safety and logs support, downloadable
paperwork and a dedicated driver center.

That emphasis on recruiting and retention comes at a time when carriers throughout the industry continue to
recognize the importance of maintaining an experienced, dependable professional-driver workforce.

For K&B, the driver relationship is closely connected to the company’s customer-service strategy:
sophisticated tracking and planning systems have limited value if a carrier cannot consistently put qualified
professionals behind the wheel.

A Record of Industry Recognition

Over its history, K&B has also received recognition from transportation customers and industry
organizations.

According to the company’s published awards history, those honors include multiple Spirit of Excellence
awards from Hormel Foods, Carrier of the Year recognition from Tyson Foods, Carrier of the Year
recognition from Hy-Vee, a National Carrier of the Year award from United States Cold Storage and
SmartWay recognition.

While awards provide one measure of performance, K&B’s longevity may tell an equally important story.
The company has operated through major changes in trucking – from deregulation-era expansion and
consolidation to electronic logging, sophisticated freight-tracking systems and today’s increasingly
technology-driven supply chain.

Built Around Partnership

K&B Transportation’s stated mission is to be recognized as a leading provider of value in perishable
transportation while maintaining a focus on customer satisfaction. Its corporate values emphasize
performance, communication, people and process, including continued investment in employee training and
development.

Nearly four decades after starting with 25 tractors, K&B remains headquartered in South Sioux City and
continues to focus on the specialized world of refrigerated and perishable transportation.

The equipment may be newer, the technology more sophisticated and the operation considerably larger
than it was in 1987, but the company’s underlying business proposition remains recognizable: move freight
reliably, communicate with customers and drivers, and build relationships capable of lasting for the long haul.