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Business Beat: CII expands services to territory

Consolidators International Inc (CII) has expanded its services to American Samoa by opening a local office at the Pago Plaza and Irene Kane has been named the company's new Vice President. The announcement was made by CII CEO Julian Keeling in an interview with Samoa News last week.

"CII has the knowledge and experienced staffing that present consolidators as 'an operator with a difference'... and that difference is reflected in the quality and level of service we supply." he noted.

They are headquartered in Los Angeles and also maintain offices in Atlanta and New York managed by thorough professionals, according to Keeling. Also in the South Pacific as Asian markets are growing, CII has two overseas offices—in Taipei, Taiwan and Auckland, New Zealand.

Mr Keeling said five years ago CII expanded their services to include domestic airfreight and road-freight along with sea-freight, both export and import.

CII was established in 1993 by Julian Keeling, described as an entrepreneur and Air Freight veteran, who introduced a regime "incorporating new standards of integrity, personal service and ensuring the benefits of advanced technology."

At the time this was within a section of the air freight industry which was not held in high respect by both airlines or forwarders. Originally commencing as a consolidator to the South West Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand, CII operations today are global, embracing Europe, the Middle East, Asia, South Pacific and Latin America.

Working with a team of professionals, Mr Keeling leads a Freighting Company that is proud of its market leader status as one of the largest independent operators within their Industry, and says, as with all successful companies, the operating philosophy has not changed— it is simply to provide the best service possible.

They are wholesalers "who provide a full multi model service to our customers” he said.  Mr Keeling noted that CII people "rank with the Industry's best and we introduce a cross section of our staff on their Web Site www.cii-usa.com."

“The key word our Company associates with 'Service' is 'PERSONAL' as this is the unique specific benefit we address to Consolidators Customers. In this regard, we welcome the opportunity of providing you with this key component in your transport logistics chain" he added.

“Aside from worldwide air and sea cargo forwarding, there is door to door transportation, international Express Service, customs formalities for both import and export, storage, warehouse and distribution, packing & crating, pallet handling, pick up service, documentation preparation, Import and Export Certificates, break bulk and cargo consolidation, customer pre-alert, proof of delivery, cargo insurance, plus banking procedures, collection and delivery between all prime US locations” .

Aside from being CEO of CII, Mr Keeling and his wife Amy have travelled to American Samoa on numerous occasions and are donors to a number of local charities. Asked why he is keen on donating to the community, Mr Keeling said he saw how his father was always a giving person, and wanted to follow those footsteps. He noted that his father was a social worker and would go out of his way to help the community in any way he could.

“My father was a very giving man and I am blessed to have this feeling of obligation to be like my father…..it's far nicer to give a little than to take.

Mr Keeling said the opportunity arose to donate for American Samoa in the aftermath of the September 2009 tsunami. He noted that containers of goods were sent from LA free of charge from CII to assist the people of American Samoa.

In other donations, Mr Keeling has made contributions to the Boy and Girls Club with sports equipments and cash amounting close to $10,000.  

He also donated boxes of goods for the children housed at the Department of Human Social Services (DHSS) Shelter.

Elementary Schools of Vatia and Aunu’u received education materials and backpacks and CII also shipped out cargo free of charge for a new playground for the Hope House Montessori school. They have also assisted with Samoa Bowl.  

Mr Keeling said prior to his donations to the DHSS he was concerned that previous donations were not getting to the people  for whom they were originally intended.

He noted that there was equipment sent for schools which disappeared without trace and that it why he turned to Samoa News to assist with distributing the CII donations.