 ACS
is a family-run corporation and is the
progeny of a long line of freight forwarding
entities.
The Shearer family became involved
in the Shipping Business in 1918. Then
George C. Shearer began delivering film to
theaters in the Pittsburgh area in the
1920’s and 30’s. The film industry needed a
quick way to get newly released films and
timely news reels from the studios of New
York and Los Angeles to the theaters of
other cities and towns.
The film industry
decided to use airplanes to ship their
films. George, a displaced carpenter and
theater set designer, found a new job in
picking up the new films at the new
Pittsburgh International Airport in a
motorcycle and sidecar and delivering the
films to all the theaters in which he used
to work.
George’s son, Robert
G. Shearer, eventually joined his father in
running “George C. Shearer’s Exhibitor’s
Service.” At this point George and Son began
to use trucks and vans instead of
motorcycles and cars to deliver the films.
Robert began moving general “Air Freight,”
and not just films in 1952. Eventually,
young George C. Shearer, II, the grandson of
George C. and son of Robert G., became
involved in the business.
The business grew
quickly, Robert retired, and George C.
Shearer, II took over. George deciding to
stay with the only business he knew, Air
Freight. George began Air Parcel Delivery
Service in the 1970’s. Shortly before ending
the life of Air Parcel Delivery Service,
George C. Shearer, II, along with others,
started Total Transportation Corporation.
Total was to be exactly as its name
described, a total transportation solution
for customers. Total was to route,
warehouse, and deliver freight. Total was a
Logistics pioneer in offering all of these
services from one broker. Shortly
thereafter, in 1979, George began another
corporation, Air Cargo Sales, Inc. George
eventually decided to concentrate completely
on Air Cargo Sales’ newly found agency for
the Atlanta based Profit Freight Systems,
and resigned all management duties with
Total Transportation.
Air Cargo Sales became
agents for Profit Freight Systems in 1979.
This meant that Air Cargo Sales would not
only be involved in air freight, but in
other forms of Cargo as well. Profit Freight
Systems also grew and merged with the
British firm, LEP International, to form LEP
Profit International in the 1980’s. The
merger increased international business for
Profit and Air Cargo Sales, and made LEP
Profit the International Logistics giant.
 In
the mid-1980’s, Air Cargo Sales expanded
into the market of general Logistics. Air
Cargo Sales became more than a shipping
agent, it began warehousing, distribution,
and delivery as well. In 1996, the Board of
Directors decided that the company had
outgrown the name “Air Cargo Sales,” and
officially adopted the name “ACS Logistics”
to relate to the customer all the different
types of functions the corporation had the
capability of fulfilling.
ACS along with the
freight industry have come a long way since
George’s grandfather started delivering
films in his motorcycle and sidecar. Air
freight is now a part of “Logistics” and the
corporation has gone from one person on a
motorcycle to being run by the fourth
generation Scott Shearer with over 60
employees in 2 major metropolitan cities.
ACS along with its partner Lynden
International now provide Logistics services
to the world. |
