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December 27, 1999 9:50 AM, EST

Ryder System's latest restructuring marks an effort to combine operations for greater efficiency and to recapture the momentum that helped it grow into one of the largest and best known companies in the transportation industry.

Company officials say the decision to merge Ryder's asset-intensive truck leasing and rental business with its non-asset-based logistics and supply chain consulting services is aimed at removing "internal" barriers that impeded service and prevented customers from taking advantage of everything the company has to offer.

In addition, the company established Ryder Capital Services to meet internal funding requirements and established a company-wide asset management group to improve its utilization of vehicles, real estate and other assets (12-6, p. 8).

"We began with an open mind and a clean sheet of paper," said Gregory T. Swienton, a former rail executive who joined Ryder as president and chief operating officer in June. "We spoke with customers and found that maybe we were not as easy to do business with as we would have liked to be. Customers didn't always know what we had available because we had two business units and two sales organizations."

For the full story, see the Dec. 27 print edition of Transport Topics. .