Ross Britton's 30 years in the logistics industry

Ross Britton started his JDI journey on August 21, 1995 with Kent Line International. Thirty years later, Ross’s path has led him just a few floors up, serving as the Director of Operations for JDI Logistics. 

“I still remember my first day,” says Ross. “I remember meeting everyone – they were all very fun, energized and engaged people, so I knew it was going to be a good team right from the beginning.” 

With Kent Line, Ross worked with Breakbulk ships, transporting forest products from Canada and the United States to Europe, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. For backhaul cargos, they focused on steel, fertilizer and project cargoes. They grew the service to include Brazil and Argentina and were operating 12 ships. During this time, Ross had the chance to travel to many countries throughout Europe and South America 

In 2014, Ross moved over to JDI Logistics, bringing his key experience in freight forwarding and international transport. He’s now been there for over 10 years.

“At JDI Logistics, we handle all modes of international transportation and project logistics. We handle door-to-door shipments worldwide.” says Ross. “One of my favourite parts of the job is being able to provide on-time logistics to support other businesses.” 

The industry has changed a lot in his 30 years, Ross notes while reflecting. “Back in 1995, there was much less traffic moving in container ships. Container ships have increased in size from 4,000 TEU’s (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit)  capacity to 25,000 TEU ” 

Ross tells new employees to embrace opportunities. “Just bring your energy and enthusiasm, stay dedicated to what you're doing and it's a lot of fun. There are so many opportunities to learn things within the Irving Group,” he says. “Whether you’re in transportation, forestry, IT or shipbuilding, there’s a place for you here."