QuickLoadz

QuickLoadz aims to disrupt the nearly ten-trillion-dollar logistics industry.

It’s developed robotic, smartphone-controlled trailers designed to move the world’s 600 million shipping containers more quickly, safely, and efficiently.

This company’s system has the potential to open the bottleneck for the majority of the world’s freight issues, and solve critical “last-mile” problems that plague the logistics industry.

QuickLoadz launched in 2015. It's a global business, with customers in the U.S., Canada, and the United Arab Emirates. Notable customers include the U.S. Army, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and United Van Lines.

The company’s system was recognized by Amazon and Entrepreneur Magazine as “truly impactful.” And the company was selected from 35,000 entrants for grant funding and featured as one of four companies in Amazon Small Business Grants’ documentary series. QuickLoadz has generated ten million dollars in revenue to-date, and projects to bring in fifteen million dollars in revenue this year.

As mentioned, the company’s system is designed for speed and efficiency, two issues hindering the transportation of goods.

Ninety percent of the world’s freight travels in sea shipping containers — more than 600 million of them.

The intermodal shipping container was invented in 1956. And this simple idea of putting merchandise in big steel boxes opened up world trade. By some estimates, the cost of international shipping dropped ninety percent.

However, the handling of these containers hasn’t significantly changed in fifty years. Containers still require giant cranes, loading docks, and distribution centers to access their contents.

That’s the landscape QuickLoadz is aiming to change. Here’s how:

The company has built a fleet of truck beds that can be controlled using a smartphone. And these beds can automatically load and unload shipping containers.

Drivers can load or unload 60,000 pounds of merchandise in three minutes without ever leaving their seat in the truck cab. The beds work with almost any truck, and even have the potential to work with fully-automated trucks, such as ones being developed by Tesla and Waymo.

The QuickLoadz system consists of a patented mechanical system. Hydraulic wedges lift one end of the shipping container during loading, and specially-designed hooks grab the container from underneath. Two wheels then glide the container smoothly onto the truck.

This mechanical process is part of the company’s “secret sauce,” and its hardware is patent-protected in several countries.

Complementing this system is the Brain Box. This is the software portion of QuickLoadz’ system. It enables drivers to control the loading and unloading process digitally, and monitors elements like pressure and the flow of hydraulics.

QuickLoadz beds are designed for mass manufacturing, and there are ten different models available. They range from twenty-foot to forty-foot trailers.

Down the road, the company plans to offer an all-electric unit and incorporate safety features such as 360-degree cameras on all trucks.

QuickLoadz makes money through direct sales of its truck beds. It also offers subscriptions to its cloud-based logistics system, which enables dispatchers to remotely check the status of their fleets. For example, they can see if trucks have a flat tire, have been in an accident, or are delayed making a delivery.

Team Background

Bridget Lair - Co-Founder & CFO

Prior to starting QuickLoadz, Bridget was a data scientist, working as a research associate at the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs at Ohio University.

Before that, she was Director of Publications with the National Business Incubation Association. She started as an instructor at Ohio University, teaching Statistics.

Bridget earned a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Master’s degrees in International Affairs and Geography from Ohio University.

Sean Jones - Co-Founder & CEO

Sean is a serial entrepreneur with experience in the mobile storage business.

For seventeen years, he owned RockSide Construction, a commercial and residential real estate construction company. During a four-year stretch, he also owned RockSide Storage, a company using sea shipping containers for storage options.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Ohio University.

Co-Investors