The Kontane Story

Kontane’s history is a classic American success story founded on intuition, hard work, a commitment to clients and the strength and stability that comes from our dedicated, savvy team of employees, from forklift drivers to executives.

In 1974, Ed and Polly Byrd were newly married and living in Raleigh, NC, where Ed worked for a box manufacturer. A self-starter by nature, Ed made the decision to forge out on his own and capitalize on his passion for sales. In 1975, the young couple moved to Hickory, NC, where Ed had attended college a few years earlier, and started Kontane, Inc., a manufacturer of wooden crates used by the moving and storage industry to accommodate household goods. What started as a small, localized business with few employees quickly blossomed into one of the top companies in the moving and storage industry. By the mid-1980s, Kontane, Inc. had built a reputation as one of the leading packaging designers and suppliers in the Southeast.

In 1995, the Byrd’s once again saw a niche that needed filling and expanded the company in a new direction with the formation of Kontane Logistics, a dedicated third party logistics provider involved with packaging and exporting to several countries around the globe. Kontane Logistics is now a leading dedicated third-party logistics provider with four locations in NC and SC.

Since inception, Kontane Logistics has expanded considerably to include warehousing and distribution, cross-docking, freight consolidation, import material receipt, line sequencing, parts distribution, development of logistics information systems, sub-assembly, and foreign trade zones services. Today, we can integrate all or any of these services, utilizing transportation, sub-assembly, multi-warehouse locations, and expanded information systems. We work within a competitive, global environment and are proud to call some of the top companies in the world our clients.

Every one of our customers has a unique set of needs based on supply chain constraints, customer needs, and market requirements. We work within your parameters to develop a flow center design that creates value and efficiency within your supply chain strategy. Every member of our team has a “do whatever it takes” attitude to meet and exceed your company’s expectations. We constantly strive to improve and find ways to help our clients be able to compete on the highest level, and we look forward to showing you what makes Kontane unique.