What is the significance of Lantau Island? At Expeditors, we know Lantau Island as the birthplace of an idea envisioned by Peter Rose and James Wang in July of 1981. After several years in the industry, they dreamed of creating a global logistics organization that offered integrated services, best in class customer service and a focus on its people. Sketched out on a napkin in a bar, this idea came to fruition that same year when Peter and James, along with Glenn Alger, joined Expeditors International of Washington, Inc., a single office forwarder located in Seattle, Washington.
Expeditors’ model was to combine transportation services and customs brokerage. With an initial focus on U.S. inbound freight from Asia, Expeditors quickly became one of the largest U.S.-based air freight forwarders of goods from the Far East. By staying true to our core values, Expeditors has grown organically from one to over 250 offices across the globe and employs more than 13,000 industry professionals.