When Harry Massman started his delivery company with a single bobtail truck back in 1950, he likely couldn’t have imagined that his small business would evolve into the supply chain leader that we’ve become today. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary at Dependable Supply Chain Services, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the incredible journey that has brought us from those early beginnings to serving customers worldwide. 

From Father to Son: Building a Legacy 

Our story began to take shape in 1964 when Ron Massman joined his father at Dependable Trucking. What started as a father-son operation quickly grew into something bigger. By 1968, the company had acquired Freight Transport and expanded into public warehousing and harbor drayage services—our first major step toward becoming the integrated logistics provider we’re known as today. 

The 1970s brought even more growth. We opened the Galaxy Distribution warehouse in Los Angeles (later renamed Dependable Distribution Centers), and Ron’s brother Bob joined the family business in 1973. Bob brought a unique perspective to the company, starting as a dockworker at age 18 and working his way up through various roles including truck driver, dispatcher, and account executive before eventually becoming Vice President. His hands-on experience working in the transportation business from the ground up would prove invaluable as the company continued to expand.  

By later that decade, we were pioneering ocean freight forwarding services from California to Hawaii—a move that would prove pivotal to our Pacific expansion. 

The ‘80s and ‘90s: Strategic Expansion and Innovation 

The 1980s marked a period of strategic diversification. Ron formed Dependable Hawaiian Express (DHX) in 1980, which quickly expanded to serve Guam and eventually became a major player in Pacific shipping. Simultaneously, we expanded our capabilities, adding regional truckload services and entering new markets throughout the West Coast. 

But perhaps our most significant milestone came in 1993 when we acquired a 1.5 million square foot distribution warehouse in Los Angeles. This facility became the largest public warehouse under one roof in the United States and our corporate headquarters. 

The ‘90s also saw us embrace the future of logistics with the launch of Dependable Logistics Solutions (DLS) in 1995, marking our entry into third-party logistics (3PL) services. Our evolution from a transportation company into a comprehensive supply chain partner was underway. 

The 2000s: Going Global and Getting Greener 

As we entered the new millennium, we expanded beyond the Pacific. We began services to Australia and New Zealand, opened offices across the Far East, and created Dependable Global Express (DGX) to handle our growing international business. By the mid-2000s, we had operations spanning from Hong Kong to Melbourne, serving customers across multiple continents. 

This decade also marked our commitment to sustainability. In 2009, we purchased our first fleet of green tractors, and by 2011, we had installed solar panels on our Los Angeles headquarters. This created what was the world’s largest solar grid on an industrial high-rise building at the time. We were proud to be growing our company responsibly. 

Recent Years: Technology, Integration, and Strategic Focus 

The 2010s and early 2020s brought continued expansion and technological advancement. We’ve strategically acquired companies that complement our capabilities, expanded our solar initiatives to multiple facilities, and invested heavily in technology to better serve our customers. 

One of our most significant recent developments came in 2018 when we rebranded as Dependable Supply Chain Services, reflecting our evolution from a collection of separate companies to an integrated supply chain solutions provider. This represented our commitment to delivering seamless, end-to-end services. 

What Makes Us Dependable Today 

Over 75 years, we’ve learned that success in logistics is about understanding our customers’ unique challenges and creating solutions that help them grow. Today, our mission remains the same as it was in Harry’s day: to continue to earn a reputation for integrity, service, and diversity that’s unmatched in our industry. 

Thank you for being part of our journey. Whether you’ve been with us for decades or you’re just discovering the Dependable difference, we’re honored to serve as your supply chain partner. Here’s to the next 75 years of growth, innovation, and unwavering commitment to excellence.