For Immediate Release
Contacts:
Kate Donahue
AmeriQuest® Transportation and Logistics Resources Corp.
856.773.0600
kdonahue@ameriquestcorp.com
John Letchford
Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg & Ellers, LLP.
215.568.6603
Ronald Margulis
RAM Communications
908.232.3230
AMERIQUEST
WINS PATENT FOR REVOLUTIONARY BUSINESS PROCESS
First new business model with wide applications since franchising
"Collective Business System" gives independent companies ability to compete with large national
companies by amalgamating purchasing, coordinating sales efforts through e-Commerce technology
Cherry Hill, NJ November 26, 2001: AmeriQuest® Transportation and Logistics Resources Corp.,
a leading provider of services to the fleet management industry, received a patent for the company's
innovative business system. The patent, entitled "Collective Business System", provides premium
business support mechanisms from suppliers to independent companies, tradespersons or professionals
in a common industry through a substantially liquid asset based, for-profit business entity.
The businesses participating in the model receive enhanced purchasing power, national marketing
capabilities and other business leverage support to compete effectively with national companies
in their industry.
AmeriQuest filed for the patent in May 1999, and was awarded the patent last month. The company
expects to receive the patent number within 12 weeks.
"The Collective Business System is not an association, buying service or franchise. It is a
group of participants who may opt to be shareholders in the company," explained Doug Clark,
President & CEO, AmeriQuest, who is named as the inventor of the process.
The Collective Business System has been in operation for three years in the independent truck
leasing and rental industry, where it is actively processing orders for fleet equipment and
saving companies like Hogan Motor Leasing, DeCarolis Truck Rental and Transervice Lease Corp.
thousands of dollars. In addition to saving money and time, the AmeriQuest system offered the
owners of these companies the opportunity to participate in the equity of the new firm, further
adding to the value they receive.
"This is a classic 'no-lose' situation for companies operating in diffused industries with just a
few major players. The participants get better pricing, greater exposure and potentially the chance
to benefit from a stock offering," said Clark.
"The central elements of the Collective Business System include a sales force that is responsible
for selling services nationwide, procurement amalgamation that enables the group to buy volume
discounts greater than they can receive individually and technology that makes the process work
accurately, seamlessly and without paper," said Joseph Ciolino. Executive Vice President, Corporate
Development, AmeriQuest.
Clark added, "The key to the success of the AmeriQuest model is efficiency derived through well-
conceived processes that automate the transaction flow. Most buying groups add administrative costs
and people to manage the transaction flow, but we use e-Commerce systems that do not add costs or
people."
Attorneys reviewing the patent application have described its patent protection as very robust and
broad in scope. Indeed, the Collective Business System has been described as the first new business
model with far-reaching commercial applications since franchising. Unlike franchising, however,
which must adhere to many strict laws and constraints, the system allows independent businesses
to work collectively and retain their independence while avoiding the cumbersome administrative
burdens associated with franchises.
"For the foreseeable future, the inherent limitations of traditional collective business systems
like trade associations, cooperatives and franchises will render them considerably less effective
than they once were in advancing the business interests of their constituents. AmeriQuest's new
business model overcomes those limitations and enables single market and regional firms to
effectively compete with much larger national and global companies," confirmed John Letchford,
the attorney with the Philadelphia-based law firm Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg & Ellers,
LLP who successfully prosecuted the patent application before the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office.
"AmeriQuest may establish a division to address the marketing and implementation of the business
model in industries other than the ones the company is currently operating in. This division may
become a new company within AmeriQuest," Clark said. "The potential for the revenue for AmeriQuest
is in helping associations and buying groups create a Collective Business System for their
particular industry."
About AmeriQuest Transportation and Logistics Resources
AmeriQuest Transportation and Logistics Resources provides procurement services, outsourced transportation management services, asset services, and logistics consulting to the commercial trucking industry. AmeriQuest dramatically cuts costs and optimizes operations for their powerful network of more than 525,000 transportation vehicles. AmeriQuest offers significant discounts with commercial trucking suppliers' fleet-related products, and provides technology driven back office process efficiencies. AmeriQuest enables customers to realize immediate bottom-line savings while adding economic and performance value to industry supply chains.