PIERS has Been Chosen by AmSpec to Deliver a Customized Business Intelligence Solution for Bulk Chemical and Petroleum Shipments

NEWARK, N.J. and LINDEN, N.J., Oct. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- PIERS, The Standard in Trade Intelligence, has been selected by AmSpec, to deliver a customized business intelligence solution that will provide immediate and actionable insight into bulk shipments of petroleum products around the world.

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Recent investments made to the technology PIERS uses to process over 17,000,000 waterborne import and export bills of lading each year, has resulted in new, enhanced data visualization and drill down capabilities that allow PIERS to deliver business intelligence solutions that isolate commodities based on brand names and grades specific to each individual customers' requirements.

"Over the past couple of years PIERS has undergone a transformation away from being simply a data provider, towards delivering customer-specific solutions that provide immediate, decision-ready intelligence," said Wael Jarous, Senior Vice President at PIERS. "We fully understand the importance of providing valuable and reliable intelligence to the energy sector and we are pleased to be the single source that can deliver the complete picture. Only with a comprehensive assessment of the U.S. energy market, can calculated risks be taken and strategic decisions executed."

"As we continue to grow our business by offering our industry-leading services in new markets, it's important that our strategic planning is based on smart, data-driven decisions," said Simon Wright, Vice President, International Development, AmSpec. "The business intelligence tools created by PIERS allows us to identify trends in the petroleum industry based on the companies and specific commodities being shipped around the world and apply that knowledge to our decision making."

PIERS collects over 17,000,000 waterborne import and export bills of lading filed with U.S. Customs (including 4,000,000 export bills of lading) and processes them through their proprietary Six-Step Process. While other data providers have begun publishing a subset of only containerized U.S. exports, PIERS remains the only provider with complete export transactions for all waterborne shipments (including bulk shipments) going back to 1977. Their unique infrastructure, which includes onsite security cleared staff at major U.S. ports allows them to scan and process bills of lading not filed electronically.

For more information about customized solutions from PIERS visit www.piers.com.

About PIERS
PIERS is the most comprehensive database of U.S. waterborne trade activity in the world providing information services to thousands of subscribers globally. Launched more than 35 years ago, PIERS was the first venture in digital global trade intelligence and quickly became the industry standard for accuracy, reliability and insight. Our unique infrastructure and proprietary technology allow us to not only publish import data, but also complete coverage of U.S. export transactional data. PIERS is a division of JOC Group Inc., and a sister company of The Journal of Commerce.  For more information, visit www.piers.com.

About JOC Group Inc.
The JOC Group Inc. is the authoritative provider of business intelligence, data and events for trade, transportation and logistics professionals worldwide. Through its PIERS database and leading JOC coverage of transportation online, print and events, the JOC Group Inc. provides customers with critical insights, data-rich intelligence and tools to compete effectively in the global marketplace. For further information, please visit www.joc.com/group.

The JOC Group Inc. is part of the AXIO Data Group, owned by Electra Partners, an independent private equity fund manager with more than 30 years' experience in the mid-market. As of September 2012, the firm had funds under management valued at over $2 Billion. The firm's flexible investment approach allows it to invest across a broad range of sectors and financial instruments including equity, senior equity, convertibles and mezzanine debt. For further information please visit www.axiogroup.net or www.electrapartners.com.

About AmSpec
For over twenty five years, AmSpec has independently and accurately analyzed and measured petroleum and petrochemical products throughout the US, Caribbean, Latin America and around the world.

AmSpec is dedicated to providing quality service exceeding our clients' expectations.  The Company and employees strive for the highest degree of quality performance, which is achieved through clear and well-documented systems, proper training, the qualifications and experience of employees, and through continuous improvements of all overall operations.

SOURCE PIERS