This initiative puts Tompkins into competition with players like XPO Logistics, UPS Supply Chain Solutions and Radial, among others. It is also intended to allow retailers to better compete with Amazon and its massive distribution network, rapid fulfillment capabilities and tens of millions of loyal Prime members, Tompkins says.

The alliance, which will launch this summer or early fall, will initially target one of three categories: apparel and footwear, furniture and appliances or industrial services/B2B. MonarchFx plans to eventually expand into other areas like cross-border e-commerce, cold storage and store fulfillment, with each set up as a separate business unit.

“This is a total reinvention, a metamorphosis,” said Tompkins International CEO Jim Tompkins. “There will be different networks with different delivery requirements and fulfillment center designs.”

Tompkins said MonarchFx will launch with 15 to 20 clients. He said his group has made presentations to more than 400 retailers over the past couple years, as the concept has been in the works since 2012.

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