PHILADELPHIA — Doing business along the Delaware River, reputation is everything. Tim Brown, president of Horizon Stevedoring Co., which operates from Pier 82 of the port of Philadelphia, is proud that his company has been around long enough to build a reputation for quality service and performance.

Horizon Stevedoring President Tim Brown and Chief Steward Chris Howarth. (Photo by Chip Carter)“It started years ago,” Mr. Brown said. “It’s a family-owned-and-operated business, and that way of doing business goes back to my grandfather. You treat people the way you treat your family, with the same values. We’re still doing business on a handshake — our word is it. If you don’t have your word, you don’t have anything. That’s how we’ve operated and began operating and that’s what we’re all about.”

Horizon’s main client is Turbana, the international banana purveyor, and “those are some of the best people you can work with. We’ve been very fortunate to establish a relationship with them,” Mr. Brown said. “I can sit here and sell you a bag of goods, but if the customers don’t agree and feel the same way nothing happens. Really, the customers tell the story. Turbana runs a very tight ship — no pun intended. Working with them has been a very, very positive experience.”

The company also offloads perishables for Isabella Shipping and onloads consumer goods for that line heading south from the port of Philadelphia.

Even with those core clients, “we’re constantly looking for other opportunities and in other areas. We’re acutely aware that if you stand still things blow right by you. So we’re looking for every opportunity, and that’s our plan for the future,” Mr. Brown said.

Horizon maintains a gang of 65-70 workers on Pier 82, and all employees are cross-trained in order to be able to perform a variety of tasks. That approach avoids complacency and keeps people on their toes, he said.

“Everybody receives cross-training — everybody. There’s something to be said for that,” Mr. Brown said. “I can operate all the equipment here; it gives you good perspective of what’s reasonable to expect from guys.”

As a result, “everybody shares responsibility and all the employees contribute, everybody contributes and I’m real fortunate to have the guys we have working here,” Mr. Brown said. “They’re accountable. Our top guys have been here since we formed the company so we’re like family. We screen heavily, we don’t just hire anybody. We go through an extensive interview process and these guys are tops.”

Stevedoring is clearly a tough job and it can be dangerous. Horizon does everything possible to mitigate that danger, Mr. Brown said.

“It is hard work — rain and snow, 97-degree heat — but they get it done,” Mr. Brown said. “We have a very aggressive safety program: everybody who comes on is trained first in protective equipment and how to operate the machines, our insurance provider comes in and makes recommendations and looks at different safety awareness programs, we have a safety committee. We have a very, very active safety program and it shows. Our lost days are extremely low.”