Over the last 20 years, this Minneapolis-based creator of specialized fabrics has etched their place in the crowded textile manufacturing industry. Their proprietary materials have been adapted for use in medical, industrial, clothing, and other applications across the globe. Many locations spread across different countries, each with a different production schedule and raw material needs, have created complexity in the supply chain.
They came to King looking for a trusted 3rd party logistics provider who could simplify and speed up their shipping process, allowing them to more efficiently integrate with their customers’ supply chains.
The challenges
Delayed delivery
The more our client grew, the more complex their supply chain became. Over the years, the list of markets they serve has expanded, as have the routes they take to ship their products to locations on multiple continents. This interwoven network of routes made it hard for their business to ship efficiently. As a result, they were faced with production crunches due to delayed deliveries.
Confusing communication
Though their process of shipping products was simple, it was wholly inefficient. They had to call a number every time they needed a shipment moved or to receive tracking information, yet they rarely spoke to the same person twice and no one seemed to understand the complexity of their shipping needs.
Lagging logistics
Despite the rapid growth of their business, their supply chain would quickly unravel if a solution was not found. That’s why they began searching for a trusted shipping partner and advisor to provide expertise on both international and domestic transportation.
Good thing they found King.
The King solution
Collaboration is deeply woven into the fabric of King’s logistics management process. So we took extra care to fully understand the inner workings of the client’s manufacturing and production runs, their network of routes and global destinations, and their time-sensitive shipping schedules so they would seamlessly integrate into their supply chain.
On-time deliveries
We leveraged our extensive network of domestic and international carriers to help find the best ways to move our client’s products efficiently, all while maintaining the strict timetable set forth by their production runs.
Dedicated customer service team
We set up a single point of contact to work directly with the company providing them with fluid updates on their shipments as well as any other required information. When they have a request, inquiry or shipping issue, they always know exactly who to contact.
Expertise to route and plan distribution
Choosing the right method of delivery is essential for speed. Our team worked closely with the client to connect them with reliable carriers who move quickly. Whether by land, air or sea, we coordinated domestic and international routes with carriers to move our client’s products promptly and cost-effectively.
The results
After integrating fully with our client’s supply chain, we made many key changes that added value in different areas of their shipping program:
- We increased the speed of shipments and kept production runs on schedule by optimizing routes and choosing the best method of shipping. This led to a huge improvement in on-time deliveries.
- We consolidated communication and made it easier for our client to reach out with shipping questions and needs by setting up a single point of contact. This allowed them to closely track shipment status and quickly react to unexpected issues.
- We greatly increased shipment visibility through comprehensive reporting tailored to their specific key performance indicators.
- We provided expertise and insight on international documentation and shipping solutions leading to a decrease in international shipment issues.
Have a wrinkle in your supply chain that needs to be ironed out?
We can tailor a solution to your needs. Let’s chat! Contact King.
Joel Rice