were losing business due to the lack of shipping options. SEKO had been using truckers to help move smaller container volumes to Canada. The company then added the ability to move atbeds to Canada. “We thought, ‘Let’s give it a try,’” Sales says. “It takes a leap of faith to move freight into another country before we export to a third country,” Burkhart says. The solution requires thorough documentation and knowledge, as well as a strong partner and a top-notch information system to track shipments. Kaiser Aluminum and other shippers can track their shipments through SEKOHarmony. “We use it daily,” Sales says. In fact, Kaiser has decided to continue to send shipments from the United States through Canada, due to the stability and ef ciency of the route, Sales notes. Healthcare professionals continue to confront product delays and shortages, as well as supply chain disruptions. At the same time, a lack of visibility to the disruptions often leaves healthcare organizations without the insight they need to proactively address these challenges, says Amanda Frisbie, marketing communications manager with Dukal LLC, a developer and manufacturer of healthcare products. In addition to the impact on patients’ treatments, product stockouts, delays, and cancellations stress the nancial state of healthcare organizations, many of which are already under strain. Dukal, through its partnership with Mallory Alexander International Logistics and the development of Dukal InSight, is helping to change this. The team at Dukal believes better health leads to a better future, and that an effective supply chain has a role to play in achieving this. “Manufacturing and supply chain excellence allows us to mitigate disruptions and create solutions that better serve the needs of healthcare professionals and patients,” says Siobhan Kelly, vice president of supply chain. DUKAL AND MALLORY ALEXANDER A Healthy Future
“You turn the transmitter on and can see real-time shipment location and conditions inside the container. Smart Visibility also has the capability to track carbon dioxide emissions and provide KPI dashboards and reports,” DiBernardi says. Should any deviations from established parameters occur, both companies know and can immediately implement the protocols in place to address them. “It provides a level of surety,” he says. The Smart Visibility system also offers robust reporting tools that enable shippers to analyze and improve performance. As Dermavant continues to compile this data, it’s starting to focus on the next phase of its logistics processes. For instance, it’s considering potential alternative transportation modes that could be more sustainable, while maintaining product quality and integrity. The tight communication and integration with Hellmann’s customs brokerage team, as well as its involvement in planning, also contributed to the successful product launch. While many operations and brokerage groups operate in disparate realms, having them work together was more effective. “We don’t encounter challenges because all the documentation was reviewed in advance by their teams,” Eastman says. “Dermavant offers a white-glove, high-touch customer focus,” he says. “This requires extensive preparing and planning and aligning with partners like Hellmann that share our commitment.”
KAISER ALUMINUM AND SEKO LOGISTICS An Iovative Shipping Approach Prior to the international shipping crisis of several years ago, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation, a leading producer of semi- fabricated aluminum products, enjoyed “very set lanes and an extremely stable shipping environment,” says Karen Sales, planning project facilitator and outbound logistics manager for the Trentwood, Washington location. “That almost all broke overnight.” Sales reached out to more than 60 contacts, searching for a rm that could offer a cost-effective way to move products across North America and on to other parts of the world. Most providers pointed to the upended state of international shipping and said there was nothing they could do. “SEKO was the rst one to try to gure out what we could do together,” Sales says. SEKO suggested trucking shipments from Washington state north to Vancouver, Canada, and then using Canada Rail to move them across the country. It was an option SEKO had begun evaluating during the West Coast port strikes. “It was part of our fallback plan,” says Paul Burkhart, managing director for SEKO. The Seattle area had been cut off from ocean routing to Europe and South America for roughly two years. Burkhart and his team had been looking for a solution for smaller volumes, as some of SEKO Logistics’ customers
A strong partnership with its forwarder enabled Kaiser Aluminum to move its aluminum mill products despite international shipping disruptions.
102 Inbound Logistics • January 2024
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