BuilD For Speed
every point in the supply chain. WSI provides rail transloading, warehousing and distribution, transportation management, chemical and hazardous- material logistics, fulfillment, and specialized handling. Headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, WSI has dozens of facilities in nine states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Texas, California, Arizona, Ohio, and Oregon. In addition to its 3PL warehouses and fulfillment centers, WSI provides transloading through an extensive private network of rail-served warehouses across the United States. HELPING CUSTOMERS NAVIGATE COMPLEXITY Specialized expertise across its service verticals gives WSI a broad range of capabilities. Through organic growth and strategic acquisitions, WSI’s family of companies has built a portfolio of services designed to meet customers’ individual needs. Together with Kase, its technology- focused ecommerce and omnichannel fulfillment arm, WSI helps customers navigate increasingly complex supply chains across its network. “Rail can be a tremendous advantage
WSI provides rail transloading, warehousing and distribution, transportation management, chemical and hazardous-material logistics, fulfillment, and specialized handling.
ENABLING CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT You might say Facebook’s former motto, “Move fast with stable infrastructure,” characterizes logistics success stories and underpins stand-out sites. Continual improvement in supply chain assets is vital to growth in the logistics field, says Dr. David Closs, who has worked with many Fortune 500 corporations focused on logistics strategy. His work has involved developing and applying computer models and information systems for logistics operations and planning, including location analysis, inventory management, forecasting, and routing. Being strategically situated near major markets and freight flows gives communities an obvious logistics strength. But location is not enough. They must shorten the distance—and therefore the time and cost—between suppliers, distribution centers, and customers. Regions with the right combination of infrastructure, workforce, taxes, and other assets understand that equation. They invest in systems that make distance less of a barrier and goods easier to move efficiently from one point to another. That ability to overcome the challenges and complexities of distance is, ultimately, a region’s most important competitive advantage.
example. The value isn’t just having a siding at the building. You have to keep railcars moving, have the labor and equipment available to unload them efficiently, and maintain visibility into shipments.” EXPERIENCE ADDS VALUE WSI works directly with railroads, trainmasters, and regional superintendents to resolve problems quickly when something doesn’t go according to plan. “That’s where an experienced logistics operator adds value,” Vance says. “We connect the infrastructure to the customer’s actual supply chain.” Again, the key word: Connectivity. “A logistics-friendly location starts with connectivity,” Vance says. “You want access to the major transportation routes, ports, rail yards, and highways, and to be positioned where you can efficiently reach customers.” But connectivity extends beyond physical infrastructure. It also includes relationships within the community and within the company. “The relationships are what make the infrastructure work,” Vance says. “Our people know the trainmasters, the crews, and the customers at their sites. When something doesn’t go according to plan, they already know who to call and how to get freight moving again.”
for shippers moving high-volume products,” says Billy Vance, WSI’s
director of rail relations. “But you need usable infrastructure, warehouse capacity, trucking capacity, and an operating environment that allows the different modes to work together efficiently.” The labor market and overall business environment are also important factors in regional logistics performance. “Ultimately, a logistics-friendly community needs the infrastructure, people, and relationships that allow companies to move freight reliably,” Vance says. How does WSI contribute to the equation at its multiple locations? “One thing I think sometimes gets overlooked is that good freight infrastructure only creates an opportunity,” Vance says. “You still need good execution, and rail is a great
42 Inbound Logistics • October 2026
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