he complexity of the supply chain can be daunting. Everything from distribution to data crunching requires dedicated attention that can feel overwhelming unless you have the right tools in place or the right partners to back you up. On episode 120 of the Inbound Logistics podcast ( bit.ly/ILMagPodcastPage ) Marty Wadle, chief commercial of cer and Paul Jensen, senior vp of supply chain solutions for Ruan, an Iowa-based logistics provider, spoke about the importance of transparency and trust in the industry. Here are the highlights of their interview.
Marty Wadle, Chief Commercial Officer, Ruan
Paul Jensen, Senior VP of Supply Chain Solutions, Ruan
IL : How do your partners and customers bene t from working with an integrated solutions provider that offers value-added warehousing, a dedicated eet, and a managed transportation system? Wadle: A single integrated solution removes waste and duplication and creates a stronger relationship with the customer. It creates inventory visibility throughout the supply chain—whether it’s raw materials inbound, work in process, or nished goods. If you work with one logistics provider, you see the freight all the way through the process. Visibility across the entire supply chain when you’re working with one provider is a huge bene t. A single, integrated solution also enables rapid response to supply challenges. If we see what’s going on in the entire supply chain, we’re able to effectively maneuver around a clog, wherever it might be. If we see where we have challenges—at the ports or with containers coming in from overseas—then we can do other things to expedite freight once it hits our borders to get that product to customers more ef ciently. We also look at ways to work with our carrier partners to put them on continuous moves. Shippers today are looking to be a shipper of choice. As we act as an extension of our customer, we do our best to create that shipper of choice view from our carrier perspective: How quickly can we get
IL : What are some innovations that Ruan has implemented where you really see that value-add in play? Jensen: Every implementation of a solution begins with the needs of the customer. Whether that’s a sophisticated racking system or a complex pick-to- light, multifaceted kitting operation that directly feeds manufacturing lines, we build solutions that meet a speci c customer objective. That includes both nished goods on the outbound side as well as inbound raw materials through a consolidation center. We bring product from across the country into a single consolidation point for splitting, cross docking, recon guring, staging, and shipping to various manufacturing sites. It starts with what our customer’s needs are. As we get into a customer’s business, and we start to learn what their supply chain chokepoints are, we can help them design a better solution that feeds through that distribution process. We understand what it takes to run assets, what it takes to manage carrier relationships, and what it takes to run distribution and nished goods shipping. IL : When shippers look for a warehouse partner, a lot of thought has to go into that decision. What are some of the things shippers might overlook when they evaluate a new partner? Jensen: As proposal systems and technology have gotten better, the nuts and bolts of how to share requirements
carriers in and out of the docks? Can we put two or three different lanes together to create a continuous move, keep that carrier moving, and eliminate their empty miles? That just creates a better solution. We also look for backhauls for our dedicated resources that may be delivering nished goods for one of our value-added warehouse customers. The trucks can pick up inbound raw materials or other third-party freight so we can keep dedicated assets loaded at all times. That drives continuous improvement and takes waste out of the system for customers. Jensen: A common theme across the different services that we provide is transparency. On the dedicated eet side, we’re 100% transparent. On the managed transportation side, we’re 100% transparent with our customer— from a service, cost, and carrier payment standpoint—and that develops a sense of trust with customers. We operate best when we’re part of our customer’s enterprise. We bring the most value when we’re included in strategic discussions about the direction of their organization, when our goals and objectives are fundamentally aligned. And that starts from the rst day we engage with a customer. We are all about being as transparent as possible, so that the decision-making on both sides—from our customer’s perspective and our perspective—drives toward a common goal.
242 Inbound Logistics • January 2022
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