Automated Logistics Systems (ALS)

The Challenge:

Automatic Logistics Systems (ALS) was on the rise: business for the 3PL was good but the Midwest-based company was experiencing acute growing pains. On track to enter a high-growth business phase, ALS lacked best-in-class technology to help foster and accommodate that progression. ALS leadership had concerns about margins, overpaying carriers and booking loads at the last minute at premium prices. The company had transported one-off shipments but the long-term game plan had been to contract for and expedite all customers’ freight needs. The ultimate test became a big unknown:  once new business was landed, how could ALS handle the increased volume successfully? 

The Solution:

With brokerage software from Trimble, ALS is growing and able to process the new business without being overwhelmed. Visibility across the company, particularly for the operations staff has given the team a renewed sense of direction by breaking out orders into more manageable pieces. For instance, the company can now take 110 orders a day and make it feel like 20. The employees now focus on those required orders, basically letting the cream rise to the top according to the company’s president.

The Result:

ALS is able to make a few tweaks to the loadboard and look at loads in a different way. In a one-month span after implementation, ALS put $40,000 more on the company’s bottom line because of greater visibility. Today the company is posting loads in a matter of about five seconds each as opposed to five minutes, pre-installation. ALS reports greater efficiency and a savings of about 100 hours a month just in posting loads.

Implementing the Trimble solution means business growth of roughly 300% and only doubling staff, which equates to approximately $300,000 annually.