A Transportation Management Success Story: How We Unified a Glass Manufacturer's Transportation Systems & Processes

Managing complex supply chains and logistics is no simple task. This was especially true for our client, a leading manufacturer of OEM-specific automotive glass with 5 facilities across the nation. And we can’t blame them. Shipping windshields, tempered glass sunroofs, and side and back car windows to elite car manufacturers and designers throughout the United States is a tedious process. What this organization needed was a strategic supply chain partner to help develop a cohesive transportation management program.

So they reached out to LynnCo Managed Transportation.

In essence, our client needed assistance managing the carriers, freight, and haulers. But above all else, this manufacturer was in need of a knowledgeable partner to investigate other departmental areas to identify and remedy additional supply chain and transportation issues. This is their story. 

Identifying Key Transportation Management Challenges

Prior to working with LynnCo, our client’s supply chain and transportation management were in a state of flux. Executive-level turnovers proved to be a challenge when company morale (and expectations) were low. Management had preconceived notions about working with a managed transportation partner, assuming the 3PL would overcharge and take advantage of them. 

Yet, their main concerns centered around:

• Inefficient carrier, freight, and hauler management leading to supply chain disruptions
• Multiple 3PLs contributing to siloed systems and processes
• Inadequate billing and auditing processes leading to high (and often hidden) costs

Despite these condemning challenges, this client initially did not understand or fully see the big picture, nor the benefits of partnering with a managed transportation team. As a result, getting leadership and team buy-in was a challenge. In this culture of chaos, freight and carrier management suffered as the organization’s transportation departments worked disparately. 

Meanwhile, the client’s Corporate Logistics Manager was receiving multiple calls from carriers reporting that they hadn’t been paid on time or at all in some cases. As the cost of their FedEx account skyrocketed and caught the attention of management, it became clear that the manufacturer’s previous freight audit and pay company failed to audit appropriately. 

At this time, it became obvious to the glass manufacturer’s management team that they needed one managed transportation partner to consolidate all freight, carrier, audit, and pay management under a single umbrella with streamlined systems and processes.

LynnCo’s Managed Transportation Solution

Once bringing on LynnCo’s Managed Transportation, our client was able to merge all facets of their supply chain and transportation under one comprehensive unit. Building a more cohesive transportation program enabled the LynnCo team to manage carrier relations, freight, haulers, and audits. This gave time back to our client so that they could focus on investigating other areas of improvement within their business. 

With all transportation management and supply chain needs under LynnCo’s careful eye, we were able to reduce our client’s time to receive monthly accrual number reports from six days to just one day. 

The Results

Through in-depth analyses of our client’s previous supply chain and transportation management, and the consolidation of these systems and processes, we helped our client:

• Generate $454,000 in annualized savings from just the first RFP in 2023
• Achieve a 97% resolution rate for claims and damages
• Vett, identify, and leverage the most efficient and low-cost carriers
• Reduce time to receive monthly accrual number reports from six days to just one day

“The benefits of dealing with LynnCo are cost savings, streamlined processes, the ability to identify good carriers versus bad carriers, problem areas, and so on,” said the company’s Corporate Logistics Manager. “Now, we’re able to consolidate all of our systems into one to where it's a one-stop-shop—we can pick up the phone, get the help we need and boom, it's done.”

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Final Thoughts

Today, LynnCo is working with the automotive glass manufacturer to augment their SuiteEdge® account with a real-time dashboard illustrating key metrics spanning audits, freight, and carrier costs. Another mission we’re making progress on is developing a mechanism to track market changes. 

Our plan is to provide our client with a dynamic report on how the manufacturer is:

• Keeping up with market changes 
• Reacting to carrier quotes to match the market 
• Staying ahead of the market

How can we help augment your transportation management? Get in touch with us to start the conversation. We’re ready to serve as an extension of your supply chain team to deeply understand and improve all nuances of your supply chain and logistics operations.