COOKEVILLE, Tenn (Feb. 5, 2018) – Averitt Express has been named a winner of two Alliance Awards for results-driven supply chain collaborations with shippers. This marks the fifth year that Averitt has been selected as an Alliance Award winner.
Transportation publication Logistics Management and SMC3, an industry trade association, recognized Averitt, Cold Box, and Frios Gourmet Pops for reducing environmental waste, damage to products, and cutting supply chain costs. Additionally, Averitt was selected for another Alliance Award for transportation services performed in conjunction with FourKites and Michelin.
The Alliance Award highlights collaborative efforts between three or more partners, with at least one of those members being a shipper. Entrants are judged by a panel of supply chain experts that gauge how the partners worked together to achieve meaningful results.
For years, Frios had been reliant on distributing its gourmet pops via parcel services in foam containers packed with dry ice to numerous store locations. Last year, Averitt’s specialized services team helped Frios develop a less-than-truckload (LTL) distribution strategy utilizing Cold Box’s temperature-controlled LTL units. As a result, not only has Frios reduced damages and minimized its spending on dry ice and coolers, it has also cut the amount of time that employees had to spend packaging numerous parcels by 75 percent.
"They have brought us an innovative solution that will absolutely revolutionize the way that we do our shipping and logistics," says Andy Harp, owner of Frios. "But in addition to that, they've been completely customer-focused, everywhere from the sales process to the on-site folks that we've dealt with. They're completely focused on customer satisfaction, and that is something that we have not had from any other carrier."
Averitt’s Alliance Award with FourKites and Michelin was given in recognition of providing the shipper with real-time shipment tracking on LTL loads. As a result, Michelin has been able to improve its customer service with greater real-time visibility on shipments moving throughout the United States.
“It’s an honor for Averitt to be recognized with Alliance Awards for a fifth consecutive year,” said Wayne Spain, Averitt’s president and chief operating officer. “These recognitions underscore the potential that shippers and their service providers can achieve when they think creatively and work closely together.”
