Flexport

Fairphone, a social enterprise that designs, produces, and sells smartphones built from sustainably sourced materials and fair labor practices, faced several challenges in its supply chain. The company needed a logistics partner that could provide visibility across its entire supply chain, help offset CO2 emissions to meet its sustainability goals, and provide a specialized team to manage shipments at every step. Prior to partnering with Flexport, Fairphone was dealing with stock shortages and lack of visibility of shipments from the moment of factory pickup. The supply chain team was spending a significant amount of time sourcing vital information about shipments, causing major product launches to be fraught with worry about stock availability and timely arrival.

American Metalcraft, a leading wholesale producer of kitchen and restaurant-ware, was struggling with outdated supply chain processes. The company's focus on product development had led to the neglect of upgrading its supply chain processes. The legacy logistics processes made it difficult for the company to efficiently manage its in-transit inventory and accurately measure its total product cost. The company was working with a forwarder for over a decade, and the relationship was described as 'quintessentially legacy'. The team was always waiting for a few days for updates on their shipments, which was a significant challenge for a company with thousands of simultaneously moving pieces of inventory.

Blokker, a popular retail brand in The Netherlands, was facing a period of falling profits due to increased competition from both online and physical retailers. This created a challenging market condition for the company, which needed to increase its margins to ensure long-term profitability. The company's supply chain and sourcing strategy were identified as key areas for improvement. Blokker expanded its supplier base to 200 suppliers, increased the order frequency, and drove cargo consolidation in the Far East. However, these changes put additional strain on the supply chain, creating issues that needed to be addressed.

EcoSense Lighting, a Los Angeles-based architectural lighting solutions company, faced a significant challenge in coordinating its global team. The company, which produces both made-for-stock and custom high-quality LED lighting for clients such as Marriott, Tesla, and Burberry, required a supply chain that consistently delivered on time. However, with team members spread across the United States, China, and Hong Kong, maintaining alignment on shipments was proving to be a daunting task. The strict deadlines of large architectural projects further compounded the issue, making efficient communication and collaboration crucial for the company's success. The company's Logistics & Fulfillment Manager, Andreas Andrea, was in search of a platform that could centralize all shipment communication, data, and documents to align his global team and suppliers.

Intermax, a technical outerwear manufacturer based in Seoul, South Korea, faced significant challenges in its supply chain operations. The company, which has offices and factories across Vietnam, prioritizes getting products to its customers quickly. This requires importing materials from various countries before production can commence. In this process, Intermax was constantly seeking ways to gain efficiencies and reduce logistical lead times. However, like many Asian manufacturers, Intermax relied on its customers to choose the freight forwarder for shipping, leading to concerns about new processes, uncertainty, and potential impacts on time and cost. In 2016, one of Intermax's customers faced shipping issues with a production line, prompting the customer to suggest using Flexport's services. Despite initial skepticism about partnering with a new freight forwarder, Intermax decided to give Flexport a try.

International Medical Corps, a first responder organization providing emergency relief across the world, faces a gargantuan task of maintaining a robust and agile supply chain. The organization's efforts require constant replenishment of medical supplies and site equipment, making freight forwarding a vital component. The logistical demands of transporting supplies and equipment to devastated areas often surpass the challenges of most other types of shipping. Infrastructure may be destroyed by war, storms may wash out roads, economic turmoil can limit port access, and internet access may be non-existent or censored. Additionally, the organization faces challenges with customs, as multiple responses occur simultaneously around the world. The organization also has to maintain a steady stream of supplies to prepare for catastrophic or unknown scenarios.

Outdoor Voices, a rapidly growing outdoor apparel company, faced significant pressure on its logistics team due to its direct-to-consumer sales model through its website and physical stores. The company operates a 100% vertical supply chain, where it acts as the importer and retailer, without the support of channel partners to share delivery responsibilities. This model made their supply chain a critical part of their success. However, the company struggled with maintaining stock, meeting go-to-market dates, and exceeding customer expectations. Additionally, the company needed more granular, timely, and digestible supply chain data to make strategic planning decisions and drive down supply chain costs.

Qardio, a San Francisco-based cardiovascular monitoring company, was facing significant challenges in managing its supply chain. As a small brand, Qardio struggled to find a freight forwarder who could provide the level of customer service they required. The lack of visibility into the movement of their shipments was a major concern. Their logistics team was spending a significant amount of time tracking shipments, which was not only time-consuming but also costly. This was hindering their operational efficiency and preventing them from focusing on improving their operations. The company was also experiencing frequent FDA-related delays, which were negatively impacting their business growth.

As the Covid-19 pandemic spread globally, the demand for Rensair’s hospital-grade air purification system surged. However, the company faced significant challenges in meeting this demand due to the severe capacity squeeze experienced by shippers and carriers. Rensair needed to maintain visibility on their supply chain and adopt a proactive problem-solving approach to continue delivering to customers. The situation was further complicated by the closure of borders, which severely restricted travel and transportation, impacting logistics costs and lead times. The company was being approached by various sectors, including schools and construction sites, that remained operational during the pandemic and needed to ensure safety. Rensair was also dealing with international shipping during the worst times, relying on flying in all their goods from Asia, which was both expensive and unsustainable.

Santa Cruz Bicycles, a high-end mountain bike manufacturer based in California, faced significant challenges in managing its procurement timeline to align with its manufacturing schedule. The company sources parts from over 100 suppliers worldwide, and struggled to receive timely updates on the status of parts in transit. This lack of visibility made it difficult to keep their team aligned and meet launch schedules. Angela Jensen and her fellow buyers, part of the procurement team at Santa Cruz Bicycles, were responsible for purchasing parts from 150 global suppliers to support the assembly of their bikes in their California facility. In addition to procurement, much of their time was also spent ensuring the timely arrival of the many moving components of Santa Cruz’s supply chain.

Sika Deutschland, a leading supplier of industrial adhesives, faced significant challenges in managing freight operations at their Rosendahl site. The two primary concerns were freight rates and punctuality, both of which were crucial to meet customer requirements. As a heavyweight in the construction chemicals sector, Sika Deutschland had to ship low-price raw materials like sand, cement, and gypsum around the world, which often posed logistical challenges. Freight accounted for a high share of their total costs due to the heavy yet low-value nature of their products, making their operations extremely price-sensitive. The company needed to transport goods as cheaply as possible without compromising on delivery schedules. Any failure to meet delivery dates resulted in additional costs and operational turmoil. Sika Deutschland was also in need of a freight-forwarding partner for the US market that understood the regional requirements and could provide real-time updates on shipment status.

Solé Bicycles, a Venice Beach-based bike retailer, was facing complexities in its finances and supply chain due to the growing demand for its products. The traditional supply chain payment flows were causing working capital constraints, forcing the company to make tough trade-offs and limiting its ability to invest in growth. The company's President, Jimmy Standley, was managing Solé’s global network of manufacturers and was finding it difficult to build relationships with multiple forwarders. The process was time-consuming, lacked transparency, and was primarily managed over spreadsheets and emails.

Arlo Skye, a direct-to-consumer luggage company, was facing a significant challenge in finding a trade financing solution that could adapt to the seasonality of their industry while also reducing landed costs. Despite experiencing strong growth, the three-year-old business was struggling to find flexible options for working capital. The company was also dealing with the complexity of managing relationships with suppliers, factories, financing solutions, and freight forwarders. Prior to their partnership with Flexport, Arlo Skye was working with multiple shippers for different shipments, leading to a lack of transparency and higher costs.

Bombas, a New York City-based premium basics brand, faced significant supply chain challenges as it sought to scale its operations to meet rapidly growing demand. The company, which donates an item for every item sold to organizations supporting under-resourced communities, was using manual strategies and spreadsheets to manage their operations. This system was neither strategic nor scalable. The growth of their business precipitated a surge in shipments, and Bombas needed technology to support the volume and diversity of their inbound freight. Additionally, the company was looking to optimize their supply chain operations for growth, and needed a logistics partner who could provide a total supply chain solution.

Cloud Paper, a bamboo toilet paper company, had a successful business launch in 2019, supplying to corporate clients including office parks, fitness franchises, and restaurant chains. However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 drastically changed the demand landscape. As stay-at-home orders were implemented, the demand for toilet paper shifted from offices and public spaces to homes. Traditional toilet paper manufacturers were struggling with container shortages and the urgency of quick shipping. Amid this chaos, Cloud Paper saw a surge in demand for its tree-free toilet paper, delivered in bulk on a regular schedule. The company had to transform its entire supply chain and business model in a matter of days to cater to this new consumer base. The challenge was to maintain supply chain agility, logistical transparency, and commitment to carbon neutrality while dealing with a 600% increase in sales in just two weeks.

DOTLUX, a German LED manufacturer, was facing challenges in managing its logistics processes due to rapid company growth and a complex import process. The company was operating in a highly dynamic market environment and had a wide range of products, which were mostly manufactured in collaboration with production partners in China. This meant that a majority of the company’s logistics operations involved forwarding freight from the Far East. The logistics had to run separately for each product area, with product managers coordinating with external production partners in China, the internal DOTLUX sales team and warehouse departments, and the German and international customers. This resulted in a lack of an overarching view of freight transports and deliveries, and a significant amount of time was being invested in managing the supply chain, which was not in line with the company’s rapid growth goals.

Ergobaby, a leading consumer products company, was facing challenges with its complex supply chain. With over 10 global suppliers spread across China, India, and Vietnam, visibility into logistics milestones and other business-critical data was crucial for its growth and success. The company had outgrown its manual supply chain processes which primarily involved email threads and Excel spreadsheets. Furthermore, the company's product announcements on social media channels were tightly tied to cargo arrival dates, adding another layer of complexity. Ergobaby needed a logistics partner that could optimize their entire supply chain, increase visibility, and enhance collaboration at all points of the process, regardless of location.

GP Cellulose, a division of Georgia-Pacific, is a leading producer of paper pulp materials, operating four mills in the southeastern United States and serving customers in over 75 countries. Despite being the second-largest exporter in North America, GP Cellulose faced significant challenges in managing its international shipments. The company's logistics, production, and customer service teams were grappling with disparate systems, leading to an overwhelming volume of emails and spreadsheets. This lack of integration hampered productivity and provided little visibility to mitigate errors and improve supply chain performance. Furthermore, GP Cellulose needed clear, actionable data to optimize performance internally and with its ocean transportation partners. The company was also undergoing a digital transformation initiative, aiming to standardize technology systems and processes for its supply chain, eliminate manual and low-value tasks, and improve the customer experience.

Gerber, a leading manufacturer of commercial and residential plumbing fixtures, faced significant challenges in managing its supply chain. With the majority of its supply shipping over the ocean, maintaining visibility of the supply chain to manage customer expectations and warehouse staffing requirements was a constant issue. Gerber imports thousands of container shipments a year from its suppliers in China and Mexico into the United States, and the demand for its products fluctuates. The company also sought greater visibility into what was driving its accessorial costs to optimize performance on the road and in its warehouses. Gerber's U.S. Transportation Manager, RoxAnne Thomas, described operating the company’s supply chain as a continuous balancing act of supply and demand, with the goal of maintaining as little footprint as possible to keep costs low for buyers.

Horizn Studios, Europe’s leading smart luggage brand, faced significant challenges in its early stages. As the first vertical player in the luggage industry, the company struggled with end-to-end visibility and managing distribution due to scheduling and communication issues. These challenges were exacerbated by the need to build trust with partners and customers as a young, rapidly growing brand. To succeed, Horizn Studios required accuracy, control, and reliability from its supply chain. The lack of visibility and control over the shipping process was hindering the company's growth and its ability to maintain a consistent stock level.

JLab Audio, an award-winning consumer audio brand, faced significant challenges as it experienced a 10x increase in shipment volume from 2012 to 2017. This rapid growth required a tenfold increase in effort to coordinate shipments, consuming valuable time and resources that could have been allocated to strategic initiatives. Additionally, the company's expansion into the competitive retail space necessitated increased coordination among a growing number of stakeholders. Maintaining up-to-date information on shipment status was critical to establishing trust as a reliable vendor. However, working with a traditional freight forwarder exacerbated these challenges, as much of JLab's supply chain was tracked through spreadsheets and email exchanges, rather than real-time updates.

Klean Kanteen, a leading producer of BPA-free, reusable bottles, cups, and canisters, faced significant challenges in managing its supply chain and reducing its carbon footprint. As a certified B-corporation, the company needed accessible data about the environmental impacts of its supply chain. However, traditional freight forwarders provided little visibility into their data, and no estimates of their carbon emissions were available at the time of quote. This lack of transparency led to manual calculations and laborious reconciliation, consuming significant time and resources. The company's logistics manager spent hours each week going back and forth with forwarders and building manual reports, which was inefficient and time-consuming.

Molekule, a San Francisco-based science and clean tech brand, was facing a significant challenge due to its rapid growth and increased demand for its air purifiers. The demand was fueled by factors such as wildfires and the pandemic. The company was struggling to keep up with the surging sales and ensure that their inventory was sufficient to meet the demand. Brad Audiss, a production manager at Molekule, was tasked with ensuring that supply always meets demand, a challenging feat for a fast-growing, high-tech brand working with multiple suppliers across China and the United States. Molekule realized that they needed to restructure their supply chain to meet the growing customer demand. Additionally, the company faced unique business problems—spikes in demand brought by natural disasters.

Victoria Plum, a UK-based bathroom eCommerce brand, faced significant challenges in managing its diverse and large supply chain amidst the global disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The company's operation involves multiple manufacturers, each with unique supply chain challenges, making the process of ensuring simultaneous manufacturing, shipping, and delivery of a range of bathroom items to customers quite complex. The goal was to provide a seamless experience to customers with one order and one delivery, irrespective of the multiple factories and locations the goods were coming from. However, as global ocean capacity dropped in early 2020, ensuring equipment was available and in the right place became a challenge for Victoria Plum. The company also faced difficulties in meeting transit times, avoiding stock shortages, and ensuring order accuracy.

Vitruvi, a wellness company specializing in essential oil products, faced significant challenges in managing its supply chain as it experienced a rapid growth rate of 900% over four years. The company's flagship product, a high-end stone and ceramic diffuser, was in high demand, leading to production and shipping bottlenecks. The long production lead times resulted in significant delays in delivering the diffusers from Taiwan to customers, forcing Vitruvi to rely on expensive air freight. Additionally, a large portion of the company's working capital was tied up in manufacturing and shipping. The company was at a crossroads, needing to either seek help from a traditional lender or dilute its equity by pursuing a funding round.

Whitmor, a large private company specializing in home organizational products, was facing challenges in managing its supply chain. For many years, the company relied on a traditional freight forwarder and managed its supply chain through spreadsheets and email invoices. This approach made it difficult for the company to conduct financial analysis or make decisions based on historical data. With over 5,500 SKUs and 40+ suppliers, the lack of visibility and data was a significant issue. Whitmor had to entrust key supply chain decisions to its suppliers and logistics providers due to this lack of information. The company was seeking a way to gain better control over its supply chain and turn it into a strategic asset and competitive advantage.