TRANSPORTATION Adapting to the Changing Market
By Kim Sherman W estern Growers was founded in 1926 in California's Imperial Valley. One of our primary missions was to fight for fair transportation rates for the agricultural industry. We brought the industry together to support a common goal based on the philosophy that there is strength in numbers. And in 2006, we selected C.H. Robinson, one of the world’s largest third party logistics providers (3PL), to help us with that goal. Transportation challenges are still one of the top problems the modern grower-shipper faces each day. As trucks began to dominate the produce shipping arena, Western Growers members expressed their concerns over ever-increasing freight rates and equipment shortages, which many felt had reached a critical stage, as well as the rising demand for delivered transportation services. In March 2005, the board of directors challenged and tasked the staff of Western Growers to look for a solution to the ongoing need for equipment availability, service levels, and pricing of transportation. The team worked with an industry leading transportation consultant to develop a transportation program based on combining member shipper tonnage to leverage rates, equipment supply, service, and to hire a 3PL to manage the program. In January 2006, the Western Growers Executive Committee approved the selection of C.H. Robinson to manage the program. C.H. Robinson has deep roots in the produce industry, a vast refrigerated contract carrier network, ongoing substantial investment in development of sophisticated transportation management software, and outstanding management expertise with respect to all forms of refrigerated transportation services. Now in 2019, technology is an ever-growing factor in the market. In order to be successful in this digital supply chain era,
smarter pricing and fleet optimization need to be factored into the equation. C.H. Robinson execution of more than 18 million shipments a year and management of nearly $20 billion dollars in freight spend adds to the community of data to improve the supply chains of those shippers. This use of data to identify market shifts far ahead of others helps members and carriers act proactively in the changing market. With C.H. Robinson, the Western Growers Transportation Program is an exclusive benefit for our members and continues to offer outstanding temperature controlled shipping solutions. For more than a decade, the Western Growers Transportation Program has offered our members: • Access to a temperature controlled transportation network of vetted, high quality carriers you can trust • A full suite of logistics services to improve the efficiency of your supply chain • Weekly transportation industry updates from your dedicated account management team • Quarterly market insights from supply chain experts • Tailored pricing options and customized solutions • Customized data scorecarding to meet your business needs • Claims management services It’s a complete transportation package. One tailored to the specific needs of our members, providing high quality service coupled with the latest logistical technology to optimize distribution patterns and lower your delivered cost. All of these resources are accessed without any fee or commitment of freight. To develop or expand your individual logistics program, contact Lauren Singh, the C.H. Robinson account manager at 831-392-7061 and Lauren.Singh@chrobinson.com or visit www.wga.com/logistics.
16 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2019
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