{"id":16288,"date":"2018-05-02T09:55:01","date_gmt":"2018-05-02T09:55:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ceo-na.com\/?p=16288"},"modified":"2018-05-21T18:07:52","modified_gmt":"2018-05-21T18:07:52","slug":"providing-logistics-increasingly-interconnected-marketplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/servidor-mxigen1.com\/ceona-antiguo\/executive-interviews\/providing-logistics-increasingly-interconnected-marketplace\/","title":{"rendered":"Providing logistics in the interconnected marketplace"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Craig Roeder has been at the forefront of a technological revolution in the logistics industry.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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As the global marketplace rapidly changes, Craig Roeder and ProTrans lead the technological revolution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

When Craig Roeder founded ProTrans International, Inc., one of the fastest-growing logistics companies in the U.S., in 1993, the logistics industry as we know it today was still in its infancy.<\/p>\n

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“Over the years, we\u2019ve run into opportunities where we may have had the best solution for North America, but the lack of a global footprint was detrimental to us. [Right now} we\u2019re focusing on establishing that global footprint”: Craig Roeder.<\/p><\/div>The introduction of personal computers in the 1980s saw the business transition from a focus on improving labor-intensive processes, time-dependent transportation, and the use of manual record keeping to spreadsheets and map-based interfaces.<\/p>\n

The industry underwent further transformation in the 1990s with the introduction of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, which significantly improved data availability and ac- curacy. \u201cFor us, it was about seizing that opportunity,\u201d said Roeder, who remains CEO of the company today.<\/p>\n

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ProTrans<\/a> is a full-spectrum logistics management enterprise headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, which offers Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Services, including logistics design, carrier procurement, and supply chain and transportation management, along with other supply chain solutions for today\u2019s increasingly interconnected marketplace.<\/p>\n

The founding of ProTrans coincided with the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), in 1994, which famously integrated the economies of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and the company continues to move with the times, notably in the area of technology.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe decision we made early on was to focus on inbound operations that lent themselves to the rapidly growing manufacturing sector in Mexico,\u201d said Roeder, describing the evolution of the company over the past two decades. \u201cIn 1996, we began writing our own software.<\/p>\n

In 2005, we made the decision to expand into logistics management and be- come a 3PL provider, and in 2010, we made the decision to write our own web-based Transport Management System (TMS) software.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt was a strategic decision because it gives us the adaptability to meet customers\u2019 changing demands. We own the source code and have tremendous flexibility to create unique solutions for each individual customer,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

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The results have been impressive. ProTrans currently operates over 25 service centers throughout Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. The company recently expanded its presence in Greer, South Carolina, by opening a state-of-the-art, 230,00-square-foot, cross-dock and transportation facility near BMW Manufacturing, the second largest production facility in the world.<\/p>\n

The ProTrans Greer facility, which has already won a string of industry awards, also has immediate access to the South Carolina Inland Port (SCIP) in Greer.<\/p>\n

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Furthermore, ProTrans was recently selected among the Top 100 Third-Party Logistic Providers by Inbound Logistics magazine for the fifth year in a row, and received the Supplier Passion for Performance Award from Cooper Standard Automotive, among other industry awards.<\/p>\n

Given the success and industry recognition, Roeder has no doubt when it comes to the company\u2019s future potential. \u201cWe want to compete as a Fortune 500 level company,\u201d he said. \u201cOver the years, we\u2019ve run into opportunities where we may have had the best solution for North America, but the lack of a global footprint was detrimental to us. So, right now, we\u2019re focusing on establishing that global footprint.\u201d<\/p>\n

A changing industry<\/strong><\/h6>\n
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As the global marketplace rapidly changes, technology is naturally playing an increasingly important role in the logistics industry. Roeder is particularly proud of a new software that has enabled ProTrans to capitalize on its market share and increase the company\u2019s capabilities in operational excellence. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to be in the logistics field today and not be technology-driven,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo that end, we just wrote a software program called Optimiz, which will replace ProTrack, which ran the [shared freight} consolidation side of our business for twenty years.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A key advantage of this latest upgrade is the development of a world-class mobile-scanning solution that enables the visibility of in-transit shipments with active status and detailed mapping functionality.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing forward, we\u2019re continuing with the design phase of our software and writing mobile apps,\u201d said Roeder. \u201cWe want to anticipate what the user would like to see, and be able to provide them with the information they need.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Roeder believes that ProTrans\u2019s extensive use of technology and constant innovation is precisely what differentiates the company from competitors. \u201cThe advantage of technology is that it provides both our customers and ourselves with the actionable data visualization to make strategic business decisions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Innovation in supply chains<\/strong><\/h6>\n
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Image: One of over 25 service centers that ProTrans operates across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.<\/p><\/div>\n

According to Roeder, ProTrans takes a uniquely hands-on approach to procurement through re- gionally based managers that work in the eld, sitting down with transportation carriers no matter where they are located. \u201cIf the carrier\u2019s operating out of their kitchen, we want to go to their kitchen and have a cup of coffee with them,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are thousands of transportation providers out there, but from our point of view, you have to seek them out and build a relationship with them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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ProTrans currently has over 3,000 carriers avail- able to meet the diverse business needs of their customers. \u201cLooking at the carrier side of the business, the advantage that ProTrans brings to those providers is a large customer base,\u201d Roeder explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe manage hundreds of thousands of truckloads per year, and so our ability to match that carrier\u2019s lane density to loads from customers is huge. We also give carriers the opportunity to become more tech-savvy in their updates with our customers, so they get a side bene t from using our platform.\u201d\u201d<\/p>\n

The increasing interconnectedness of the North American and global economies along with the growing need to enhance efficiency through technology are key to Roeder\u2019s vision for the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most important things for us are the expertise we have within the manufacturing sector of the economy, and our ability to share resources,\u201d he said. \u201cHowever, our ability to write code to address our customers\u2019 unique challenges is the real key to our success.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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