AIT puts leading Refrigerator Manufacturer in control of its own Supply Chain

Published on: Mar 08, 2011

 

The Challenge:

During the peak season of air lift deficiencies and rate spikes for air cargo from Asia to North America, AIT’s corporate headquarters location in Chicago was asked to move 45 pallets of plastic refrigerator bins weighing 16,103 kilos from Changzhou, Jiangsu Province in China to Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, Mexico for a leading manufacturer of ranges, refrigerators and laundry products.

AIT’s competitors communicated in writing to the customer that they would be unable to handle the shipment due to lack of air capacity.

Unfazed by the seemingly impossible challenge, AIT set out to provide a workable supply chain solution for the valuable customer.

 

The Solution:

Applying quick action and extensive industry expertise, AIT’s Hong Kong station devised a solution to move some of the pallets on a direct flight from mainland PRC to Dallas and the remainder via a 20’ ocean container to Hong Kong to match up with air lift that could accommodate the timing.

AIT’s air import team worked with the Hong Kong station to coordinate the pricing and transit quotations in addition to managing the in-bond deliveries to the border upon arrival.

The total transit time from door to destination airport was 11 days and the shipment arrived right on schedule.

 

The Result:

AIT used swift and decisive action to craft a successful solution while its competitors failed to offer service, much less provide a feasible transportation option for the customer.

AIT’s prompt attention, flexibility and creative problem-solving abilities gave the company an opportunity to service their own customer during a particularly challenging time in the industry and economy.

Often, this can be the point of differentiation between a large freight forwarder and a great freight forwarder: giving the client flexible options and putting them in control of their own supply chain.