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| Press Releases |
Southeastern Freight Lines Earns LTL Carrier of the Year Award from Schneider Logistics
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Dec. 14, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services,
was recognized as an LTL Carrier of the Year by Schneider Logistics, Inc. for the second consecutive year. Southeastern was one of 16 carriers to
earn this award for 2011.
Schneider Logistics is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schneider National, Inc., manages over $1.8 billion in transportation, operates 8.7 million square feet of warehouse facilities and has contract relationships with more than 11,000 transportation providers including Southeastern Freight Lines.
Southeastern Freight Lines (SEFL) has long recognized that third-party logistics companies (3PLs) such as Schneider Logistics appreciate the service commitment that SEFL provides all of its customers. SEFL has developed technology solutions to position the company as an ideal partner with 3PLs. Communications systems that incorporate 3PL tracking numbers, match pickup information to each shipment and report the status of shipments in real time are helping advance relationships with 3PLs.
"We appreciate Southeastern's consistent high-quality service," said Sara Warrens, purchasing manager for Schneider Logistics. "Our Carriers of the Year perform a valuable service for us and represent the top one percent of the carriers moving freight for Schneider Logistics."
Additional criteria to determine award winners include carrier scorecards (service, communication and claims), multiple account support, overall volume and safety.
"We are very pleased to be recognized as an LTL Carrier of the Year by Schneider Logistics," said Mike Heaton, a SEFL senior vice president. "We have made a commitment to be the best provider and partner to 3PLs in our industry with the same driving commitment to excellence that we provide for all of our customers. We appreciate this acknowledgement of our commitment and service from Schneider Logistics."
About Schneider Logistics, Inc.
Schneider Logistics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Schneider National, Inc., is a leading supply chain management provider for domestic and
international shippers. The company provides Supply Chain Management, Transportation Management, domestic China and Port Logistics solutions through
its transloading, warehousing, distribution, port dray and Inland Logistics Management services.
A $3.1 billion company, Schneider National has provided logistics and transportation expertise for over 75 years. For more information about Schneider Logistics, visit www.schneider.com.
Southeastern Freight Lines Named LTL Carrier of the Year by The Home Depot
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Nov. 23, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines, a leader in regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, has been named LTL Carrier
of the Year for 2011 by The Home DepotŪ, the nation's largest home improvement retailer. This is the second year in a row that
Southeastern has won this distinguished award.
Southeastern led in all of The Home Depot's performance requirements which include on-time delivery and electronic shipment
status metrics. In addition, The Home Depot specifically referenced Southeastern's continual efforts to help the company
with special projects to improve their shipping system.
"Our company's dedication to quality, technology and customer support is the reason we have earned this award," said Dennis Brittain,
national account manager for Southeastern Freight Lines. "We value our relationship with The Home Depot and appreciate this recognition
of our people's efforts."
The award was recently presented to Southeastern at The Home Depot's Executive Carrier Council awards banquet.
About The Home Depot
The Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,246 retail stores in all 50 states, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and China. In fiscal 2010, The Home Depot had
sales of $68.0 billion and earnings from continuing operations of $3.3 billion. The Company employs more than 300,000 associates.
The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and
Standard & Poor's 500 index.
Southeastern Freight Lines Receives DuPont Sourcing & Logistics Award for Outstanding Service
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Oct. 19, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, has received an Outstanding Service Award from DuPont that is based on a number of service quality measurements. The award was presented at the DuPont Truck Carrier Safety and Security Conference.
DuPont's Outstanding Service Awards recognize carrier performance and safety excellence for package and bulk truck services rendered in 2010. Southeastern was recognized in the LTL Services category.
To determine award winners, DuPont measured service quality including safety considerations such as distribution incidents, customer quality service incidents, shipment tendering refusals, freight claims, strategic partnerships and shipment volumes.
"We truly appreciate this recognition from DuPont," said Mike Heaton, a senior vice president for Southeastern Freight Lines. "As this award demonstrates, we're proud that DuPont and all of our customers value the commitment to quality service that is the cornerstone of our company and culture."
Southeastern Freight Lines' Investment in Service Center Density Continues to Pay Off
Planning for the future prevents "choke points," results in fast deliveries
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Oct. 6, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, has established a robust infrastructure of 76 service centers to strategically support shipment processing throughout the Sunbelt, providing customers with reliable on-time delivery for more than 99 percent of all next-day shipments.
Southeastern's reliability is rooted in its long term strategy to build a robust network of service centers that meet future facility requirements, preventing any "choke points" in the system that would delay rapid delivery of freight.
Businesses are more focused than ever on establishing regional distribution centers to get their goods to market as quickly as possible, optimizing inventory levels and elevating the need for next day delivery. Southeastern's strategy is to monitor shipping trends and plan a decade or more ahead to acquire land for service centers where future capacity needs are projected.
"Companies are positioning their products closer to their clients. As the carrier partner for our customers, our regional focus in the Sunbelt is providing reliable and rapid delivery that is necessary to support our customers' evolving business needs," said Mike Heaton, a Southeastern senior vice president.
Southeastern's investment in this infrastructure ensures an adequate number of dock doors and parking spaces at each service center to prevent choke points, which occur when space limitations prevent freight from being processed in a timely manner. The company's unrivaled customer service measurements for on-time delivery and extremely low number of claims are a testament to the importance of dense freight volumes and adequate capacity for more direct loading.
"The Sunbelt has seen immense population growth over the last few decades, and that trend continues today," Heaton said. "By analyzing trends and shipment volumes, we're able to develop long-range plans to determine future facility requirements and achieve our goal of avoiding choke points at all costs."
Southeastern's direct loading capabilities far exceed the industry average and are stronger than any other LTL competitor. With 76 service centers across the Southeast, almost two-thirds of all freight for Southeastern customers is transferred directly from the original location to the destination location - rather than having to go through mid-point consolidation centers. Direct loading adds speed to shipping times and decreases the number of damage claims.
In large metropolitan areas, a key to achieving these measures of success is having multiple service centers strategically located to address traffic flow challenges. In Atlanta, for example, Southeastern has three service centers in suburbs surrounding the city. Earlier this year, Southeastern opened a second service center in Charlotte, N.C. with 122 doors.
Southeastern Freight Lines Receives 2011 Quest for Quality Award
LEXINGTON, S.C. (August 31, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, was honored with Logistics Management's 2011 Quest for Quality Award in the South/South Central Regional LTL category. Southeastern has earned this prestigious award every year since its inception.
"This award is particularly meaningful because of the fact that the results are determined by the readers of Logistics Management," said Mike Heaton, a senior vice president for Southeastern. According to Logistics Management, 4,575 logistics and supply chain decision makers placed their votes this year. "We're happy that our customers are pleased with our services, and we are continuing to increase efficiency to ensure total customer satisfaction."
Logistics Management's Quest for Quality is the most extensive market research study conducted in the logistics industry. Each year this research evaluates and measures transportation service providers, determines relevant criteria when customers select a provider and examines performance measurements to meet customer expectations. Attributes evaluated include performance, value, information technology, customer service, and equipment and operations. Please click here to learn more about this year's awards.
The driving force behind Southeastern's success is its commitment to adding value throughout all aspects of serving customers and providing "quality without question." Southeastern's emphasis on reliable service has resulted in more than 300 quality awards from some of the most respected companies in the United States. These awards are a testament to Southeastern's trustworthiness and dedication to customer satisfaction.
Southeastern Freight Lines Receives LTL Carrier of the Year Award from Rheem Water Heating
Southeastern awarded second year in a row
LEXINGTON, S.C. (July 25, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines, a regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services provider, has earned the 2010 LTL Carrier of the Year award by Rheem Water Heating Division for the second year in a row.
Additionally, Southeastern received the LTL Carrier of the Quarter award for all four quarters of 2010.
"Rheem Water Heating Division is pleased to once again recognize Southeastern Freight Lines for their outstanding commitment to quality service," said Ray Roldan, Division Logistics Manager of Rheem Water Heating Division. "Throughout the entire year of 2010, Southeastern's delivery performance to our customers was outstanding. Their ability to respond to stringent requests and still be flexible provided the true partner that Rheem and our customers have come to expect."
Rheem Water Heating determines its LTL Carrier of the Year and Quarterly LTL Carrier award recipients using a point system based on four key metrics: on-time performance, customer satisfaction, billing accuracy and freight claims.
"We are honored by this recognition from Rheem Water Heating Division," said Terrell Hixon, national account manager at Southeastern Freight Lines. "This is an outstanding achievement and we are grateful to our associates for providing the level of customer satisfaction that makes this award possible."
About Rheem Manufacturing Company
Rheem Manufacturing Company (www.rheem.com) is privately held with headquarters in Atlanta. In its 86th year of operation, the company manufactures a full-line of eco-friendly, technologically advanced residential and commercial heating and cooling systems; tank, tankless, solar and hybrid heat pump water heaters; whole-home standby generators, controls, swimming pool and spa heaters; indoor air-purification products; and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. The company's premium brands, including Raypak, Ruud and Rheem, have been recognized with countless industry and consumer awards for reliability, innovative design and high quality. Rheem is the official heating, cooling and water-heating supplier to Richard Childress Racing (RCR), Kevin Harvick, Inc. (KHI) and is a primary sponsor of RCR's No. 29 Sprint Cup Series car and KHI's No. 33 Nationwide Series car and Camping World Truck Series No. 2 truck. Harvick was named Nationwide Series "Driver of the Decade" in 2010.
Southeastern Freight Lines Named BASF LTL Carrier of the Year
Southeastern recognized for excellence in transportation
LEXINGTON, S.C. (June 30, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines, a regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services provider, has received the BASF 2010 LTL Carrier of the Year Award for demonstrating excellence in transportation. In 2010 Southeastern delivered 20,000 shipments to BASF, the world's leading chemical company.
The LTL Carrier of the Year Award is given to BASF carriers based on a series of measurements including customer satisfaction, on-time delivery, billing accuracy and safety. Southeastern was chosen as the top performer and was also recognized by BASF for a companywide commitment to excellence with a "can-do" attitude.
"We are honored by this recognition from BASF," said Mike Heaton, Southeastern's Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "This is an exceptional achievement and is a testament to the dedication our associates have every day to provide customers with the best service in the industry."
About BASF
BASF is the world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and agricultural products to oil and gas. As a reliable partner BASF creates chemistry to help its customers in virtually all industries to be more successful. With its high-value products and intelligent solutions, BASF plays an important role in finding answers to global challenges such as climate protection, energy efficiency, nutrition and mobility. BASF posted sales of about £63.9 billion in 2010 and had approximately 109,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available in its Social Media Newsroom at newsroom.basf.com.
Southeastern Exceeds Quality Standards Four Years in a Row!
LEXINGTON, S.C. (June 1, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, has been named Lowe's Platinum Carrier of the Year, the highest award designation possible for the home improvement retailer.
Southeastern is the only LTL carrier to receive the Platinum-level award, the fourth-year in a row that Southeastern has earned the prestigious Platinum distinction by achieving all four goals set by Lowe's.
Lowe's measures carriers each week on meeting four primary objectives including on-time and claim-free deliveries - two of Southeastern's primary operational objectives. Consistently exceeding all four standards earns the Platinum level recognition.
A continuous quality improvement process is the bedrock of Southeastern's leadership in the industry. Through this framework, Southeastern measures every aspect of its business and strives to satisfy every customer completely, becoming more efficient in the process. Southeastern monitors data through the process every day to recognize any trends that fall outside of the goals, working with customers and the entire supply chain to address issues before they become problems.
"We appreciate this honor from Lowe's and value the outstanding relationship we have developed over the years," said Braxton Vick, senior vice president of corporate planning and development at Southeastern Freight Lines. "We absolutely welcome and thrive on being measured by our customers. Meeting Lowe's standards for four straight years are a testament to the commitment our employees have in the quality improvement process."
All customers benefit from Southeastern's industry-leading performance, including 99.1 percent of shipments delivered on time, 99.9 percent of shipments handled free of shortage or damage, and a 99.4 percent invoice accuracy measure.
Southeastern Freight Lines Meets the Needs of 3PL Providers
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Mar. 17, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, has long recognized that third-party logistics companies (3PLs) are performing valuable services for customers and has developed technology solutions to position the company as an ideal partner with 3PLs to provide services to shippers and consignees.
The importance of mutually beneficial partnerships with 3PLs has continued to grow for Southeastern and the entire industry, and systems that incorporate 3PL tracking numbers, match pickup information to each shipment and report the status of shipments in real time are helping advance relationships with 3PLs.
"While other carriers are still adapting to the new reality of 3PL partnerships, we have made a commitment to be the best provider and partner to 3PLs in our industry with the same driving commitment to excellence that we provide for all of our customers," said Braxton Vick, Southeastern's senior vice president of corporate planning and development.
Supporting unique tracking numbers is one example of technology advancements incorporated into Southeastern's communications infrastructure to support the business relationships with 3PLs. Third-party logistics providers assign unique tracking numbers to each shipment, which is required on all documentation, such as status reports and invoices. Southeastern has built the capability to match the 3PL tracking numbers to Southeastern's tracking information and invoices through its electronic data interchange (EDI) system, automatically reporting the unique tracking numbers on all shipments tracked for all customers through the web-based reporting and bill of lading systems.
Southeastern links the 3PL tracking numbers to pickup information, enabling Southeastern to report shipment status based on the tracking numbers. Southeastern also reports when and why a shipment is not picked up, such as if the freight was not available for the scheduled pickup. Automating this service through the EDI system has many benefits, including the ability to notify the shipper of the status immediately via e-mail, text messages or telephone and aggregate all shipping information for 3PLs to view electronically.
Odyssey Logistics & Technology, an innovative provider of logistics services based in Danbury CT, agreed to test a new web-based pickup status system developed by Southeastern. The new system improves the automation of "back-office" pickup status reporting common in the 3PL industry. Pickups are entered into Southeastern's website by Odyssey which transmits the request to a routing system at Southeastern. The system then delivers the request directly to the pickup driver on a given route. The driver updates the pickup with the actual shipment information once the pickup is made. More importantly, the driver also updates the system when a shipment is not made due to one of 14 different reasons such as: shipper closed, shipment not ready, or shipper not aware of shipment, etc. "While providing shipment status information is common in the LTL industry, providing a reason why a shipment is not picked up is a new and innovative application for the 3PL industry," says Bob Messemer, Director Logistics Procurement with Odyssey.
Southeastern Freight Lines Opens New Service Center in Charlotte, N.C.
Additional Capacity Enhances Services Throughout the Carolinas
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Feb. 7, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines, a leader in regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, announces the opening of a second service center in Charlotte, N.C. in response to growing business in the region.
The new facility, located on a 30-acre site at 11700 Steele Creek Road, has 123 doors and a full maintenance shop, providing additional transportation capacity for the region and Charlotte's growing south side. The new service center supplements the existing service center in North Charlotte at 4524 Reagan Drive. The ability to traffic freight through two locations in areas with heavy traffic congestion helps maintain on-time delivery standards and other measures of efficiency that lead the industry.
"We will better serve the local market by adding this service center in South Charlotte's industrial area," said Joe Don Ross, regional vice president of sales for Southeastern Freight Lines. "Having two Charlotte facilities will enable us to better manage the growing traffic congestion challenges in this major metropolitan area, similar to our company's approach in Atlanta and other areas with rapid growth. Southeastern now has the largest freight capacity of any LTL company in Charlotte."
During the past year, Southeastern has seen an increase in shipments in Charlotte. As business continues to pick up, the new service center will help Southeastern streamline efficiencies for customer shipments in the Charlotte area and improvements at other busy service centers in North Carolina and South Carolina including Hickory, Columbia, Greenville and Florence.
"While almost all pick-up and delivery services already happen as scheduled, over 99 percent of the time, businesses in these cities will see improved service including earlier appointment times and faster deliveries," said South Charlotte Service Center Manager Brian Schulz. "The South Charlotte Service Center will also create a ripple effect of improvements for the entire region."
The South Charlotte Service Center has 140 employees, bringing the total number of Southeastern Freight Lines employees in Charlotte to 340. The new facility, which opened Jan. 31, also features energy efficient lighting and HVAC units.
Southeastern Freight Lines Launches Southeastern Logistics Solutions
New services include truckload, flatbed and expedited delivery across the nation for companies and 3PLs in need of rapid delivery solutions
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Jan. 4, 2011)
Southeastern Freight Lines is launching a new subsidiary, Southeastern Logistics Solutions, that will provide expedited service and multi-modal transportation services across the nation through strategic capacity partnerships.
Initially, the primary focus for Southeastern Logistics Solutions (SLS) is in the truckload service areas of dry van, temperature controlled reefer, flatbed, and intermodal rail. SLS will also oversee and manage all expedited products that require partnership capacity outside of the Southeastern Freight Lines (SEFL) LTL network. Over time, SLS will introduce additional transportation services including cartage, drayage, air freight, residential delivery and import distribution.
"For more than 60 years, our customers have valued the outstanding LTL services of Southeastern Freight Lines. Being the best LTL provider in the Sunbelt will remain and always be our top priority, and we continually strive to improve our core LTL services," said Tobin Cassels, president of Southeastern Freight Lines. "At the same time, we recognize that a number of our customers have additional needs for a partner with the ability to provide all modes of transportation, and we want to always be positioned to say 'yes' to their transportation needs regardless of service type."
"The full solutions we are bringing to the market align with the same service quality and culture that Southeastern Freight Lines customers have trusted for years," said Mike Moss, president of Southeastern Logistics Solutions. "We're carefully establishing a group of dependable capacity partners that will give us the ability to offer this broad range of services across the nation."
Mike Moss brings more than 20 years of experience in the transportation industry to lead Southeastern Freight Lines' subsidiary Southeastern Logistics Solutions. Moss has a broad background providing executive leadership in the industry, previously serving as president and chief executive officer for FedEx Freight-West and FedEx National LTL. He has developed and launched many industry leading services throughout his career.
SEFL will offer these services for customers, including third-party logistics companies. SEFL's sales and service center leadership teams have received thorough training to equip them with the knowledge and expertise to serve as single-source representatives of all Southeastern Freight Lines and SLS service offerings.
For additional information, potential capacity partners are invited to contact Mike Moss at mike.moss@sefl.com
Southeastern Freight Lines’ Commitment to Employees Enables Strong Rebound from Recession
No-Layoff Policy Leaves Strong Foundation Intact as Business and Hiring Ramps Up
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Nov. 23, 2010)
Southeastern Freight Lines, a regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services provider, has emerged from the recession with a strong foundation intact due to maintaining its no-layoff policy and is now hiring more than 900 employees in 2010 as business levels rebound.
The commitment to employees has enabled the company to build a culture of customer service excellence over its 60-year history, and everyone in the company takes pride that even in the midst of a challenging economy, the company set new performance records for customer service, reliability and employee safety.
"Not only were we successful at avoiding layoffs, but we also maintained wages for employees and kept all benefits in place," said Mike Heaton, a senior vice president for Southeastern Freight Lines. "Now as the economy recovers and orders increase, we have experienced employees ready to serve our customers and maintain our high standards. In addition, we're only hiring around 900 people instead of the many more that we would have had to hire and train if we had laid off employees like other companies in the trucking industry."
The trucking business is a bellwether for economic conditions. As businesses and consumers spend more, increased shipments of products and materials are required. While remaining conservatively optimistic, Southeastern is finalizing shipment projections for next year and preparing to order new equipment and expand facilities that need additional capacity to support growing business activities.
When the economy began to erode in 2008, Southeastern formed a "Keep Our People Working" task force to maintain the no-layoff commitment. The task force developed strategies for each service center with a goal of keeping all employees working while also maintaining all benefits and wage levels.
From reducing costs for outsourced services to refurbishing trucks instead of buying new ones, the task force successfully found creative ways to keep people working. For example, an hourly rate system was adopted temporarily in which companies could lease a truck and a driver. Employees were also put to work in other roles, such as drivers working in the maintenance shop to refurbish trailers and perform other maintenance work.
Although costs were cut, Southeastern upheld its high standards of service and safety. In fact, last year Southeastern saw the lowest accidents per million miles and the lowest total injuries per 200,000 hours in the past decade. Southeastern also continued to raise performance benchmarks including transit time, shipments per claim, invoicing accuracy, P&D cost ratio and dock efficiency.
"I am very proud of what Southeastern has been able to accomplish amid the economic challenges that our customers and the entire economy faced during the recession," added Heaton. "Our dedicated employees make this all possible, and it is our commitment to them that has put us at a great advantage as we look to begin our largest wave of hiring since 2006."
Southeastern Freight Lines Provides Customers New Estimated Time of Delivery Service
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Aug. 31, 2010)
Southeastern Freight Lines, a regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services provider, is introducing a service feature new to the LTL industry: Estimated Time of Delivery (ETD). Southeastern can now estimate the delivery of a shipment within a two-hour window and provide this information to customers via the Internet, PDAs and mobile phones.
Previously, customers could visit various reports online to see that a shipment was out for delivery, but they had to call the service center to get an estimate of when the shipment would be delivered. This was usually a "guesstimate" of when the driver would be in the area based on experience. While not always accurate, this was the best that could be done given the technology available.
The new ETD feature is supported by the information technology investments made by Southeastern over the past decade. Southeastern's Synergy Routing System designs the most efficient route for freight delivery, taking into account customer addresses, appointment times and even the fact that right turns are faster than left turns. Using this data and standard handling times associated with the volume of freight, Southeastern is able to develop a schedule of estimated delivery times. A plus/minus one hour window is added to the computed delivery time to allow for traffic or customer delays.
Once a window of time is established, Southeastern's Laser Dispatch System provides real-time data communications that show the actual route start time along with the arrival and departure times at each customer stop. This information corrects the original schedule, if necessary, and if a delay impacts the schedule outside the two-hour window, the system automatically adjusts the subsequent deliveries accordingly. The ETD is then displayed on the status report which can be viewed by the customer and service center associates.
"In today's market, providing customers with the information they need when they need it is just as important as moving the freight, and our customers can always count on Southeastern to be at the forefront of transportation technology," said Braxton Vick, senior vice president of corporate planning and development for Southeastern Freight Lines. "By making the best use of our onboard computer technologies, satellite and terrestrial communications, geo-coding tools, sophisticated software and the Internet, we are able to keep our customers updated with the most accurate information available."
Southeastern Freight Lines is Recognized by Hastings
LEXINGTON, S.C. (June 28, 2010)
Southeastern Freight Lines, a leading provider of less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, was recently honored by Hastings Entertainment Inc. as their Distribution Center Vendor Partner of the Year.
Southeastern has been a partner with Hastings for more than four years. Because of the superior service and competitive pricing, Southeastern has grown from serving approximately 20 stores to serving 69 Hastings stores.
Southeastern Freight Lines Expands Savannah Service Center
LEXINGTON, S.C. (June 21, 2010)
Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, announces an expansion of its Savannah Service Center.
The addition of 20 freight doors, boosting the total to 58, improves Southeastern’s efficiency and provides room for future growth.
"It’s great to see Southeastern investing in the Savannah shipping and receiving community in what have been very challenging economic times," said Chip Hawkins, a manager with the Georgia Ports Authority.
The remodeled service center features a completely reconstructed office, a dock upgraded with the latest high-efficiency lighting, and new electronic security features. The on-site maintenance facility has also been remodeled with new lighting and technology updates.
"We are all very proud of our renovated service center to serve the needs of businesses," said Mike Nations, service center manager. "We are certainly equipped to be the ’biggest and the best’ in the Savannah market."
Southeastern Freight Lines Offers Next-Day Service Between Oklahoma City and Odessa Service Centers
LEXINGTON, S.C. (June 15, 2010)
Southeastern Freight Lines, a regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services provider, is now offering next-day service between its Oklahoma City, Okla. Service Center (OKC) and its Odessa, Texas Service Center (ODS). This new capability will allow Southeastern to provide overnight service for customers who ship or receive in this lane.
"The majority of our customers in this area are in the oil industry," said Dean Baker, regional vice president of sales for Southeastern Freight Lines. "Our customers, especially those in the oil field market, have requested next-day service, and now that the economic state of the oil business is improving, we’re positioned to fulfill their needs."
One such customer is Balon Corporation, manufacturer of ball, swing check and needle valves for the oil and gas industry. Balon was the first customer of Southeastern’s OKC Service Center and has been a loyal customer since then.
"Balon has been pleased with Southeastern’s proven reliability. Our oil field equipment is time-sensitive, so next-day service is a good fit for our industry," said Larry Wedman, traffic manager for Balon Corporation. "I have an obligation to Balon and our customers to ensure products are shipped on time, and it’s comforting to know a service-oriented company like Southeastern is dedicated to making that happen."
Southeastern Freight Lines Named LTL Carrier of the Year by Andersen
LEXINGTON, S.C. (March 30, 2010)–Southeastern Freight Lines, a regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services provider, has been named LTL Carrier of the Year by Andersen Corporation, the largest window and door manufacturer in North America.
Southeastern led all categories of Andersen’s measurement, including on-time delivery, claim-free deliveries and billing accuracy. In addition, Andersen specifically referenced Southeastern’s excellent customer service and operations performance.
"Our company's dedication to quality is the reason we have earned this award," said Mike Redden, national account manager for Southeastern Freight Lines. "We value our relationship with Andersen and appreciate this recognition."
The award was presented to Southeastern at Andersen’s carrier conference awards banquet March 10.
About Andersen
Andersen Corporation is the largest window and door manufacturer in North America, and the Andersen brand is the most recognized and most used brand in the window and patio door industry. The privately owned company was founded in 1903 and has a strong history of commitment to its business partners, employees, community and environmental stewardship. Andersen employs more than 10,000 people and markets products throughout North America and in South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.andersenwindows.com.
Masco Corporation Names Southeastern Freight Lines Carrier of the Year
LEXINGTON, S.C. (March 1, 2010) – Southeastern Freight Lines, a regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services provider, has been named 2009 Carrier of the Year by Masco Corporation, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of home improvement and building products.
This is the fourth time that Masco has tapped Southeastern for the award. Each year Masco Corporation gives the Carrier of the Year award to an LTL partner that earns the highest score based on survey results from Masco’s operating companies. Survey criteria include: billing accuracy, claims processing, delivery reliability, local terminal support, sales effort, transit times and Web site capabilities.
Terrell Hixon, national account manager for Southeastern Freight Lines, works closely with Masco Corporation. "Southeastern appreciates this award from Masco Corporation, one of our larger, long-time clients. The credit goes to our associates and their keen attention to detail," said Hixon.
About Masco Corporation
Headquartered in Taylor, Mich., Masco Corporation is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of brand-name consumer products for the home and family, including Behr Paint, Delta Faucets, Hansgrohe bath and kitchen fixtures, KraftMaid and Merillat cabinets, Brasscraft plumbing supplies, Liberty Hardware decorative hardware items, Milgard Windows and Verve lighting systems. Masco is also a leading provider of services that include the installation of insulation and other building products through Masco Contractor Services and Masco Home Services. Visit www.masco.com for more information on the Masco family of brands.
Southeastern Freight Lines Achieves Best–Ever Safety Records
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Nov. 24, 2009) – Regional less–than–truckload (LTL) transportation services provider Southeastern Freight Lines announces its outstanding year–to–date safety records. Thanks to Southeastern’s associates, the "total accidents per million miles" frequency was 1.9 as of August, compared to 4.6 in the year 2000.
In addition, Southeastern Freight Lines has had only four injuries per 200,000 hours year–to–date, compared to 10.7 in the year 2000. These best–ever company results for preventable accidents and injuries can be attributed to intensive training and Southeastern’s Quality Improvement Process.
"We have strict hiring standards, and every driver – no matter how experienced – must pass a skills test for us before they’re allowed on the road," said Bill Bennett, director of regulatory compliance at Southeastern. "Our associates are trained to be responsible and make the right decisions, and their commitment has enabled our company to achieve these safety results."
Southeastern’s in–house trainers and safety managers offer less–experienced drivers a three–month training process that includes 100 hours behind the wheel before they become certified to drive alone. Annual skills tests reveal each driver’s weaknesses, which are addressed through ongoing custom training programs. Southeastern also teaches a defensive driving course to all drivers annually.
Every aspect of business at Southeastern is measured to produce data–driven decisions. The company’s formal Quality Improvement Process keeps associates aligned to achieve the company’s objectives each day. From training programs to quality improvement work groups for solving specific operational issues and strategic planning, the process teaches each person that they are responsible for safety. Southeastern executives recognize drivers’ safe driving records and years of service at annual Safety and Service meetings.
"We provide the training and resources for our associates to be successful and safe," said Bennett. "We would like to extend our thanks to our truck drivers and also to mechanics, dock workers and many others who work behind the scenes to improve these metrics each year."
Southeastern Freight Lines Selects Innovative Software Engineering’s Electronic Driver Logs Software Application for Fleet Wide Deployment
LEXINGTON, S.C. (September 22, 2009) – Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, has selected Innovative Software Engineering (ISE) as its provider of electronic driver logs. ISE Electronic Driver Logs is a full featured FMCSA 395.15 compliant application that will automate DOT Hours of Service record keeping and improve efficiency in Southeastern fleet operations.
"We chose ISE Electronic Driver Logs for its ease of use, FMCSA compliance and off-the-shelf features which allowed for quick implementation using our existing hardware," said Braxton Vick, Senior Vice President, Southeastern Freight Lines. "ISE’s responsiveness and transportation technology experience makes them an invaluable partner in rolling out an electronic driver logs application across our entire fleet nationwide. ISE took the time to understand our existing applications and workflow to customize their product to fit seamlessly with our operations and our mobile communications hardware."
ISE Electronic Driver Logs consists of a mobile driver interface, a web interface and an adaptable communications channel. The mobile interface automatically records driving status, calculates available driving time and notifies the driver of his compliance status. Data is stored in the mobile touch-screen display for up to 8 days for roadside inspection and team drivers are fully supported. The web interface provides the capability to view, edit and print driver logs. Other reporting features include driver time, mileage summaries, real-time driver availability, violations and log edit auditing. The communications channel supports cellular, Wi-Fi and satellite networks.
Adopting ISE Electronic Driver logs reduces costs by eliminating the manual processing of paper logs, allowing dispatchers to efficiently schedule resources and help maintain driver compliance. Eliminating paper logs in the cab and providing real time driver feedback promotes higher driver satisfaction, improved productivity and increased driver retention.
"ISE’s off the shelf Electronic Driver Logs application is a perfect fit for telematics service providers and fleets such as Southeastern looking to increase their productivity." said Hass Machlab, President, ISE. "It has been our pleasure to work with Southeastern to custom integrate our application into their existing system providing a competitive advantage for them and their customers."
About ISE
ISE is a leading full-service software development and systems integration firm
providing business strategy, program management, systems engineering, software
development and quality assurance services. ISE specializes in developing telematics
solutions, enterprise mobility applications and custom software tailored to customers’
unique needs. Customers come from a wide range of industries including communications,
education, telematics, transportation and health care. More information can be found
on the company’s web site at www.iseinc.biz.
Southeastern Freight Lines Setting Customer Service Records
On-Time, Claim-Free Deliveries Among All-Time Highs in the Trucking Company’s Performance Measurements
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Aug. 31, 2009) – While many trucking companies are struggling amid reduction in services and widespread layoffs during one of the worst economic recessions for the industry in history, Southeastern Freight Lines has been expanding services and setting all-time company records for the performance measurements that matter most to customers.
The company has traditionally led the less-than-truckload (LTL) industry in service performance goals for on-time and claim-free deliveries, and these are just two of many service goals that Southeastern is continuing to improve upon even in today’s challenging environment.
So far this year, the company meets its scheduled delivery 99.2 percent of the time, exceeding the company record of 98.95 percent of last year. In addition, the company averages 455 shipments before a claim for damage is filed, exceeding the company’s record of 345 shipments per claim last year. The company is also setting records in driver safety, pickup and delivery (P&D) cost, dock efficiency and load average.
"The foundation of Southeastern’s success is trusted and reliable service, and this is achieved first and foremost through our commitment to our employees," said Mike Heaton, a senior vice president for Southeastern. "We attribute this success to excellent employee morale, which is at an all-time high."
Last fall, Southeastern executives developed a "Keep Our People Working Task Force" to determine how the company could continue its practice of never laying off an employee. Strategies include finding creative ways to give everyone enough hours as well as reducing expenses - all conducted with a commitment to not erode customer service.
Heaton said that the company is committed to avoiding layoffs and is perhaps the only company to avoid layoffs in the LTL trucking industry. Employees recognize and appreciate the company’s commitment, resulting in an even greater focus on operational excellence and customer service goals. "The company’s leadership founded the company almost 60 years ago on the core value of being committed to our employees, knowing that in turn, they will take care of our customers. That heritage continues to benefit our company and customers today," he said.
While other companies are cutting expenses in ways that often degrades service to customers, Southeastern has continued to invest in the future, such as expanding service into Mexico and providing customers with "real-time" shipping status reports. Investments in dock management systems reduce labor costs and increase efficiency, making the company very competitive in pricing.
Southeastern Freight Lines Recognized by Eaton as a Premier Supplier Award Winner
LEXINGTON, S.C. (June 19, 2009) – Southeastern Freight Lines, a leading provider of less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, was honored as a premier supplier by diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation as part of the company’s supplier recognition program.
Southeastern is the only transportation company to win a Premier Supplier award this year. The company received recognition from Eaton in the Logistics supplier category based on quality, productivity, cost reduction, innovation and technological advances. Eaton’s logistics suppliers handle the transportation of goods inbound from the supplier and outbound to customers, as well as indirect package transportation.
“Our innovative technologies help customers manage power more efficiently, effectively and safely,” said Craig Reed, senior vice president – Supply Chain Management, Eaton Corporation. “Top-notch suppliers, like those recognized through this awards program, help us ensure we are meeting our commitments to our customers.”
Eaton chose Southeastern as an award recipient due to its exceptional quality and on-time performance.
“At Southeastern, each employee is involved in measuring every aspect of our business so we can satisfy our customers completely,” said Tommy Keeton, national account manager at Southeastern Freight Lines. “Eaton has been a customer for nearly 20 years, and we are pleased that they are satisfied with our performance.”
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2008 sales of $15.4 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 75,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.
Southeastern Freight Lines Underscores Value of Customer Service in a Recession
LEXINGTON, S.C. (May 5, 2009) – While a commitment to customer service is paramount at all times, it is even more vital to business success during a recession.
Southeastern Freight Lines, a leading provider of less–than–truckload (LTL) transportation services, is stretching to maintain, and even enhance, customer service during today’s economic turmoil.
With many carriers going out of business in the past year, and many other companies implementing massive layoffs and service reductions, Southeastern has adopted a company–wide focus to avoid layoffs and reduce costs without eroding customer service.
In fact, the company has expanded service into Mexico and domestically, and continued an aggressive investment in technology, most recently providing customers with real–time shipping status reports via e–mail or text message. All these measures are founded on the principle of always striving to enhance customer satisfaction.
"By serving our customers at record levels, we’ve actually been able to enhance customer relationships in today’s difficult economy," said Mike Heaton, vice president of sales and marketing for Southeastern Freight Lines. "For example, when a competitor refused to pick up freight for a Greenville, S.C. company over the Christmas weekend in order to save money, we stepped up and delivered an additional 200,000 pounds that weekend. We are now handling 100 percent of the company’s business."
Southeastern’s President Tobin Cassels refuses to accept the conventional wisdom of slashing service to cut costs in a recession. "You never want to back off of your service efforts in a downturn. We believe in adhering to our fundamental commitment to our employees and their ability to set the industry’s gold standard providing service to our customers," Cassels said.
"We’ve learned the value of looking at the long–term business objectives. Many companies immediately start laying people off and cutting costs in order to maintain short–term success during a recession. However, we know that if our employees and customers are confident that we are going to take care of them during downturns, they will be more loyal than ever when business comes back," he said.
Southeastern’s customers value the commitment to service. Steve Palmer, Lowe’s vice president of transportation, said, "Their consistent delivery performance, their ability to customize information systems to Lowe’s needs, and their dependable and responsive management team creates a business relationship that will continue to grow with Lowe’s. Southeastern is one of the cornerstones of our program."
The long–term approach to building a strong corporate culture and operational processes while investing in the business has built a support infrastructure to more easily add new services to deliver on the company’s customer service commitment, even during a recession. For example, a network of 76 service centers in the Southeastern United States enabled a recent expansion of services to the entire state of Alabama, and investment in information technology made it possible to add real–time notification of shipping status.
"Our long–term strategy of investing in technology affords us the ability to save costs while introducing new services," said Braxton Vick, Southeastern’s senior vice president of corporate planning. "The use of dock management systems reduces labor costs. Route planning systems reduce mileage and related fuel and labor costs. These and other systems bolster efficiency to make us very competitive in pricing, and the consistency of our services helps us continue to meet and exceed customer expectations."
Southeastern Now Serves All Points in Alabama Direct
LEXINGTON, S.C. (March 16, 2009) – Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation services, today announced that it has expanded direct service to the entire state of Alabama.
Previously, Southeastern used a partner carrier to deliver freight to a few small cities and towns near the Mississippi state line, but now Southeastern is delivering to those areas directly with next-day service, in most cases, to all destinations within the state. Nine service centers, five of which are located in Alabama, serve the state.
"Serving is the lifeblood of our organization, and if there’s a way we can better serve our customers, we make it happen," said Richard Bogan, regional vice president of operations for Southeastern. "At a time when other carriers are cutting back service to save costs, we are investing to provide even better service to customers to be the premier carrier in the state of Alabama and throughout the Southeast. By simplifying the routing needs for our customers to deliver freight to the entire state of Alabama, we’re removing obstacles for our customers."
Southeastern’s direct loading capabilities far exceed the industry average and are stronger than any other LTL competitor. With 76 strategically placed service centers across the Southeastern United States, almost 80 percent of freight for Southeastern customers is transferred directly from the original location to the destination location – rather than having to go through mid-point consolidation centers.
The network of service centers and the density of geographic coverage enable Southeastern to successfully meet its customers’ needs, achieving measurements including 99.2 percent of shipments delivered on time – far and away the industry’s leading benchmark. Direct loading also decreases mistakes and damage claims.
Southeastern Freight Lines Named Regional LTL Carrier of the Year by Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Jan. 13, 2009) – Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less–than–truckload (LTL) transportation services, has been named 2008 Yamaha Regional LTL Carrier of the Year by Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. This is the first year Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. has given this award.
"We have worked with Southeastern Freight Lines for more than 10 years and we recognize their high performance when working with Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. and its unique transportation needs," said Richard Benavides, Transportation Manager in the Logistics Division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. "With consistently strong performance metrics, Southeastern should be recognized as an outstanding strategic partner for Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.”
Southeastern’s formal Quality Improvement Process motivates employees to continuously improve to satisfy customers. This unique process, which consists of training programs, various teams such as recognition teams and individualized quality workgroups, frequent strategic planning meetings, and the use of statistical process control, was established to eliminate costly waste and errors and create a better value for customers.
"We took the extra step to help resolve issues at pool distribution, and Yamaha found this to be above and beyond what any other carrier had provided them," said Lisa Davis, National Account Manager at Southeastern Freight Lines. "We appreciate and value this recognition from Yamaha.”
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. is a leading distributor and manufacturer in the motorsports market, with the most diversified line of such products in America. Its ever–expanding product offerings include motorcycles, outboard motors, ATVs, side x side vehicles, personal watercraft, snowmobiles, boats, outdoor power equipment, race kart engines, accessories, apparel, and much more. Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan–based Yamaha Motor Corporation, Ltd., founded in 1955. For more information on Yamaha, visit www.yamaha–motor.com.
Southeastern Freight Lines Earns Partners in Quality Award from Moen
LEXINGTON, S.C. (Dec. 8, 2008) – Southeastern Freight Lines, the leading provider of regional less–than–truckload transportation services, is a recipient of this year’s Moen Partners in Quality (PIQ) Award.
This is the 14th consecutive year that Southeastern has earned this esteemed award – more than any other Moen carrier. The award measures numerous quality objectives for all Moen truckload (TL) and less–than–truckload (LTL) transportation carriers, including on–time delivery and billing accuracy.
"We selected Southeastern once again because of their strong commitment to customer service," said Jay Merrell, manager of domestic transportation at Moen, Inc. "Southeastern is a trusted business partner and has continuously excelled in all of our measurement categories. Our long–standing partnership with Southeastern enables Moen to provide excellent service to our customers."
Southeastern is one of only two LTL carriers to earn Level 3 partner status, the top level of recognition.
"We appreciate this recognition and our business partnership with Moen," said Tommy Keeton, national account manager at Southeastern Freight Lines. "It’s clear that our dedication to customer service excellence and our unique Quality Improvement Process continue to pay off for our customers and our company. This acknowledgement reinforces our desire to satisfy our customers completely."
Moen, Inc., headquartered in North Olmsted, Ohio, offers a diverse selection of thoughtfully designed, stylish and affordable kitchen faucets, bathroom faucets, showerheads, and stainless steel sinks that are always on–trend for residential and commercial applications.
Southeastern Freight Lines Expands Operations to Mexico
LEXINGTON, S.C. – October 15, 2008 – Southeastern Freight Lines, a leading provider of regional less–than–truckload transportation services, has expanded international operations to Mexico.
Southeastern serves 12 states in the Southeast and Puerto Rico and has a network of service providers to ensure transportation services in the remaining 38 states, Canada and the Virgin Islands – and now Mexico.
The four shipping options for Mexican freight offered by Southeastern include a border–only service, door–to–door service, one–stop shop service or the option of clearing customs at the destination.
“More companies doing business in Asia are again considering manufacturing in Mexico, due to longer transit times, high fuel costs, labor challenges and its proximity to the U.S. market,” said Bob Bullock, vice president of Southeastern Freight Lines international operations. “Southeastern has been very successful in its partnerships with best–in–class service providers that align with our commitment to quality service and company culture. We’re using the same approach with regional partners in Mexico to provide shipping solutions to and from Mexico for our customers.”
To assist in its expanded operations, Southeastern has opened a new service center in Laredo, Texas with 46 doors and a 30,000–square–foot warehouse.
“This facility gives us the infrastructure and capacity to grow and service our customers like never before,” added Bullock.
Southeastern customers can choose one of the following four levels of service:
For more information, please e–mail Southeastern’s Mexico Help Desk at MexicoHelp@sefl.com .
Southeastern Freight Lines Expands it’s Infrastructure in Texas
November 9, 2007––––Southeastern Freight Lines is pleased to announce their continued expansion in Texas. Southeastern opened a new service center in Wichita Falls on November 5, 2007.
This expansion is indicative of Southeastern Freight Lines’ long–term commitment to the Texas market. The opening of the Wichita Falls service center brings Southeastern’s total number of service centers to 75. This additional service center allows Southeastern to enhance the service already provided to it’s Texas customers.
Southeastern Freight Lines is the nation’s twelfth largest less–than–truckload trucking company and is a leader in technology applications in the regional LTL transportation industry. Southeastern, was founded in 1950, and specializes in next–day service in the Southeast and Southwest and operates service centers in twelve states, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Southeastern Freight Lines is currently providing over 99.1% on–time service in next day lanes. A formalized quality improvement process began in 1985, and the company’s dedication to process improvement is evidenced by over 290 quality awards received from customers and associations.
Southeastern Freight Lines’ Wichita Falls facility is located at 1911 Sheppard Access Road, Building 6, Wichita Falls, TX. For more information on Southeastern’s Wichita Falls service center, please contact the facility by phone at 888–922–7335 toll–free, 940–720–0376 local or by fax at 940–720–0763.
Southeastern Freight Lines Receives Ryder’s Quality Carrier of the Year Award
Southeastern was presented with the Ryder Carrier Quality Award for the year 2006, in the LTL Southern Regional Carrier service category. This is the tenth year that Ryder has presented a formal quality award, and the ninth year Southeastern has been the recipient. Ryder is a Fortune 500 company providing leading–edge transportation, logistics and worldwide supply chain management solutions.
Ryder’s quality process allows them to measure key performance indicators, for the purpose of selection and growth with the carriers who can best deliver superior service and value to their clients. The qualifications for this award are based on a quantitative scorecard with points given on a variety of metrics, including on–time service, claims performance, customer service, technology, economic value and innovation.
Southeastern Freight Lines opens new service centers in Texas and Arkansas
COLUMBIA, SC, May 1, 2007––––Southeastern Freight Lines is pleased to announce their continued expansion in Texas and Arkansas. Southeastern has opened a new service center in Sherman, TX. This facility is located at 4070 North Loy Lake Road. The account manager can be reached at 877–949–7335.
Southeastern also announces the opening of a new service center in Texarkana AR. This facility is located at 3201 East 50th Street. Contact the account manager at 877–919–7335.
With the additions of these service centers, Southeastern Freight Lines is now able to service ALL points in Oklahoma as well as additional cities in Texas and Arkansas.
Southeastern is a privately–held trucking company, specializing in next day and second day service in the Southeast and Southwest, now operating 74 service centers in twelve states and Puerto Rico. Southeastern Freight Lines, founded in 1950, has over 6,800 associates and is a leader in technology applications in the regional LTL transportation industry. The company’s dedication to process improvement is represented by over 285 quality awards received from customers and associations.
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