R2 Logistics: Utilizes Technology to Ensure the Highest-level of Accuracy and Service

There are so many factors, visible and invisible, that ensure the smooth running of the economy. The demand-and-supply oriented market largely depends on logistics management. As part of the supply chain management, the logistics plans, implements, and controls the flow and storage of goods and services in order to meet customer’s requirements. 

It would, in fact, be unimaginable without the services of a logistics company. Delivering such important services is R2Logistics. Founded as a third party logistics (3PL), R2 Logistics was initially servicing Tier 1 Automotive suppliers. Since its inception, it has grown to become a full service 3PL that provides logistics and transportation solutions across all modes to all sectors of the economy.

Let’s learn more about the company while in chat with Frank Dreischarf, the vice president of supply chain solutions.

Tell us about your first service and the challenges faced.

We began providing expedited truckload transportation to the automotive sector and since then we’ve grown into a full service 3PL providing all modes of transportation. However, expedite is still a central part of our growth strategy and to this day fully 20% of our daily volume is same. One of our initial customers was a multi-modal shipper with manufacturing locations and DC’s in North America and China.  This exposure to the complexities of transportation challenges across multiple geographies helped shape our data reporting capabilities and improved our overall user experience.

We also tried to be all things to all people initially and that proved a recipe for trouble. We’ve realized that by focusing on a few distinct areas of business with a high-level of passion about servicing the customer, we can add value to our customers and build an excellent business at the same time.

What mixed responses have you received from your customers?

A part of our strategic plan has always centered on working directly with our customers and finding areas they are struggling where we could help. The development of our Transport Management System and Transportation Reporting Platform is a perfect example of this. We saw that customers were constantly struggling to access their freight data. So we worked with our customers to develop a data aggregation tool that would allow them to access their data faster, in real time and on any device.

What are the factors that have been the biggest asset to your company?

People, organizational agility, passion for customers and focus. Our team members are selected, trained and incentivized to serve the customer first and foremost. Many organizations become enamored with the newest trends or ideas of the moment. We tend to pay a lot of attention to the areas we know well and excel in those markets. 

What learnings helped to set up this company?

Our executive team collectively has more than 100 years of experience in the Transportation and Logistics industries. We learn on that experience to help us anticipate needs from customers and drive solutions to their challenges.

On what grounds has the company expanded over the years?

Our mission has always been to be passionate about the customer. The only questions we ask ourselves when looking at new offerings are “Does this benefit the customer?  Does this make their life easier?  What resources do we need to put in place to make this happen?”

How do you and your company contribute to the global IT platform and society at large?

We have developed a Transportation Management System as well as an Interactive Mobile Reporting platform for transportation data. That reporting platform can layer onto any other TMS system and provide real time KPI’s, service reporting, and cost information in a very user friendly format. What we have found is that there is a significant portion of the Shipper/Manufacturing community that has been underserved for years. Our goal is to provide actionable, real time data that drives out cost and inefficiencies from our customers supply chains.

Do you have any new services ready to be launched in the market?

Studies show 8-9% of all customer shipments get returned and 25-30% of e-retail shipments are returned. That’s why we have our Reverse Logistics Operations and Reporting platform as managing reverse logistics costs are critical to running an efficient supply chain. This helps shippers to lower their costs, track inventory and shipments that are being returned to origin.

Where do you see your company in a couple of years?

Focused intently on adding value to our customer’s networks which is why we had a record breaking year last year, we are having a record breaking year this year and I see no reason why that trend shouldn’t continue for the foreseeable future!

Meet the Champion

Frank Dreischarf is a graduate of The Ohio State University where he dual majored in Operations Management as well as Transportation and Logistics. He started with R2 Logistics in 2017 when he filled the role of Vice President of Supply Chain Solutions. Frank has 20 plus years of distribution and supply chain experience, and has spent the last 10 years managing $200MM plus transportation spends. In his current role, Frank is responsible for developing and managing R2’s multi-modal and Supply Chain service offerings. This includes LTL, Reverse Logistics, inbound Supply Chain Logistics and Distribution, Intermodal and Final Mile Delivery.

“Our goal is to provide actionable, real time data that drives out cost and inefficiencies from our customers Supply Chains.”