Paper goods giant, Georgia-Pacific, didn’t just throw in the towel when a customer was unhappy with the servicing of monthly store promotions. Instead, they asked DSC Logistics to step in and help clean up the situation. So we did, and now everything’s running smoothly.

GP’s customer, Wakefern, is the largest retailer-owned grocery co-op in the U.S. DSC had just taken over the operation of GP’s Northeast Region distribution center for the Towel, Tissue, Napkin (TTN) business when GP asked us to improve service to Wakefern by handling their Direct Store Delivery (DSD) promotions.

From the beginning, DSC collaborated closely with GP and Wakefern to execute successful DSD promotions. A typical DSD event includes 65 to 80 truckloads, most of which include multiple stop-offs, shipping over a two to three day period; this requires preloading the orders. Orders are picked and loaded in conformance with a predetermined load by time schedule.

A key ingredient for success is establishing strong working relationships with the DSD carriers. This ensures that the right number and the right type of trailers are made available by each carrier to fully support the event. We also monitor and expedite needed product in transit to our Logistics Center for the promotions, report preload progress daily to GP Customer Service and Transportation and follow up with the motor carriers to confirm pick up and delivery times.

A DSD promotion typically has three items per order and at least two stops per truckload.  Our biggest challenge is the availability of product. We closely monitor the SAP inbound transfer report and expedite when necessary to make sure there is always enough product on hand to cover the day’s preload orders.

DSC’s flexibility is essential since a Wakefern promo is not static. Trucks are added, trucks are cancelled, rush orders to the Wakefern Distribution Center are shipped, truckload returns from GP mills are received when refused by Wakefern—we’re ready for all of it.

When GP needed help meeting the special demands of a big customer, DSC delivered. GP now takes DSC’s flawless execution of the DSD promotions for granted. But, we don’t mind being taken for granted. We’re used to it.