In the world of high-performance audio equipment, speed, reliability, and efficiency are just as important as sound quality. KICKER, a leader in car and marine audio, found that recent growth had introduced supply chain inefficiencies that weren’t apparent at a smaller scale.
Collaborating with Averitt uncovered a unique opportunity for KICKER to enhance efficiency and customer service. The proactive supply chain strategy helped reduce costs and accelerate speed to market, driving stronger satisfaction.
Watch how KICKER cut costs and sped up delivery with Averitt.
The Challenge:
KICKER’s supply chain was heavily reliant on the Port of Los Angeles and the connecting rail network to Dallas, Texas to feed their distribution center in Stillwater, Oklahoma. From there they fulfilled orders nationwide. This setup presented several inefficiencies and limitations:
- Multi-Day Transit and Higher Costs to Fulfill Orders to Core East Coast Customers: The land bridge model involved transporting a container from a California port through a Texas rail ramp and then draying it to Oklahoma for unloading and stocking in a warehouse. From there, orders were fulfilled for customers in Virginia, Georgia, and New Jersey, resulting in additional land miles and increased transit time and costs.
- Oklahoma Facility Limitations: With their headquarters and primary distribution center in Stillwater operating at or near full capacity, finding a creative solution to reduce congestion and improve their maxed-out warehouse situation while enhancing their fulfillment model became essential.
As KICKER’s customer base grew, so did the need for a solution that could address these challenges while ensuring speed, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.
Averitt's Solution:
KICKER partnered with Averitt to implement a multi-faceted logistics strategy that addressed these challenges and provided a streamlined, end-to-end solution.
EAST COAST DISTRIBUTION HUB IN CHARLESTON
To better serve their Eastern U.S. customers, KICKER partnered with Averitt to reroute a large portion of their cargo through the Port of Charleston. Utilizing Averitt’s nearby Distribution & Fulfillment Center in North Charleston, South Carolina, an 80,000 sq. ft. facility, featuring 24/7 security, and a fenced perimeter, provided an ideal location to fulfill valued customers’ orders in a timely manner.
The Charleston option enabled seamless drayage service and transloading service, reducing transit times, minimizing handling, and ensuring efficient transitions from port to warehouse for optimized distribution.
- Drayage and Transloading: With Averitt’s own assets, KICKER’s containers were recovered at South Carolina Ports’ Wando Welch Terminal and delivered to the secure Averitt location in North Charleston, where they were unloaded, inventoried, and prepped for fulfillment.
- Optimized Distribution: By reducing the miles to their ultimate customers on the Eastern Seaboard, next-day and two-day delivery replaced three-day or longer transit in some cases. The reduced LTL transit miles and costs compared with fulfillment out of Stillwater created a net savings in total fulfillment costs.
TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN EFFICIENCY:
Averitt’s advanced technology platforms played a pivotal role in optimizing KICKER’s supply chain operations. The Warehouse Management System (WMS) provided KICKER with:
- Comprehensive Inventory Visibility: Real-time tracking of inventory levels allowed for precise stock management.
- Order Fulfillment Management: Seamless coordination between warehousing and distribution ensured timely and accurate deliveries.
By integrating WMS with other Averitt technology solutions, KICKER achieved end-to-end visibility across their supply chain, driving greater operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Additionally, Averitt Connect, Averitt’s advanced shipment management platform, streamlined KICKER’s quoting and freight management processes:
- Simplified Quoting: Quick and efficient nationwide rate comparisons and booking streamlined operations.
- Enhanced Visibility: Real-time tracking and reporting tools improved oversight and planning.
Results:
The partnership between KICKER and Averitt delivered measurable results:
- Significant Cost Savings: By shifting a large portion of their outbound shipments through Averitt’s Charleston facility, KICKER reduced their LTL fulfillment mileage by approximately 67% to 75%, resulting in substantial transportation cost savings.
- Improved Speed to Market: The Charleston hub enabled faster deliveries to East Coast customers, enhancing satisfaction and loyalty.
- Increased Visibility: Leveraging Averitt Connect and custom performance reports, KICKER gained clear insight into cost, delivery timelines, and vendor performance.
- Operational Efficiency: Averitt Connect simplified processes and increased visibility, enabling KICKER to focus on core business activities.
- Sustainability Impact: By consolidating shipments and reducing LTL miles, the partnership supported more environmentally friendly practices.
Conclusion:
KICKER’s partnership with Averitt showcases the power of a well-integrated logistics solution. Through
Averitt’s Power of One approach – combining Distribution & Fulfillment, drayage, LTL, and technology solutions – KICKER transformed their supply chain into a model of efficiency and reliability. From port
drayage to final-mile delivery, Averitt’s end-to-end logistics expertise ensured that KICKER could focus on what they do best: delivering world-class audio systems to customers nationwide.
For KICKER, the results speak for themselves: lower costs, faster deliveries, and a supply chain built to support growth and success. The partnership underscores Averitt’s commitment to helping customers navigate complex logistics challenges with innovative, customer-focused solutions.
POWER OF ONE APPROACH: COMPREHENSIVE LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS UNDER ONE ROOF
At Averitt, our Power of One approach offers shippers an integrated logistics experience, bringing together every service needed to streamline your supply chain. With LTL for flexible regional and North American coverage, Truckload services offering extensive capacity and cross-border transportation, and Dedicated fleet solutions tailored to your operations, we provide seamless transportation from start to finish.
Our Distribution & Fulfillment services offer warehousing flexibility with nearly 5 million sq. ft. of space,
adaptable for seasonal fluctuations, while our Integrated and Global Solutions handle everything from cross-border transport to customs brokerage.
With facilities near major East and Gulf Coast ports (Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston, Jacksonville, Mobile, and Houston), Averitt enables direct distribution from port to market, minimizing handling time and expediting delivery. Our strategically located facilities reduce transit times and optimize distribution by bypassing the need for inland distribution center storage, allowing products to reach dealers faster and with fewer touchpoints.
By consolidating all your logistics needs into one reliable partnership, Averitt’s Power of One approach simplifies operations, enhances efficiency, and enables a cohesive flow across your supply chain. With one contact and one invoice, we bring the full power of our capabilities to meet your unique logistics needs, so you can focus on what you do best – while we take care of the rest.
