Amplifying Efficiency: KICKER'S Logistics Transformation With Averitt

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.

Kicker started out with Stillwater Designs, and I was playing in a rock and roll band and made speakers as a hobby. I was approached by a friend to build a speaker for a pickup truck. I did that and that became very popular and we developed that through the eighties and it grew really rapidly. Today we have six hundred and some different products that we sell all over the US, internationally. Early on when I took the director of distribution role, I had some challenges in front of me. At a certain point, management came to me and asked me to investigate alternative warehousing. You know, Averitt has solutions for that. Kicker used us for LTL, and when we opened the door to a broader conversation with Kicker speakers, we took a look at where their big customers were. They were bringing most of their goods to the eastern two thirds of the United States. We have a lot of our big customers out there. It only makes sense to shorten the distance to decrease our our transit time. So what we took a look at for them was how can we cut miles out of their supply chain. We took a hard look at Charleston, South Carolina. All of the ports that they were sourcing from in the Pacific Rim, they were could very easily bring those goods into Charleston just as easily as they could LA Long Beach and ultimately Stillwater. So we sold them a little bit of warehouse space in Charleston. We're doing the drayage of the container from the ocean port to our facility. We're storing those materials for them in Charleston and doing LTL and small package fulfillment out of our Charleston facility. The end result with saving the money on the transportation, it also allowed them to be a day faster on their service to get it to their customers. And that was a big win for Kicker. I think we're winning. I really do. That's the feedback we're getting in the field. It's changing their order patterns because it's getting to them sooner. It's showing up without damage. It's on time. They've got great relationships with their drivers. In a nutshell, I think it's really working out well for everybody and we're just happy it's going this direction. Most customers know us as an LTL services provider, but we're very good at these other things that are not LTL. We have an outstanding truckload product, an outstanding expedited product. As a freight forwarder, we have outstanding specialists that can help get goods from overseas. You're going from Oklahoma to New Jersey or Miami, there's delays and, you know, everyone's been able to turn that into a couple day run. Our customers in turn are happier with it. It's a solution all the way around. We are the power of one. The cultural similarities between Averitt and Kicker like you could sit there and switch shirts from one person to the other. It didn't take too long to realize how special Kicker was and what their culture is and how similar that is to our organization. We want to partner with people that have that same service mindset. People that that are interested in continuous improvement and working together and partnering, I think are super important to us. You know, Averitt's just a phone call away. I deal with a lot of problems, so it helps to have partners in place to assist with those problems. It certainly makes my job and life a lot better.

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.

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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.

Turn Supply Chain Inefficiencies Into Opportunity GET THE FREE CASE STUDY ON KICKER’S LOGISTICS TRANSFORMATION

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.

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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.

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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.

Amplifying Efficiency: KICKER'S Logistics Transformation With Averitt

Topics: PortSide Case Study LTL Distribution and Fulfillment Technology Supply Chain Strategy

The Challenge:

Averitt's Solution:

EAST COAST DISTRIBUTION HUB IN CHARLESTON

TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN EFFICIENCY:

Results:

Conclusion:

POWER OF ONE APPROACH: COMPREHENSIVE LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS UNDER ONE ROOF

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