Success means different things for different brands but there’s one thing they rely on—global trade. Whether it’s balancing stockouts and surplus, navigating disruptions or reducing CO2 emissions, fast-growth brands like Bombas, Parade, Ministry of Supply and Klean Kanteen are winning with digital logistics platforms like Flexport that optimize their supply chains with better visibility and control, even during these turbulent times.
Bombas Sped Up Bookings by 30% to Propel Sales & Donations
When socks and apparel brand Bombas faced hurdles in scaling its operations to meet demand, it turned to Flexport. From launching new products to managing distribution for its core business and donations, Bombas needed a logistics partner that could optimize its global supply chain to keep up with growth.
With the Flexport platform, Bombas could access end-to-end visibility into shipments and a consultative support team that advised it on operational strategy. As a result, Bombas was able to reduce the time spent on reviewing and booking shipments by 30 percent.
“For a growing company, I can’t stress how important it is to launch products quickly and without delays,” said Andrew Heath, COO & co-founder, Bombas. “Working with Flexport as our forwarder to cut down on shipment transit time has been so instrumental in helping us do just that.”
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Bombas also works with Flexport to ship socks donations. When co-founders Dave Heath and Randy Goldberg heard that socks were the most-requested item at homeless shelters, they decided to do something about it. Their network of 3,500+ giving partners helps Bombas distribute an item (for every item sold) to shelters, rehab centers, Title 1 schools and healthcare facilities.
“Flexport helped us move 1.2 million socks directly from our factory to our donation partners,” said Drew Morrison, VP of operations, Bombas. “They advised on where to consolidate shipments to save on cost and time, ultimately getting those socks to our donation partners 60 days earlier than anticipated.”
Centralized Data Generates Millions in Duty Drawback Refunds
Ministry of Supply, a technology-led fashion brand, is pioneering comfortable, eco-friendly work apparel. As innovators focused on both growth and sustainability, CEO and co-founder Aman Advani and his team are always looking for new ways to improve their supply chain, while using their limited resources efficiently. One way the company does this is through duty drawback refunds (or government-issued tax reimbursements).
Many companies avoid filing for duty drawback due to the challenging process. In fact, billions of dollars in excess duties are left unclaimed each year in the U.S. alone. To simplify this process, Advani turned to Flexport’s team of duty drawback experts. Since Flexport already handled freight and customs for the brand, all the data needed to make claims was already in the platform, helping Ministry of Supply reclaim $1 million in duty drawback in just months.
“It was a no-brainer to proceed with the duty drawback program and it took less than six months for refunds to start flowing in,” said Advani. “This was after two years of spinning our wheels. Since we ship so much of our freight through Flexport, the best part about working with them on drawback is that those records are meticulous.”
Klean Kanteen Meets Sustainability Goals & Saves 400+ Hours a Year on Reporting
Klean Kanteen makes BPA-free, reusable bottles, cups, tumblers and more. As a certified B-corporation, Klean Kanteen needs accurate data on the environmental impact of its supply chain, but traditional freight forwarders provided little visibility resulting in manual calculations and laborious reconciliation.
“Our bottom line is about more than just profit. Even though we had gone through this big evaluation process and selected new freight forwarders, the work Flexport was doing with carbon calculation piqued our interest,” said Brett Renlund, senior supply chain manager, Klean Kanteen. “Their demonstration of initiative and innovation really stood out and we were really impressed by the platform.”
With Flexport, estimated CO2 emissions per shipment are available in one place, prior to booking, so Klean Kanteen can easily make decisions that better align with its mission, while making its supply chain more sustainable and cost-effective.
How Parade Optimized its Supply Chain to Stay Ahead of Demand
Inclusive underwear brand Parade is shaking up the industry by optimizing its supply chain to achieve record growth even in the midst of supply chain disruptions.
While many retailers struggled to meet demand at the onset of the pandemic, this DTC brand saw non-stop growth since launching in October 2019 and ended 2021 with a threefold revenue increase. Its quick success in a market long-dominated by well-established players was driven by a digitally-savvy Gen Z customer base, and an unwavering focus on size- and gender-inclusivity and sustainability.
“I rely on the Flexport platform and their expert team as an operations partner. It has been extremely helpful to have just one platform to communicate with suppliers, manage shipments, file insurance claims, and even offset carbon emissions,” said Shreya Maddireddy, (former) director of operations & customer experience, Parade. “Consolidating all this functionality makes the management of our supply chain seamless and streamlined.”
The Flexport platform arms Maddireddy with the data that she and her teams need to make informed decisions about their supply chains by providing real-time insights into shipment status, cost per unit, and carbon offsets, making the platform critical for working cross-functionally.
See What Your Supply Chain Can Do for Your Business
Flexport helps businesses of all sizes ship, track, insure and scale shipments across the world, in just a few clicks. Learn more or contact us to discover why 10,000+ brands rely on Flexport’s logistics expertise and end-to-end solutions to move their business forward.