Southeastern Freight Lines has established an infrastructure of 76 service centers to support shipment processing throughout the Sunbelt, providing customers with on-time delivery for more than 99 percent of all next-day shipments, the company says.
According to Southeastern, the network’s reliability is rooted in its long-term strategy to build a network of service centers that meet future facility requirements, preventing any “choke points” in the system that would delay rapid delivery of freight.
Businesses are more focused than ever on establishing regional distribution centers to get their goods to market as quickly as possible, optimizing inventory levels and elevating the need for next day delivery, Southeastern says. The company’s strategy is to monitor shipping trends and plan a decade or more ahead to acquire land for service centers where future capacity needs are projected.
“Companies are positioning their products closer to their clients. As the carrier partner for our customers, our regional focus in the Sunbelt is providing reliable and rapid delivery that is necessary to support our customers’ evolving business needs,” says Mike Heaton, a Southeastern senior vice president.
Southeastern’s investment in this infrastructure ensures an adequate number of dock doors and parking spaces at each service center to prevent choke points, which the company says occur when space limitations prevent freight from being processed in a timely manner. The company’s customer service measurements for on-time delivery and low number of claims are a testament to the importance of dense freight volumes and adequate capacity for more direct loading, Southeastern claims.
“The Sunbelt has seen immense population growth over the last few decades, and that trend continues today,” Heaton says. “By analyzing trends and shipment volumes, we’re able to develop long-range plans to determine future facility requirements and achieve our goal of avoiding choke points at all costs.”
