Download PDF
Convoy > Case Studies > Encore Glass's Supply Chain Efficiency Boosts Winemakers' Growth
Convoy Logo

Encore Glass's Supply Chain Efficiency Boosts Winemakers' Growth

Technology Category
  • Functional Applications - Transportation Management Systems (TMS)
  • Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms
Applicable Industries
  • Glass
  • Transportation
Applicable Functions
  • Logistics & Transportation
  • Sales & Marketing
Use Cases
  • Autonomous Transport Systems
  • Public Transportation Management
The Challenge
Encore Glass, a company that transitioned from recycling bottles to importing new glass and creating custom packaging for customers, faced a significant challenge in managing its transportation operations. The company had identified experienced carriers to work with, but lacked the means to efficiently manage the relationships with these carriers. The sales and customer service teams were responsible for finding their own transportation solutions, including booking trucks, which was a time-consuming process. Furthermore, they often purchased transportation at a significant premium to market prices. The lack of a dedicated transportation team stood in stark contrast to Encore's commitment to customer service, which included fulfilling even the smallest customers' needs with exactly the right bottles, delivered just in time to be filled. The challenge was particularly acute when serving small winemakers in remote areas, who often lacked sufficient storage space.
About The Customer
Encore Glass is a company that transitioned from recovering, sterilizing, and recycling bottles to importing new glass and creating custom packaging for its customers. The company serves a wide range of customers, including small winemakers in remote areas, and has a commitment to fulfilling even the smallest customers' needs with exactly the right bottles, delivered just in time to be filled. In 2019, Encore shipped to customers in 241 cities from its facilities in Fairfield, California and on the East Coast. The company's transportation needs are linked to the agricultural rhythm of grape harvesting, which drives seasonal volatility.
The Solution
In response to the challenge, Encore Glass appointed Phil Russell, a former customer service representative who had recently moved to operations, to manage the company's transportation on a full-time basis. The company also partnered with Convoy, a Seattle-based digital freight network, in 2017. Convoy built a desktop solution for Encore that allowed Russell to offer loads to the 20-25 trucking carriers he preferred working with. This solution significantly reduced the time taken to book a load, from an hour to about 10 minutes. The partnership with Convoy made Encore's transportation operations more efficient, freeing up resources and time. This allowed the company to focus on what mattered most: carrier and customer relationships.
Operational Impact
  • The partnership with Convoy and the establishment of a dedicated transportation department under Phil Russell led to a significant improvement in Encore's operational efficiency. The company was able to manage its relationships with carriers more effectively, reducing the time taken to book a load and freeing up resources and time. This allowed Encore to focus on building and maintaining strong relationships with its carriers and customers, which is crucial to its business model. The more efficient supply chain operation also enabled Encore to better serve its customers, including small winemakers in remote areas, by delivering the right bottles just in time to be filled.
Quantitative Benefit
  • Reduced the average time to book a load from one hour to ten minutes
  • Freed up resources and time to prioritize other operational tasks
  • Served customers in 241 cities from its facilities in Fairfield, California and on the East Coast

Related Case Studies.

Contact us

Let's talk!

* Required
* Required
* Required
* Invalid email address
By submitting this form, you agree that IoT ONE may contact you with insights and marketing messaging.
No thanks, I don't want to receive any marketing emails from IoT ONE.
Submit

Thank you for your message!
We will contact you soon.