How a PNW paper producer saves $5M annually with Uber Freight’s managed transportation
Profile
Industry: Paper
Size: 500+ employees
Location: Pacific Northwest
Overview
A paper company based in the Pacific Northwest produces and delivers thousands of tons of paper every year.
Opportunity: Managing complexity, costs, and variability
A large paper producer in the Pacific Northwest manages a complex transportation network from a remote mill. Because of its location, securing reliable capacity is a challenge. Limited carrier availability and seasonal constraints in the region, particularly peak periods like Christmas tree season, can quickly disrupt operations. With thousands of monthly shipments across both high-volume and infrequent lanes, maintaining consistent service requires constant coordination.
To better manage its network, the company began partnering with Uber Freight in 2002. The collaboration initially focused on optimizing outbound freight execution and securing more reliable regional capacity. As the partnership matured, Uber Freight became an extension of the company’s transportation team, working to continuously improve operations.
As a low-margin industry, paper producers are under extreme cost pressure as they navigate lower demand and higher operating costs. Today, every transportation decision is driven by cost per ton. To remain competitive as the industry changes, the paper producer needed a scalable, data-driven approach to manage its network and reduce spend.
Solution: A managed transportation model built for flexibility and continuous optimization
Uber Freight developed a transportation solution that combined execution, technology, and operational expertise. Acting as an extension of the company’s internal transportation team, Uber Freight began managing all outbound freight and a majority of inbound flows. This brought greater consistency and coordination to daily operations.
Uber Freight also completed a full network evaluation to improve mode selection and identify cost savings. The team reviewed every lane over 500 miles, comparing costs between truckload and intermodal. This analysis helped establish a structured transportation strategy for a highly variable network that often sees over 3,000 truckloads a month. By leveraging Uber Freight’s West Coast network across LTL, truckload, and intermodal, the company is able to secure reliable, cost-effective capacity without compromising service—even in a remote location.
Additionally, the producer began using Uber Freight’s Transportation Management System (TMS). Implementing the TMS gave the company a modern, centralized system with real-time visibility into shipments and actionable insights. With improved visibility, the company’s internal team has a better understanding of freight flow and how it aligns with production capacity. As a result, the team can be more flexible and proactive instead of consistently reacting to issues. It also means production surges and volume shifts are easier to manage, leading to fewer service disruptions. For example, when there is a spike in volume, the team can rapidly acquire capacity to move hundreds of loads in a matter of days without disrupting operations.
Beyond this, the Uber Freight team used Lean Six Sigma methodology to improve internal processes. This included introducing a preload model and expanding yard capacity from 20 to 117 trailer slots, reducing handling and improving on-site operations.
Results: Lower costs, greater efficiency, and full network visibility
Expanding the partnership over the years shifted Uber Freight from an executional provider to a true strategic partner. With Uber Freight, the company has achieved:
$5.2 million in total annual transportation savings
A preload model that saves $2.2 million annually
$170,000 a month in savings by converting high-opportunity truckload lanes to intermodal
A unified system with end-to-end visibility through the TMS
With Uber Freight’s operational improvements and cost savings, the company can manage its network more efficiently and with greater control. It's also ensured they can continue to navigate any industry volatility.
As the partnership continues to evolve, Uber Freight is further modernizing the paper producer’s technology, including APIs that extract data from their outdated systems to the TMS. The team is also focusing on ongoing improvement initiatives.
For the last 23 years, the partnership has withstood market cycles, technology shifts, and internal transformation. Through it all, the Uber Freight team continues to find new opportunities to optimize operations and drive continuous improvement, better positioning the paper producer for what’s next.
Uber Freight's network includes 125,000+ truckload carriers and strong intermodal relationships. Trusted by 1 in 3 Fortune 500 companies, Uber Freight improves cost position, service reliability, and network performance. Our managed transportation model has helped customers drive more than $1B in savings and deliver an average 3x ROI year over year.
Find out how Uber Freight’s managed transportation services can drive predictable outcomes in an unpredictable market. Connect with an expert today.