LaFrance CorporationIndustry: Designs and manufactures branding products and nameplates for a variety of products (including golf clubs, automobiles, appliances, mobile phones and more).

Web site: lafrancecorp.com

Customers:Blue chip clients include Whirlpool, Xerox, AT&T, Dell, SANYO, Graco, Schick, BlackBerry, XM Radio and Nike.

LaFrance CorporationFedEx® International DirectDistribution Ocean Solutions

A FedEx® International DirectDistribution Success Story

“ The reason why we chose FedEx is that we get the complete package. They really offered a total logistics solution for us. They give us a lot of flexibility.”

William Poiesz Corporate Global Sourcing Manager, LaFrance Corporation

Based in the U.S. with operations in China and Japan, LaFrance Corporation is the leading manufacturer of corporate branding solutions and nameplates. Although FedEx had long provided the company with a fast and efficient speed-to-market, LaFrance sought a more cost-effective, yet timely, solution for shipping their products.

A cost-effective, comprehensive solution from Asia to the U.S.

The Challenges LaFrance Corporation was using FedEx International Priority® and FedEx International Priority DirectDistribution® for a majority of their import shipments to meet customers’ needs, with minimal use of ocean. The company was seeking a supplementary service to complement its shipping plan. They approached FedEx account manager James Royston for a solution that would lower transportation costs without impeding product speed-to-market.

“They had always asked for a less expensive transportation mode from China that still would meet their customers’ needs, but we did not have this service with FedEx Express,” says Royston.

The SolutionsCollaborating with Royston, LaFrance chose FedEx International DirectDistribution Ocean Solutions, offered by FedEx Trade Networks. The FedEx International DirectDistribution program allows the flexibility to ship both ground and LTL (less-than-truckload) shipments in the same container. The shipping solution provides multiple sailings a week out of China. It also offers LaFrance the option to combine palletized shipments in one ocean container that includes final delivery freight shipments for the U.S. via FedEx Freight® and small packages via FedEx Ground.®

“Challenges come up and that is what makes the relationship so strong — coming up with solutions to meet those challenges,” says Royston.

“You always have issues; it is how you work through them. And FedEx has a great team to do that,” says William Poiesz, corporate global sourcing manager, LaFrance Corporation.

The ResultsIn 2002, 85 percent of LaFrance products were shipped via air. Through FedEx Trade Networks, LaFrance’s shipping goal was to move 80 percent of their products by ocean. By late 2007, the company was shipping 70 percent by ocean with their goal closer in sight. LaFrance continues to take advantage of the diverse portfolio of FedEx® services.

“We send containers on a weekly basis — air, ocean, LTL — they all just flow,” says Poiesz. “And we have lowered overall costs by 15 percent.”

After utilizing FedEx International DirectDistribution, LaFrance now benefits from:

• Shipment visibility from origin to destination.• Flexibility in shipping ground and LTL shipments

in the same container.• Routing changes made while en route.• Lower operating costs through bypassing of

distribution centers.• Customs clearance of all shipments under one

consolidated invoice.• Cost savings on less-time-sensitive shipments.• Option of upgrading to FedEx Express® shipping.• Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that smoothes

the transition to an end-to-end solution.

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