SUCCESS STORY: PACKAGING LOGISTICS
Charter NEX has seen improved on-time deliveries, reduced product damage, better ability to manage fluctuations in demand, and streamlined operations with faster warehouse turnaround times.
Charter NEX partnered with Badger Logistics to address these challenges through a logistics arrangement that combined local asset-based trucking with an integrated warehousing service.
The partnership began about two years before the COVID-19 pandemic, starting with trucking services and expanding to include warehousing within the first year to optimize Charter NEX’s just-in-time supply chain.
When the pandemic hit, and Charter NEX’s orders surged, particularly for medical-related products, Badger quickly adapted, expanding storage capacity and developing new consolidation strategies to handle the increased volume.
We provided a fleet of modern, food-grade trailers that met Charter NEX’s strict standards. This included drop trailer services at the Milton plant, giving the company flexible loading and unloading options. Our routes covered local, regional, and long-haul needs, easily adapting to Charter NEX’s diverse shipping requirements.
They started doing drop trailers for us, so we were able to load trailers at night or whenever we could. That kept our inventory down. Basically anything we’ve ever asked, they’ve done.
— Adam Miller, Shipping Team Lead, Charter NEX
Our hub is only 60 miles from Charter NEX’s Milton plant. This proximity allowed for efficient pickups and deliveries. We also leveraged our existing Fox Valley routes to cost-effectively serve Charter NEX’s numerous customers in that area.
With over 200,000 square feet of FDA-registered storage space, our integrated warehouse became crucial when Charter NEX’s production spiked during the pandemic. We also created a smart consolidation program for shipments to key customers, including a large manufacturer in the Fox Valley area. This streamlined logistics to reduce complexity while cutting transportation costs.
The warehousing service started with one of our customers that was close to Badger. And since then, it’s evolved into all of our other plants shipping things there, too. It’s evolved a lot for us, but nothing’s changed on Badger’s end. They’re still doing everything we need done from a shipping and warehousing perspective.
— Adam Miller
Shipping Team Lead
Charter NEX
We manage shipments between Charter NEX’s various plants in Milton, Rhinelander, Superior, and Lumberton, North Carolina, coordinating complex multi-state logistics. During peak times, especially during the pandemic, we provided extra storage trailers at Charter NEX’s facility for temporary warehousing.
We assigned dedicated account managers who took the time to understand Charter NEX’s business thoroughly. This allowed for proactive problem-solving that’s become increasingly hard to find. Unlike many large warehousing companies, we showed flexibility with last-minute changes, even accepting late paperwork to ensure on-time deliveries.
Badger’s customer service has been fantastic—and that’s becoming really hard to find these days. The other day, I called them up, and within three hours, they had something brought back from the warehouse. It helped us out a lot. It’s like that every time—they’re one of those logistics partners that is so good, they never tell you “no.”
— Adam Miller
Shipping Team Lead
Charter NEX
The Badger warehouse is known for its speed, with most trucks in and out in under 30 minutes. This efficiency improved Charter NEX’s overall supply chain performance.
We have quite a few trucks that end up in Rochelle daily. And Milton is 60 miles from Rochelle. So it’s a perfect fit for us. Providing drop trailers was another huge benefit. The Milton location isn’t very big, so they really can’t have products sitting on their floor. We have to have all paperwork and pallets ready to be able to guarantee them delivery tomorrow. Charter knows that we are going to work with them until the last minute.
Vice President of Operations
Badger Logistics
They’ve helped us a lot with our detention times. They also deliver our pallets. Those take two to three hours to unload, so not having to do live unloads with those has helped us tremendously. On a busy day, we could spend two or three hours with one person unloading a trailer that could be loading. That’s huge for us. Over a year, we’re probably talking at least a few thousand dollars saved on detention times. I don’t have the exact number because it’s been so long since we’ve dealt with it.
Badger is also always willing to move trailers for us without question. Other carriers that won’t do that. Inventory management has been smoothed out a lot. There have been times when we had inventory issues on our end—freight that was at Badger’s warehouse, and they, without question, let us come up there and gave us a driver, and he moved everything we needed so we could do our accounts. That’s real service.
The warehousing component has also been huge for us. We’ve used other warehousing methods that are not so easy. All we have to do is send the paperwork to Badger, and we know it’s going to get taken care of, whereas in other warehouses, we have to monitor more, or they will lose product. I can’t say we’ve ever had Badger lose a single thing.
Shipping Team Lead
Charter NEX
We’ve taken all the inefficiency out of their line to a major customer. The other thing is we’ve built a great relationship with that customer. Charter knows that when we’re consolidating these truckloads, we’re making the appointments and on-time delivery. They know it’ll get taken care of.
Vice President of Operations
Badger Logistics
Access our fleet of 50+ tractors, 300+ trailers, and 210,000+ sq ft of warehousing. Our integrated approach ensures seamless coordination, reducing costs for packaging companies.
With Badger Logistics, you get more than a service provider—you get a partner who understands your industry’s complexities and provides tailored solutions to drive your success.
Our flexible capacity model combines asset-based trucking with an extensive brokerage network, scaling resources to match your seasonal needs.
Integrated warehousing and transportation services with real-time tracking enable precise coordination of inventory with production and delivery schedules.
Our 210,000+ square feet of FDA-registered, food-grade warehousing ensures compliant storage of your packaging materials.
From flatbed services for raw materials to climate- controlled storage for finished products, we offer end-to-end logistics solutions for all stages of your supply chain.