From Fragmented Freight Management to a Global Logistics Partnership

A global pharmaceutical manufacturer was managing a complex transportation network across North America with limited visibility into purchase orders, inconsistent ordering patterns, and fragmented planning processes. Local transportation decisions, self-managed consolidation, and last-minute shipment changes created unnecessary cost and made it difficult to optimize the network.

Looking for opportunities to improve efficiency, the company engaged C.H. Robinson to analyze its transportation data and identify ways to better manage freight across its North American operations.

Turning data into action

The engagement began with a focused review of freight moving from facilities in Canada and Dallas. Using Navisphere®, Order Optimizer, and Advanced Analytics, C.H. Robinson gave the customer a better understanding of its transportation network, uncovering opportunities that had previously been hidden by limited data visibility.

The analysis revealed opportunities to improve planning, reduce unnecessary expedited shipments, and increase consolidation across the network. By extending planning horizons and centralizing transportation management, C.H. Robinson identified an estimated 4–5% reduction in transportation spend while improving overall network efficiency with a 10-12% reduction in the number of shipments.

Rather than simply recommending cost savings, the team developed a roadmap to transform how freight would be planned and executed.

Building a more connected supply chain

The proposed solution replaced fragmented transportation management with a structured, centralized logistics model.

Key improvements included:

• Reduction of total shipments with our Order Optimizer
• Centralized transportation planning using Navisphere®
• Improved consolidation opportunities across facilities
• Longer planning horizons to reduce last-minute changes, overtime, and unplanned costs
• Enhanced data visibility to drive continuous network optimization
• Advanced analytics tools for robust reporting, including a spend per order report

Continuous improvement plan to enhance supplier collaboration and visibility through the C.H. Robinson PO Management platform. This shift gave the customer greater control over a highly regulated, temperature controlled supply chain while creating a stronger foundation for future growth.

Earning a larger role

After evaluating proposals from more than 30 logistics providers, the customer selected C.H. Robinson as its lead logistics provider for a full logistics outsource. This expanded the relationship based on the measurable value demonstrated through the transportation network analysis.

C.H. Robinson was chosen to manage an estimated $35 million transportation program spanning North American and global freight operations. Purchase order management capabilities, enhanced supply chain visibility, and the ability to quantify cost-saving opportunities emerged as key differentiators throughout the evaluation process.

Positioned for long-term success

By following a structured onboarding approach, it brought together dedicated implementation specialists, project management, and operations teams to support a seamless transition.

As the customer’s needs expand, they will leverage C.H. Robinson’s capabilities like centralized planning, enhanced visibility, and global logistics expertise to create a more connected, resilient supply chain ready to support continued business growth.

The partnership demonstrates how data-driven insights, healthcare supply chain expertise, and collaborative planning can transform logistics from a cost center into a strategic business advantage.