Overview
A national picture-framing and art-materials manufacturer was looking for a more dependable and cost-effective way to move fiberboard between production sites and distribution centers. Their previous providers were only offering over-the-road (OTR) truckload options during a highly unpredictable market, leading to missed pickups, late deliveries, and unnecessary cost fluctuations.
By shifting strategic lanes to Intermodal Rail (IMDL), they lowered transportation spend, improved reliability, and stabilized their entire shipping schedule, saving $200–$450 per load.
1. Customer + Shipment Context
This customer moves steady volumes of fiberboard and pulpboard each week. With long-haul lanes that naturally fit IMDL mileage thresholds, they needed a solution that balanced:
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Consistent on-time performance
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Cost control
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Capacity that doesn’t fluctuate week to week
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Better visibility
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Less risk of damage
2. The Challenge
Before implementing IMDL, the customer faced several recurring issues:
A Volatile OTR Market
Because their previous providers were quoting only truckload options, the customer was repeatedly exposed to:
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Up-and-down spot rates
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Carrier shortages
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Missed pickups
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Late deliveries
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Last-minute rebooking issues
This created disruptions that impacted production schedules, labor planning, and downstream customer orders.
3. Why IMDL Was the Right Fit
Meaningful Cost Savings
On the right long-haul lanes, IMDL typically offers a noticeably lower cost per mile compared to truckload. For this shipper, that translated into:
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$200–$450 savings per shipment
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More stable pricing throughout the year
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Reduced exposure to spot-market volatility
Reliable Capacity
Rail offers steady, predictable capacity. This allowed the customer to keep freight moving, even when the truckload market tightened.
Sustainability Benefits
IMDL moves significantly more freight per gallon of fuel than trucks. For this customer, that meant reducing transportation emissions without increasing costs.
Lower Claims Risk
Fiberboard and pulpboard can be sensitive to excessive handling. The reduced touchpoints in IMDL helped lower the chance of damage.
4. How the Solution Was Implemented
We built a multimodal strategy centered on door-to-door IMDL service through Norfolk Southern, aligned with the customer’s operational needs:
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Door-to-door pickup and delivery
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Appointment-based pickups to match production flow
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Five-day transit times comparable to OTR
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Live tracking visibility across the entire move
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Proactive exception management
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Side-by-side multimodal rate quotes so the customer could compare IMDL vs. OTR anytime
This approach gave them control over cost, service, and transit time, every single week.
5. Customer Impact
Stronger Operational Performance
The shift to IMDL delivered immediate improvements:
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On-time pickup and delivery improved from 82% to 100%
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Transportation costs dropped by $200–$450 per load
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Weekly production flow became more predictable
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DC staffing and scheduling became easier to plan
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Freight visibility improved across their network
By giving them the ability to choose between IMDL and OTR on a shipment-by-shipment basis, the customer gained more flexibility during peak seasons and volume spikes.
Budget and Planning Benefits
With more stable pricing and performance:
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They were able to reallocate budget into other operational priorities
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They avoided overtime and costly delays tied to late freight
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They gained confidence in scheduling outbound customer orders
6. Key Lessons for Other Shippers
The main takeaway for other manufacturers:
If your lanes are long-haul and consistent, IMDL can help you control cost and reliability without sacrificing service.
IMDL is especially valuable when shippers want:
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Better cost stability
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Predictable capacity
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Lower claims
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A buffer against an unpredictable truckload market
7. Why This Approach Is Repeatable
This strategy works well for any shipper who can answer “yes” to the following:
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Do you ship 700+ miles?
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Do you have steady weekly volume?
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Are OTR rates or capacity swings affecting your budget?
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Are late pickups or delivery disruptions creating internal challenges?
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Is sustainability becoming a priority for your organization?
If so, IMDL can be a strong lever for improved service and cost efficiency.
Conclusion
By shifting the right lanes to intermodal rail, this manufacturer strengthened reliability, reduced transportation spend, and improved network performance. IMDL helped them stabilize production schedules, support DC operations, and reduce claims, while delivering consistent savings month after month.
Are your long haul lanes facing cost pressure or inconsistent carrier coverage? Feel free to reach out to our team to review your lanes and see where intermodal rail can unlock savings and reliability for your network.