SmartWay Transport Partnership

PGT partners with the EPA

Did you know PGT has been a SmartWay partner since 2020? In case you don’t know what that means, we’ll explain that here.

In 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a voluntary program to track, document and share information about fuel use and freight emissions across supply chains. The SmartWay Transport Partnership is an innovative collaboration between the EPA and the industry. The SmartWay Transport Partnership provides a framework to assess the environmental and energy efficiency of goods movement supply chains.

The SmartWay program helps “companies identify and select more efficient freight carriers, transport modes, equipment, and operational strategies to improve supply chain sustainability and lower costs from goods movement.” With the support of major transportation industry associations, environmental groups, state and local governments, international agencies, and corporate communities, SmartWay helps offset environmental risk for companies and reduces freight transportation-related emissions.

As a SmartWay partner, we have access to carriers who have also committed to the SmartWay initiatives. We can then combine our partnerships with carriers and the EPA to measure and improve logistics operations so we can reduce our environmental footprint. As a 3PL, we believe it is important to work with carriers who take the environment into consideration and work to improve in any way possible.

Partners rely upon SmartWay tools and approaches to track and reduce emissions and fuel use from goods movement. The Partnership currently has nearly 4,000 Partners including shipper, logistics companies, truck, rail, barge, and multimodal carriers.

We are proud to align our mission with the SmartWay Transport Partnership goals and continue working together to improve the industry’s environmental mark on the world.

For information about the SmartWay Transport Partnership click here.

Sales Openings

Sales openings galore

Okay, so the reality is, we will always be hiring sales associates. It’s just the industry we are in and as we plan continuous growth, we need more people to reach those goals. 

We’ve already posted about our open sales positions, but because the role is so great, we thought we’d do it again. Don’t worry, we won’t repeat ourselves. Instead, check out our video below. If this doesn’t answer all of your questions, just contact us. You won’t regret it!

Let’s Talk Changes

Industry & Pricing Changes

Table Talk Tuesday is back!

Today, Team Jake talks about industry changes over the years and how prices/costs have increased over the years. Better yet, they talk about how we handle them and how our customers should navigate the ever-changing dynamics of shipping freight. Enjoy today’s video below.

Certified MBE

Did you know PGT is a MBE?

In June 2020, PGT opened our doors and began building an operation. One year later, we became a nationally certified, minority owned business enterprise (MBE).

So, the real question is: how does that benefit our business partners?

There are several intangible and quantifiable benefits to working with a MBE. We will do our best to break it down for you.

Cost Savings.

In the modern era, many companies have diversity spend requirements. Partnering with PGT and other MBEs can offer cost saving strategies by taking advantage of numerous federal and state tax incentives, tax breaks, and potential rebates. We won’t pretend to know all of the opportunities on the tax side (you have an accounting/tax department for that, right?) but we do know there are a lot of perks. This could lead to expanded growth opportunities through associate investment, acquiring other companies, expanding your business, etc. There are tax incentives for the MBEs themselves and PGT loves to share those savings with you to help reduce your costs.

Brand Recognition.

Building a working relationship with a MBE can strengthen your brand. It can provide new marketing avenues and community outreach opportunities. Working with minority-owned companies like PGT shows you value inclusion, equality, and unification- all of which tend to paint a positive picture of your company within the local, regional, and national outlets. Your Public Relations team will have new opportunities to get in front of markets they may not have been active in prior to the relationship with a MBE. With more opportunities comes more brand recognition.

Culture.

The value MBEs can provide has proven to be crucial for a company’s culture. Diversity is highly valuable and having a business relationship with a certified MBE like PGT shows that your business recognizes that value. Partnering with MBEs shows that your business supports the expansion and development of minority communities.

Minority-owned companies are well-connected with each other and in local businesses. That alone can bring more opportunity through various networking events.

There are definitely other benefits to working with PGT and other MBEs. We would love to talk to you about it and work together to determine the best plan to build our partnership. We believe all good things start with the initial conversation, so give us a call. We’d love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have. You can reach us directly at 513-575-7645.

Fallouts

Blue semi fleet

The dreaded fallout

One advantage to working with PGT is that you don’t have to deal directly with truck problems. We do that for you. Let’s be honest, that’s a good thing for you.

Just like all aspects of logistics, carriers come with their own set of challenges. Our goal is to minimize those as much as possible, but sometimes things are just out of everyone’s control. Instead of passing that headache on to you, we handle it for you.

One of those challenges is “the fallout.”

Carriers often book loads and then have to drop off the load after the fact. As a broker and a shipper, that can be very painful, especially if the freight is time sensitive.

Why do carriers fall out?

We wish the answer was black and white.

There’s a long list of reasons a carrier may not be able to hold up their end of the agreement.

  • Breakdown
  • Delayed at previous receiver
  • Weather
  • Driver Emergency
  • DOT Inspection

The reality is sometimes they just find a better load. “Better” could mean a few different things, too.

  • Less deadhead miles
  • Delivers closer to home
  • Gets driver to a better outbound shipping location 
  • Lighter/Easier load

In today’s market, however, one of the most common reasons for fallouts is money driven. Due to the tight capacity across the country (see previous blogs on driver shortage), carriers have options to be pick and choose more than they ever have. Majority of the time, they will pick the loads that pay the most money per mile. Can you blame them? No, not really.

In an effort to minimize fallouts, PGT takes some extra steps.

  1. Vet our carriers with multiple different tools.
  2. Use our preferred carrier base first, every time.
  3. Communication is key- we always explain the expectations up front, in detail. We also make sure carriers understand what happens if those expectations aren’t met.
  4. Use our TMS to document all previous fallouts.

Avoiding carrier fallouts is impossible, but we promise to handle it so you don’t have to. We will keep open lines of honest communication with you and will recover the load with a new carrier immediately. The conversation isn’t always easy, but we believe it is necessary in order to build a valuable partnership.

Logistics Administrator

We have the job for you!

Are you organized? Can you multi-task? Are you good at problem-solving? Have you been thinking of a new career path? Or maybe you like the path, you just want to revisit who you work for at the moment?

If the common answer to those questions is YES, you’ll want to keep reading!

The logistics industry has a need for many different skillsets. At PGT, one position we have is a Logistics Administrator. You know what we think about them? They are the glue for the entire operations team.

We’ll explain what’s in it for you. Most people care about the pay first, so we will start there.

We take pride in our work here at PGT and want you to as well. This role offers competitive pay plus a the potential for bonuses throughout the year. The pay goes hand in hand with your experience. We are willing to train, but if you have the background in both administration and logistics, we aren’t afraid to pay you for that experience!

What else does PGT have to offer? Let us break it down for you by highlighting some of the most important parts.

What else does PGT have to offer? Let us break it down for you by highlighting some of the most important parts.

The atmosphere. Relaxed. Casual. Fun. Sound good yet? PGT is all of those things and then some. We want everyone to enjoy coming to work. Sure, there are always going to be bad days, but we believe there are more good days than bad here. There are TVs going, music in the background, and often jokes and stories flying back and forth. We enjoy simple things like casual attire, walks around the building, flexibility, and team events outside of the office.

The benefits. Our list of benefits continues to grow as we grow. We currently offer a 401k with a 401k match! We want you to be with us until you retire, so let us help get you there. We pay a cell phone stipend and paid time off at time of hire. In addition, we can get you set up with medical, dental and vision insurance. Not bad for a company less than two years old, right?

Growth potential. New company = endless opportunities. We have a solid staff that has laid the groundwork for success, now we just need you to help build the foundation of our future. As we grow, so do the opportunities. The potential to move up into various other roles is endless. You can do as much as you want with us and go as far as you want to go. You control your destiny when you work at PGT. How far do you want to go?

Sounds good, right?

Come join our team! Check out the job description on Indeed and apply while you are there!  You can also give us a call at 513-453-6046 to set up an interview.

Table Talk- Carrier Tips

PGT Tips for Carriers

Fun and exciting things just keep coming at PGT. In April, we are introducing a new feature: Table Talk Tuesdays!

This could mean many different things: tips for customers, PGT insider information, industry changes, etc.

Our first episode of Table Talk is geared toward our carriers.

Check out the video below for Carrier Tips with Kandra, Taylor & Jake.

A Million Dollar Milestone

A $1 million month

We told you big things were happening at PGT!

The reality is, though, that it couldn’t have happened without all of our customers, carriers, team members, and families. Our business doesn’t work without each and every one of you, and we are extremely humbled by that.

Thank-you doesn’t seem like enough, but words are hard to come by around here right now. We are proud of our success and cannot wait to continue to grow with all of you! Thank you for all of your support, relationships, and work!

We couldn’t have hit $1 MILLION of revenue in a one-month period, less than two years in business, without you all. March was a big month for us and we are excited to continue sharing our milestones with you!

Because we don’t know what else to say: THANK-YOU one million times over! (I don’t really feel like typing “thank-you” a million times)

$1 Million of Revenue in March calls for balloons, champagne & lunch!

Going Above & Beyond

Going the Extra Mile

It may be a simple concept, but not everyone does it. Here? It’s just what we do.

We take every opportunity we get to learn, understand, and get feedback from our carriers and customers. What better way to do that than see it all firsthand?

That’s exactly what account manager Jason Harper did last week when we drove out to one of his customer’s delivery locations.

But the real question is why. Why bother seeing your customer’s product deliver? Why take time out of your day to check in on a truck driver delivering product for you?

The more we understand about your company, product, and procedures, the better service we can provide. At PGT, we honor our promise of quality service from start to finish. When we get the opportunity to learn more about the shipping and receiving processes our customers deal with, we jump at it. It provides great insight to other aspects of the business. Then we can provide some feedback for you on ideas we may have to make things easier on your end.

It’s always an added bonus when we can see the delivery process from the carrier side of things. It is a great way for us to build relationships with our carrier base, which, in turn, ensure your freight is handled by the drivers who value our relationship.

We’d love to come check out your facilities to ensure we understand just how complex your supply chain is and how we can better serve you. Ask your account rep or give us a call at 513-575-7645. Let’s make it happen!

Fowling Fun!

PGT Family Fun

At PGT, we consider each other family. After all, we spend many hours a week with each other.

This industry can take a toll on you if you don’t balance work, life and fun! We try to combine everything into one around here to help everyone relax, get to know each other personally, and really build that team environment that goes along with our core values.

Every quarter we get out of the office and do something fun. Don’t get us wrong, we do other small things on a regular basis, but every quarter, we make sure we do something bigger and better to let loose.

As we wrap up the first quarter, we thought it would be fun to show you exactly what we mean! Earlier this month we went FOWLING! Nope. That’s not a typo. Fowling.

If you’re like most of us and have never heard of it, you should really check it out! It’s a lot of fun.
The entire PGT staff was there, enjoying each other’s company, having a few drinks, and throwing a football at bowling pins. To make it even better- there was some added friendly (for the most part haha!) competition. As you can see, Kandra may or may not have won…a lot.

Come join our staff! We have several open positions. We are confident you will find one that fits. You still have time to get on board before our Q2 event. You won’t want to miss out.