Case Study: C.F. Sauer Company Achieves Savings On Transportation Costs And Decreases Freight Expenses

Founded in 1887, The C.F. Sauer Company is one of the United States' major manufacturers of mayonnaise and salad dressings, including it's signature Duke's® mayonnaise brand. In addition, C.F. Sauer manufactures herbs, spices, marinades, sauces, condiments, gravy and seasoning mixes, as well as its signature line of extracts and flavorings which are a regional stalwart. With a strong tradition of product quality and production efficiency, the Richmond, Va.-based, family-owned company sought to streamline its strategic, tactical and operational transportation management processes to support total business transformation and positively impact profitability.

Prior to implementing new transportation and logistics management technology, C.F. Sauer was challenged with reducing the expense from inefficient freight audit and payment processes. The manufacturer's manual payment processes lacked the ability to compare carrier invoices to its contractual rate structure to verify that the manufacturer was being accurately billed. Additionally, transport carrier selection and shipment consolidation at C.F. Sauer's six manufacturing plants and distribution centers were driven more by convenience and familiarity that were often based more on personal preferences than on cost-effective shipment execution decisions. And as the company continues its expansion initiatives, grows through mergers and acquisitions, and increases its export business, C.F. Sauer needed to deploy advanced technology and cost-efficient methods to better manage its transportation planning operations and mitigate supply chain costs.