NASSTRAC, a non-profit association that provides education, advocacy, provider relations, and networking for transportation and logistics professionals, created the award 15 years ago to annually recognize a shipper that has demonstrated excellent in recent transportation and/or logistics strategies. A wide range of manufacturers, retailers, and other companies managing freight through their supply chains have received the award through the years.
Big Lots received the award specifically because of its initiatives to improve process management, relationships with its carrier partners, and performance measurement, according to Brian Everett, NASSTRAC's executive director. "Big Lots has reorganized internally to facilitate significant change and improvement in their transportation process management, which has ultimately resulted in improved on-time delivery to its distribution centers," he said. "They've also instituted significant programs that encourage improved collaboration with their carrier partners and have transformed their transportation team into an effective service-oriented organization - qualities that NASSTRAC encourages in its members."
According to Katy Keane, Big Lot's vice president of transportation, the shipper operates five regional DCs to support 1,400 retail stores. She says additional initiatives Big Lots has implemented to improve operational efficiencies include a cross-docking program and a uniform performance-measurement system.
