Averitt Express rolls out new distribution and fulfillment service offering

Freight transportation and logistics services provider Averitt Express said this week it is taking steps to expand its supply chain services portfolio through the launch of Averitt Distribution and Fulfillment.

Averitt said this new service will provide shippers with end-to-end logistics and inventory warehousing and management services.

“The launch of Averitt Distribution and Fulfillment comes at a time in our industry when shippers are increasingly seeking to place inventory closer to key markets and online shopping continues to drive up the demand for order fulfillment services,” says Wayne Spain, Averitt’s president and chief operating officer, in a statement.

The cornerstone of this new offering is the company’s first branded 93,000 square-foot distribution and fulfillment center in Nashville, Tenn., which is adjacent to the Nashville International Airport. Averitt said that this new facility can support various shipping services, including: import and export management, online order fulfillment, pick and pack, small parcel, and white glove delivery.  

Eddie Adkins, Director of Distribution and Fulfillment, Averitt Express, told LM that there were multiple factors that led to the company’s decision to enter the distribution and fulfillment services market.

“Averitt has been involved in warehousing and distribution for many years,” said Adkins. “We operate dedicated account facilities, and dozens of our terminals feature enclosed warehousing space to accommodate multiple shippers. “The increased demand from end consumers for quick delivery, especially in terms of online shopping, was a big factor in our decision to open a facility dedicated to distribution and fulfillment. As online shopping continues to grow, more companies are looking to minimize their lead times to market, including the B2B sector. We are positioning ourselves to help shippers stage their inventory closer to their key markets.”

One of the key shipper customer benefits of this new offering cited by Adkins was that shippers will now be able to position their inventory within a day’s reach of several major markets, including Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago and Birmingham.

“More importantly, we can minimize the hands and touchpoints involved in the customer’s supply chain,” he explained. “We can handle the entire process from international forwarding to inventory management and even white glove delivery all from under one roof. I think that the ability to offer up the whole logistics package removes the complexity of managing a long-tail supply chain.

Adkins added that Averitt customizes its services out of the Nashville facility to meet the customer’s needs. And whether the final delivery is by LTL, full load, parcel or white glove, he said Averitt can accommodate the shipper’s specific needs.

Even though Averitt has multiple terminals and standalone locations that offer joint warehousing and logistics services, the company said that the new Nashville-based location expands its ability to serve “a more diverse field of shippers with varying needs.”

Adkins noted that several of Averitt’s traditional LTL service centers feature enclosed warehousing space where its team can perform fulfillment services. Additionally, it also has a number of dedicated account warehouses that have been able to accommodate additional shippers.

“The big differences with our Nashville facility is the amount of space we have to offer, its location and the fact that it is staffed by a dedicated team that knows the ins and outs of order fulfillment,” he said.

When asked what competitive advantages this new service offering and location provides for Averitt, Adkins said the biggest advantage that Averitt offers is that it builds partnerships with its customers and design custom solutions that fit their distribution, fulfillment and transportation needs.

“We help them streamline and simplify their supply chains with just one invoice and one contact,” he said.