RENO, NV - The word of today is adapt. Take for example a few stats I picked up from Bud Floyd and Butch Peri who recently launched their new venture Freightflow, a cloud-based, transportation management platform for the perishables industry. Every 12 to 18 months computers double their capabilities, and technological advances that took 12 months in 2000 occurred every 66 minutes in 2013, and that is predicted to change every 30 seconds by 2020. Data will drive the biggest changes, if you hadn’t guessed it already, the Freightflow founders tell me.

“That line of sight into every aspect and efficiency of your transportation management platform, or lack their of, will either allow you to compete, or slow your productivity and profits,” Bud tells me. “It is important to not only embrace the changing supply chain, but embrace the speed at which it is evolving, and can evolve for your business.”

So, what are some of the tenets of Bud and Butch’s Freightflow platform? As with the fundamentals of any efficient supply chain network, these components are key according to the founders:

• Connectivity: promotes real-time visibility, seamless collaboration, and modified processes
• Data Intelligence: offers actionable insights, enhanced efficiencies, accelerated innovation
• Scalability: integrated processes that are flexible and customized
• Responsiveness: speed is the new currency

“Our intuitive model is designed by industry professionals who understand the perishable supply chain,” Butch shares. “We have built this service with cloud-based technology to maximize adaptability for changing industries, and as we all know, fresh produce is ever-changing.”

In addition, this system consolidates ERP and transportation tools into a single platform for maximum efficiency, is easy to use, and offers real-time analytics and robust reporting. To top it off, Freightflow requires minimal start-up costs that allow small- to mid-sized companies to compete, which truly levels the playing field. To break that down, along with an integrated ERP solution, the Freightflow system has a user-friendly dashboard for easy load management and problem prioritization. The company also provides an Administrative Library where all communications/documents are stored in one place for easy access by load. Another benefit is Freightflow Information Mining Tool, which can pull together reports quickly and delivers real-time, easy to access, business decision-making information and knowledge.

When I spoke with Bud earlier this summer, I asked him how a company, just launching in the industry tests its product for efficiencies while continuously updating and upgrading software to the program.

“One of the differences that we pride ourselves on is that before we ever integrate anything new into our current software it goes through 2,100 electronic tests,” Bud shared with me. “The reason for this is that we do not want to integrate an upgrade that will compromise the system. We want to integrate and have it work from day one. We are only as successful as our customers–and the buck stops here.”

With the new frontier of technology in the fresh produce supply chain already here, Freightflow is primed and ready to make an impact and a difference.

Freightflow