Nate Fouch is the strategic account manager for SMC³. He recently took time out to discuss his new role, how he got started in the LTL industry, and what he thinks is key for maintaining a strong business relationship with customers. Get to know more about Nate in this behind the scenes interview.

Supply chain education is one of the core goals of SMC³. Since virtual education is the name of the game these days, SMC³ is now providing a weekly bit of bite-sized supply chain education. “Quick Takes” is at the midpoint of its initial run of episodes. This week, Joel Ringer, chairman of the National Motor Freight Traffic Association’s commodity classifications standards board, stops by to explain LTL classification.

In the current environment, freight transportation providers are paying very close attention to the market because their capabilities are fluctuating drastically each day. The supply and demand equation is swinging back and forth, and lane balance has shifted with little warning. Truckload carriers can gain an accurate measure of freight profitability by relying on SMC³’s Cost Intelligence System.

Kevin Springer, vice president of sales at SMC³, has spent his entire career in the freight transportation industry. He recently took time out of his busy schedule to talk about how he works to connect SMC³ customers with the ideal solutions to meet their business needs.

David Knuth, logistics specialist at IEWC, a global supplier of cable and wire based in Wisconsin, is happy to have an updated RFP process. His company automates the entire LTL bidding procedure with Bid$ense, SMC³’s automated truckload and LTL freight transportation sourcing solution.

Jesse Burnett, Central Garden & Pet’s transportation project manager, helped consolidate transportation decision making in 2015 with SMC³’s Bid$ense. Before using the freight transportation procurement tool, the company shipped its freight via LTL and truckload carriers to retailers throughout the country, relying on each business unit to negotiate directly with their freight transportation providers.