The idea is not new—the key to solving capacity issues is being well-connected with shippers and carriers, and having a deep understanding of what is needed while continually seeking to better understand trends and needs. What sets Lanehub apart is their independent and intense focus on a single goal: Develop a low cost solution that makes collaboration simple, provides total transparency, and creates the density to generate significant synergies for both shippers and carriers. Sound familiar?
It’s actually an innovative new solution.
“Think of it more as a community or a social network where mostly shippers and carriers come together to identify long term efficiencies by aligning their networks,” CEO Mark Hackl tells FreightWaves.
Hackl most recently directed Schreiber Food’s transportation team and participated on the board of directors for the Food Shippers of America. With over 20 years in the industry at Georgia Pacific, GENCO, Veriha, and Schreiber Foods working as a shipper, a carrier and a third-party logistics provider, he has seen all sides of the logistics industry.
“We are not a broker and our technology helps establish relationships that fit well with the freight the carrier is already hauling. Shippers share ‘packages’ that include lane matches with other shippers they’ve partnered with in Lanehub, with the goal of helping their carriers connect with new backhaul shippers to support their network. The carrier may already have good backhaul freight, but this allows them to simply determine their interest level in new opportunities that can help balance their lanes or create better utilization or pricing,” Hackl explains.
Lanehub’s collaborative transportation community automatically identifies and connects companies with complimentary shipping lanes, then facilitates multi-company collaboration using benchmark rate transparency to build attractive lane bundles that create new opportunities to reduce costs, eliminate waste, and secure additional truckload capacity.
The Lanehub community is a network of companies and transportation professionals. You can strengthen your network by inviting your suppliers and customers to improve truckload capacity within your own supply chain or look outside your network to find new opportunities to connect your freight lanes. As you grow your network connections you’ll create more attractive freight, which lowers your cost and improves your carrier’s utilization. Transportation professionals are looking to collaborate and the Lanehub community is the place to make it happen.
“What we’ve got is unique to what you’ll see out there. We’re building relationships where efficiencies can be gained. We’re not just matching loads; that’s very tactical stuff,” says Hackl.
“The story behind Lanehub, says Hackl, “is we bring shippers together with not only carriers but even with other shippers. It’s almost like a Match.com. Instead of just a one-way move, we’re looking to help companies from all spectrums of the supply chain so that they can source the right fleet—contract or dedicated—to find the complementary freight.”
The software helps you find who you should partner with. Your lanes and your data are only available to those who you agree to partner with.
“The thing that usually separates us—our software matches lanes, not loads,” Hackl says. “Once we match those lanes, we think of it more as a strategic sourcing or procurement tool to take advantage of those matches. It’s not just a one-time match. We can help companies come together and work together. When you think about bidding software—most of it leaves it up to the carrier to figure out the back haul. We help carriers find synergies and efficiencies.”
The company was founded in 2015, and is excited to announce another round of seed funding to accelerate their growth. Their connection with additional angel investors outside of Wisconsin includes investors on the east coast and an international investor. They have a strong relationship with NEW Venture Foundry who took the lead with this round. The funding will allow them to expand our team and invest in new technology to support and grow their member companies.
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