Watson Customers Step Up To Fight The Pandemic Logistics Challenges

Our nation has been faced with an unprecedented hardship as we contend with the coronavirus pandemic. However, despite the quick adaptions to mandates and the ever-evolving changes, Watson’s logistics customers continue to ship products such as food, medical supplies, and other life-sustaining materials. We owe corporations such as C.H. Robinson, Geodis, and Atalanta Corporation our gratitude. 

Throughout this challenging time, the staff at each company has been working on the front lines of the logistics and shipping industry, and by doing so, they continue to demonstrate their tenacity and remarkable character by ensuring that the flow of essential goods persists. 

As shipping and transportation companies struggle to manage the pandemic’s growing impact on their supply chains, these three Watson customers are implementing sourcing strategies and risk management to combat the challenges so consumers can still get the goods they need for daily life.

This includes businesses like C.H. Robinson, a global transportation and logistics corporation. They’ve stepped up in multiple ways, including operations, risk management, and a people-first strategy. Their initial plan of attack was to optimize the company’s production and distribution aptitudes of their supply chain with flexible operational capabilities to handle the changes and adapt to new protocols. Interruption risk management policies have also been put into place, including monitoring suppliers as well as restrictions on imports that will impact inventories and regular shipping schedules.

Overall, C.H. Robinson has put the health and safety of its employees and customers at the top of their priority list. Remote-working arrangements and a clear communications plan with the staff has kept workers informed. For example, the company has integrated an information hub online to address frequently asked questions and to delineate company protocols. The corporation further supports employees by providing financial relief through a program of offering fuel discounts, providing meals to truck drivers and essential workers, and by making donations to the truckers’ financial assistance charity, the St. Christopher’s Fund. 

Atalanta Corporation, one of the largest food importers in North America, is also working through the difficulties to make certain their supply chain carries on as normal, in order for food stocks to remain available. This includes a higher level of collaboration to ensure a responsive supply chain. And even though there are many moving parts involved—consistent daily communication, transparency surrounding the capability and capacity of suppliers, and how to mitigate holdups—working together with their partners has been a win-win solution in navigating the complexities. 

Although package volumes have increased significantly for Geodis, another logistics giant, they continue to work tirelessly to ensure service levels remain high so food and medical supplies can reach their intended locations as usual. The company has launched an assembly of air charter services to help customers with urgent shipments during the COVID-19 crisis. In May, Geodis was able to make sure millions of essential workers received the personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to stay safe and healthy while on the front lines. A shipment of 13 million masks arrived at Hartsfield – Jackson Atlanta International Airport: the largest amount delivered to the airport during the pandemic.

We are proud to be in partnership with our customers at this time, while they continue to supply essential materials and goods moving across the globe and maintaining business as usual at a time when the nation needs us most.

To learn more about Watson Land Company, please visit us at www.watsonlandcompany.com