Case Study Reveals How Transportation Strategy Helps Florida Nursery Business Blossom

In 2010, Eric Cord, President of Windmill Farms Nurseries in Central Florida, realized he was in the wrong business. His nursery was booming, and national retailers wanted more of his plants for their customers. But there was a problem – Cord found himself planted firmly on the transportation side of the business. The company that ships more than 5 million plants annually throughout the southeast U.S. had amassed a fleet of 18 tractors and 30 trailers, a crew of drivers that fluctuated with seasonal peaks, and the variable costs that come in tow. Essentially, Windmill Farms had become both a nursery and trucking company.

How could the company offload the trucking operations, reel in costs, reduce product loss, and still maintain on-time deliveries and stellar customer service, especially during peak season?

A new case study reveals how Windmill Farms’ partnership with Ryder Dedicated Transportation Solutions created a flexible transportation solution that scales with seasonal demands and allows the company to focus on its core business of delivering exceptional product and unparalleled customer service.

The case study explores how Windmill Farms now enjoys:
Scalability. Windmill Farms sold off its fleet and now accesses fleet assets, for-hire carriers, and other resources that allow the company to reliably ramp up as seasonal demand grows.

Ample pool of skilled drivers. In-depth driver training creates a constant crew of customer service “ambassadors” – even dressed in Windmill Farms uniforms.

Cost savings. Not only was the company able to eliminate fleet ownership costs, but drivers now also retrieve and return racks used to display plants – reducing rack loss from 12 percent to 0.8 percent and delivering thousands of dollars in savings.

The latest equipment and ’round the clock maintenance. Windmill Farms has the most current vehicles and technology available – and no longer receives breakdown or service calls.

Discover how Windmill Farms Nurseries was able to shed its trucking operations, return to its business roots, maintain exceptional customer service, and boost its bottom line by partnering with Ryder Dedicated Transportation Solutions. Download the case study now.