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Native Art Requires Special Care
September 27, 2010
Specialized Transportation, Inc., a business leader in high touch supply chain solutions, provides customized solutions for Native American Totemic Art. George Gulli & Son Woodcarving of Victor, Montana handcrafts totem poles that are transported around the world. Owner, George Gulli, Jr. experienced some unfavorable and very expensive requirements from previous vendors and needed to optimize the loading and transporting of totem poles. STI’s standard protocol of cargo securement, lift gates and blanket wrap solutions solved George Gulli’s logistics issues. While totem poles can be very tall, 5 feet to 60 feet, Gulli was using a carrier which required him to crate the totem poles to ensure no damage would be incurred during transit. Calvin Smith, of Big Sky Logistics, STI’s agent in Montana, stated, “It was a treat talking to George Gulli, Jr. explaining to him how our process was different from a traditional carrier.” George Gulli & Son was able to save over $150 in material for every shipment as well several hours of labor as each totem pole required a customized crate for its specific characteristics. STI’s standard lift gate, blanket-wrap and 4-wheel dollies made loading and unloading easy. The blankets help protect the poles while securing them inside the trailer – this allows for tight securement while protecting the crafted art. Further, these blanket wrap programs enable customers to meet their sustainability requirements as packing materials and dunnage are kept to a minimum.
George Gulli Jr. expressed how on-time delivery is critical. “Each order is custom, hand-crafted and takes sometimes months to complete, on-time delivery without damage is extremely important. Each shipment is received with excitement as each totem pole tells a story or event specific to a group, family or individual – a damaged piece of art is a huge disappointment. If my customers are happy, I'm happy. That is where I see STI as being different from others.” stated George Gulli Jr.
About STI
STI has been an asset-based industry leader of specialized supply chain solutions since 1965, formerly as the High Value Products/Logistics Division of North American Van Lines, before becoming an independent company in 2004. STI provides customized supply chain solutions for products that require high touch support, special handling and equipment, and value added on site services. Supporting the business to business and business to consumer markets, the company provides multi-modal logistics supported by an extensive network of distribution centers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The suite of services includes specialized padded van transportation, trade show support, first and final mile logistics, white glove services, transportation management, warehousing, home delivery, and technology tools. STI supports customers in the Technology, Healthcare, Industrial, Furniture, Store Fixtures, Retail, and Financial Services markets. Please visit www.STIdelivers.com for more information.
Contact: Julie Eck, Manager – Marketing & Business Development, STI, 5001 U.S. Highway 30 West, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46818 Phone: 260.429.1413 Fax: 260.429.3213
Email: julie.eck@stidelivers.com
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