Global Pharma Company Improves 3PL Structure
$1M in Supply Chain Savings Through Smart Transport Optimization
Turning cost pressure into performance through structured savings projects and data-driven execution
A global pharmaceutical manufacturer faced escalating logistics costs—especially across air freight, international shipments, and cold chain transport. With no centralized transportation function, the company lacked visibility, governance, and strategy for managing this critical spend. SPARQ360 was engaged to identify and execute savings opportunities while laying the groundwork for long-term operational improvements.
The Challenge
Transportation spend was high and poorly controlled. No single person or group was accountable for managing logistics across regions or modes, leading to inefficiencies, inconsistent carrier performance, and excess cost—particularly in cold chain and expedited shipments. The company needed a structured approach to identify savings while preserving quality and compliance.
SPARQ360’s experienced team deploys a boots-on-the-ground approach and mediate operations and customer’s leadership teams allowing us to make unbiased, objective decisions based purely on what is best for our customers. Our team provided hands on guidance to warehouse staff, documented process changes and enabled inter-departmental communication to maximize their 3PL engagement. This was the missing link for this client.
The Strategy
SPARQ360 began by collecting and analyzing 12 months of shipment and cost data across carriers, modes, and geographies. High-cost areas were prioritized: air freight, international lanes, and temperature-sensitive shipments. The goal: identify targeted, actionable savings projects that wouldn’t disrupt service.
Related service: Transportation Optimization
The Implementation
Six distinct savings projects were developed and delivered through a structured methodology:
- Identification of cost reduction opportunities
- Analysis of business impact and feasibility
- PAF (Project Approval Form) process with internal alignment
- Kickoff & Execution with project teams
- Implementation with performance tracking
- Monitoring using monthly KPI reviews to validate actual results
To improve cold chain shipments, GPS tracking was implemented, providing real-time visibility into both location and temperature of international deliveries.
The Results
- $1M in cost savings achieved in the first 10 months
- Improved shipment visibility with GPS tracking
- Fewer cold chain quality issues, improving compliance
- Structured pipeline of savings projects now embedded in operations
While smaller internal changes may have delivered incremental results, SPARQ360’s end-to-end approach enabled high-impact savings—and laid a foundation for continuous supply chain improvement.
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