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Call it freight shipping, freight forwarding, time-definite transportation, or expedited logistics. Those are fancy ways of describing an industry that moves large shipments of goods to where they need to go, via air and ground, quickly and safely – mostly so businesses can stay in business.

It’s also High Definition Logistics’ business. “We focus on moving product from point A to point B. That’s the basics,” said Don Norwood, HDL president and founder. “Beyond that, there is the management of information that goes along with it. We help companies optimize their inventory, we help them get a better return on their investment for the product they’re deploying in the field.”

Those products may include network gear for telecommunications purposes; large pieces of medical equipment heading to a hospital; cameras and production equipment for broadcasting; booth construction materials and signage that populate the floors of a trade show’s exhibit halls. And birthday cakes.

Birthday cakes?

“We support large bakeries, and believe it or not every day we’re putting ingredients on airplanes that are coming from suppliers in order to get to the bakery production line, in order to help them maintain for their clients,” Norwood said.

It’s all part of a $50 billion-a-year industry that has nearly 50 companies battling over about half of that annual revenue, according to First Research. Logistic companies play a vital role in overall supply chain management practices. Lest you think it’s just about hoisting freight onto trucks and cargo planes and warehousing everything, consider what can be a stake in some cases; diagnostic imaging equipment breaks down at a hospital, and a replacement is needed fast. Health care logistics can literally ride to the rescue.

So what does HDL offer that’s different from those competing logistics companies? “We focus specifically on North American expedite and time-definite,” Norwood said. “All of the major competitors have been focused on getting larger and going more global. We think that that’s left behind a number of niches that really need a premium North American expedite and time-definite provider.”

To make sure they focus on “getting to the optimal size, not the largest size,” Norwood speaks of HDL’s “Dream 100.” Envision one hundred of the most desirable clients in a set number of industries. We plan to target those and really manage our growth.”

HDL mission is to provide clarity by knowing those clients’ specific business needs. There’s also the use of technology in the “management of information” that Norwood mentioned; software applications that allow instant communication with the company’s network of carrier and agent partners, real-time tracking of the goods as they make their journey, customization of reports to client companies.

And Norwood’s economics degree comes in handy when delivering value to clients. HDL keeps track of the latest developments in volatile oil prices and government regulation trends. “We’ve come up with some creative fuel surcharge hedging strategies for some larger customers, which allow them to gain some stability and some control on that. It’s the one variable cost that’s the hardest to control,” he said.

Speaking of stability, HDL’s core management team has been together since 1989. The team has built a reputation in Texas transportation/logistics as a company with experience in helping customers deal with macro-economic factors effecting the industry. “Ninety-eight percent of the fuel used to transport anything on the planet is derived from a barrel of oil,” Norwood said. “And we all know what the situation there is, so it’s going to enforce new efficiencies on our industry going forward and it’s definitely something that we have to look out for.”

For more information on High Definition Logistics, go to www.hdlog.com.

Show Transcript

Renay San Miguel: Consumers know what its like to rely on companies to set them up in a new city, a new opportunity a new life. Businesses lean on logistics companies in the same manor, when they have to get a lot stuff in a hurry to a particular destination. A big product, a trade show, a major retail partner. It’s got to be moved tracked, delivered all with the specific customers business in mind. The idea is to take that load off of the customer. High Definition Logistics has the experience and unique business model to make for some smooth moves. To compete in the $50 billion dollar a year US shipping business you need some heavy equipment, and a light touch. High Definition Logistics says that’s the difference it brings to a competitive industry. HDL uses the latest software apps to automate communications with its carrier and agent partners across the country. For billing and real time tracking, to manage the data that goes along with the goods shipped across an entire continent. But HDL also has the heavy lifting covered, and the ability to drive efficiency’s along with the forklifts. The company focuses on getting goods for a wide variety of industries where they need to go fast via air or ground, and by helping customers save money along the way. HDL can customize all aspects of the delivery process, including installation once the freight gets to where it’s going. We are speaking now with the Don Norwood he is the Founder and President of High Definition Logistics, thanks so much for your time we appreciate it. Don Norwood: Thank you Renay San Miguel: Tell me a little bit about what, for those that may not be aware that there is actually an industry like this, what exactly happens in a logistics company? Don Norwood: Well, we focus on moving product from point A to point B, that’s the basic. Beyond that there is the management of information that goes along with that. We help companies optimize there inventory we help them get a better return on investment for products they are deploying in the field. Renay San Miguel: What kind of products are you talking about deploying in the field? Give me an example. Don Norwood: We span across a number of industries, specifically we move a lot of air freight and a lot of time definite or ground expedite. Some of the industries would be anything associated with network gear, medical equipment some of those products take a technical delivery. Also on the more expedited side we could have broadcast equipment that goes to produce live events. Any type of JIT Manufacturing products, and today I made a good example of one of the industries we support large bakeries, believe it or not we are putting ingredients on airplanes from suppliers in order to get to the bakery production line in order to help them maintain for there clients. Renay San Miguel: And with JIT just in time it’s got to be there when it needs to be. Don Norwood: Absolutely or when they have a line down someone looses a lot of money. Renay San Miguel: Tell me why start HDL then? What niche did you see need to be filled in the logistics industry that you think your company can? Don Norwood: We focus on specifically North American expedites and time defiant. And a lot of it comes from the history of the industry and all of the major competitors are getting larger and going more global and we think that it has left behind a number of niches that really need a premium North American expedite time defiant provider. Renay San Miguel: The idea is not to get too big because then you lose your since of being nimble. Don Norwood: Absolutely! I think our strategy is called a dream 100 we actually focus on if you can envision 100 of the most desirable clients in a set number of industries, we plan to target those and really manage our growth. And what we really focus on is getting to the optimal size as opposed to the largest size. Renay San Miguel: Okay, you talk about being able to keep track of things that are going on in the economy and how they relate to the logistics industry and to the