Q&A with TA Services’ Pro to Know Andrew Welling, Director of Cross-Border Logistics Services

Five Questions and Answers from the Pro Himself!

Congratulations to TA Services’ Andrew Welling, Director of Cross-Border Services, on being named to the Supply and Demand Chain Executive’s 2022 Pros to Know list! We wanted to get to know the “Pro” himself, so we followed up with Andrew in a quick Q&A to learn just what makes him a “Pro to Know.”

Q: In the Pros to Know press release, we learned about one of your most well-received initiatives of the year: the TA Services Supplier Portal. Why did you build it? Who uses it? What is the biggest benefit for those who use it?

A: The portal was a no-brainer for our cross-border services group. It had been discussed for years but, due to other priorities, it had not been executed. When I joined the company, I made it one of our top priorities as it gives us a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Any time you can drive cost out of an operation, it delivers results for the organization and, ultimately, the client.

Our shippers were already doing the work of manually filling out a shipping request form and emailing it to us. Then we would have to manually add it to our system and if anything was forgotten, we would have to start an email chain requiring the needed information. In less time than it would take to fill out the form, all the necessary information is entered in the Transportation Management System (TMS) and the team can work smarter to optimize and route freight. The implementation of the portal really eliminated the non-value work of data entry and also ensured we had the information needed to process shipments and begin moving freight.

Q: What is cross-border logistics?

A: TA Services’ cross-border logistics services allows for clients to seamlessly ship across the borders in North America. We have strategic offices in Indianapolis, IN; Monterrey, MX; and Toronto, CA which allows us to have dynamic flexibility for our clients and provide unmatched assistance for their cross-border shipping needs. We also have strategic warehouses and partners situated at the border in such places as Laredo, TX; El Paso, TX; and Detroit, MI – they give TA the advantage of being able to transload and offer warehousing solutions.

Another added benefit of TA Services is our unique USCMA Consolidation that allows customers to ship Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) to and from Laredo and El Paso with efficient transit, reduced damages, and overall less handling.

Q: Is the supplier portal only used for cross-border logistics suppliers?

A: The supplier portal is currently only used for our cross-border logistics suppliers and select Managed Transportation providers, but we do plan to continue expanding this service offering where appropriate.

Q: You say that the company culture at TA Services is unparalleled. What makes the culture so special? Why do people get up each day and go to work at TA?

A: TA Services is a people-first organization. We always look to see how anything we do impacts our people and how it impacts the overall organization. We want to be a place where people want to come to work.

TA ensures that we have the technology, processes, and resources for our employees to not only be successful, but to also grow and develop in their career path. Our people are what set us apart, and I really do feel TA Services goes the extra mile to ensure the success of our people which, in turn, leads to success for our clients.

Q: What does it feel like to be on the Pros to Know List?

A: It was quite an honor to be listed as a Pro to Know by Supply and Demand Chain Executive! I felt like a celebrity when the announcement came out. It was so great to see all my social network reach out to me to congratulate and send well wishes. It was really humbling as I realized how many people have helped me get to where I am today, and I am truly grateful for everything my friends, family, and co-workers have done to support me.

Q: Do you have any other cross-border shipping solutions in the works? What can we look forward to?

A: We are always innovating at TA! Our team is working to improve visibility in real-time on shipments at the border. We are looking a few years out and considering where we want to grow our business and what locations make sense to develop next. Growth is always on the horizon for TA Services – keep your eyes open to see what we have in store next!