Partnering with Full-Service 3PL: Value of Freight Brokerage Services

When it comes to outsourcing fulfillment, businesses often focus on finding a partner that can efficiently pick, pack, and ship their products. But what if your order fulfillment partner could do more than just warehouse product, manage inventory and ship orders? What if they could streamline your entire supply chain, optimize transportation logistics, and save you money on freight? That’s where a full-service 3PL with freight brokerage and transportation management services comes into play.

At PBD, we have a dedicated freight brokerage division, Freight Scouts. PBD clients have access to Freight Scouts’ transportation management solutions including everything from Full Truckload (FTL) to Less-than-Truckload (LTL) to International Freight and Specialized Freight including temperature-controlled, high-value, oversized freight and much more.

Freight and transportation management aren’t just add-on services—they're essential to keeping your logistics operations running smoothly and cost-effectively. Here’s why choosing a 3PL that offers freight brokerage services can give your business a significant advantage.

Comprehensive Freight Solutions

Unlike a standard fulfillment provider that only handles warehousing and order fulfillment, a full-service 3PL partner offers a complete suite of transportation management solutions including:

• Full Truckload (FTL): Perfect for businesses shipping large volumes, FTL helps you move high-capacity loads efficiently and with fewer touchpoints, reducing the risk of damage and delays.
• Less-than-Truckload (LTL): Ideal for smaller shipments that don’t require a full truck. LTL consolidates freight from multiple businesses, helping you save on transportation costs by only paying for the space your shipment occupies.
• Intermodal: If your business looking for a more sustainable and cost-effective option, intermodal shipping combines multiple modes of transportation, like rail and truck, to move your goods long distances.
• International Freight: Whether you're importing or exporting, having a 3PL partner that can handle your international freight logistics ensures that your business can seamlessly manage global shipments and navigate customs requirements.
• Specialized Freight Services: Some products require special handling, such as temperature-controlled goods, oversized loads, or hazardous materials. Find a logistics partner with expertise in moving specialized freight, ensuring safe and compliant delivery.

PBD’s freight brokerage division, Freight Scouts, offers solutions across all modes allowing you to consolidate your logistics under one roof, reducing complexity and enhancing visibility to your supply chain.

Cost Savings Through Rate Negotiation

One of the biggest benefits of partnering with a 3PL that offers both order fulfillment services and transportation management services is access to better rates. Established relationships and higher volumes allow your 3PL provider to negotiate better rates and pass those savings onto you. Your business will benefit from economies of scale that you wouldn’t be able to achieve on your own.

The ability to source the best rates across multiple carriers ensures you’re not overpaying for shipping, whether you’re moving a full truckload, LTL or international freight. This cost-saving advantage is particularly important since shipping is one of the largest expenses for product-based businesses.

End-to-End Supply Optimization

When your fulfillment partner manages both fulfillment and freight logistics, you gain an integrated solution that streamlines your entire supply chain. From warehouse operations to transportation management, PBD and Freight Scouts work together to ensure smooth transitions between fulfillment and freight reducing lead times and avoiding bottlenecks.

This holistic approach improves delivery times, lowers overall transportation costs and increases customer satisfaction. Additionally, it gives you full visibility into every stage of the supply chain, allowing you to monitor shipments, inventory levels and key performance indicators (KPIs) in one place.

Scalability for Growing Businesses

As your business grows, so do your logistics needs. Managing freight becomes increasingly complex when you’re dealing with multiple warehouses, distribution centers, and a variety of shipping lanes.

With all-in-one fulfillment partner like PBD Worldwide, you can easily scale your transportation operations without adding in-house logistics teams or negotiating with individual carriers. Freight Scouts. PBD’s freight brokerage division, has the flexibility to handle large volumes of shipments across all modes, whether you’re shipping regionally, nationally, or globally. As your business scales, you’ll have the confidence that your transportation needs are being managed by experts who understand how to move freight efficiently and cost-effectively.

Partnering with a full-service 3PL that grows with your business as it scales offers many advantages. Freight brokerage and transportation management services, in particular, can reduce costs, optimize your supply chain, provide expert guidance, and enhance customer service—taking your logistics to the next level as your business expands.

PBD Worldwide has been a leader in order fulfillment and warehousing services since 1976. With fulfillment centers in Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C., our clients benefit from a nationwide network that reduces shipping costs and transit times. We order same day order fulfillment solutions for direct-to-consumer (DTC), business-to-business (B2B) and retail fulfillment and a full suite of additional logistics services including freight brokerage and transportation management solutions with our Freight Scouts division. To learn more about how your business can Ship Fast & Scale Faster, contact us today.