The Shipper of Choice award, presented by FreightWaves in partnership with TriumphPay, recognizes the manufacturers, distributors and retailers that do the best job of keeping the American economy moving by fighting driver detention, providing accessible facilities and understanding what it takes to remove inefficiencies from the supply chain.

Among the top 25 Shippers of Choice for 2023 is … HNI Corp.

About HNI Corp.

Why HNI is a Shipper of Choice

Office furnishings company HNI Corp. wants to have collaborative partnerships with its drivers, and that’s why the Muscatine, Iowa-headquartered company has been selected as a FreightWaves Shipper of Choice for 2023, according to nominators.

HNI “consistently strives to be carrier and driver friendly. With preloaded freight that is almost always ready early, we can keep drivers moving, and don’t have to plan for unnecessary downtime for our team,” said Jesse Houseman, dedicated operations leader with carrier Ruan Transportation Management Systems. Houseman was referring to HNI’s workplace furnishings segment; HNI’s other business segment consists of residential building products.

“They have designed their facilities to ensure the pickup process is convenient for the drivers with access to clean restrooms and a comfortable environment to relax and take a quick break,” Houseman said.

Indeed, “great facilities for drivers” at HNI’s distribution centers was one of the deciding factors for HNI’s being named to FreightWaves’ Shippers of Choice list, which considers factors such as low detention times, driver friendliness and flexibility. 

In addition to its facilities for drivers, HNI also has an in-house driver app that enables more efficient communication and allows drivers to provide instant feedback on deliveries. The feedback consists of questions about restroom availability, ease of check-in and treatment of drivers, among other items.

Since introducing the app, HNI has increased its internal responses to drivers’ feedback provided via the app, the company told FreightWaves. This year, more than 1,000 deliveries have been rated by drivers, HNI said.

“They truly care about the driver experience, and follow up on every issue that the drivers bring to them,” Houseman said. HNI “is a great partner that has a Win-Win mentality with their logistics providers. Their actions exemplify what it means to be a Shipper of Choice.”

This isn’t the first time HNI (NYSE: HNI) has been named a Shipper of Choice. The company also received that honor in 2020.

“We have continuous team conversations about the significance of being a shipper of choice and the important role that drivers play in our business,” Eric Zilling, HNI vice president of distribution and logistics, told FreightWaves. “This includes investments in our shipping office facilities that provide drivers a comfortable lounge area and amenities when they are picking up our loads. We think of our drivers and carriers as ‘Trade Partners’ as they play an essential role in providing the end customer a great experience.”

HNI recently completed its acquisition of Jasper, Indiana-based Kimball International, another commercial furnishings company. The merger will provide the market with “an unmatched comprehensive product offering positioned to benefit from post-pandemic trends,” HNI President and CEO Jeff Lorenger said in a June 1 release.

About Shipper of Choice partner TriumphPay

TriumphPay is the transportation industry’s premier payment network, trusted by leading shippers, brokers, factors and carriers. Its innovative and highly automated fintech payment solution brings cost savings and efficiencies to antiquated transportation payment processes for network participants. Integrated financing options leverage the strength of TriumphPay’s parent bank and can provide liquidity and cash flow visibility.

TriumphPay is a division of TBK Bank, SSB, Member FDIC, and a member of the Triumph Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ: TBK) group.

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