Portacool is a manufacturer and distributor of residential, commercial, and industrial cooling equipment. In 2020 the company realized that maintaining its aggressive growth trajectory would require replacing its 30-year-old ERP system. Acumatica was chosen, and, prior to implementation, shipping solutions were also evaluated.
Portacool’s Pacejet journey began on the recommendation of another trusted shipping partner: its third-party logistics provider (3PL). That a 3PL immediately associated “shipping execution” with “Pacejet” is not surprising: Pacejet has more 3PLs in its carrier network than does any other shipping software provider. A Pacejet-3PL combination provides Portacool with unmatched flexibility, allowing it to leverage relative expertise in parcel execution and freight management – necessities for continued growth.
Among Portacool’s highest priorities: Implementing software that would not only facilitate growth, but would never be outgrown, either. Pacejet and Acumatica were up to the challenge, importing 30 years’ worth of data in a matter of months, making that data accessible, and allowing monthly books to be closed in two days rather than two weeks.
Our solution
The Pacejet platform has supported Portacool’s growth ambitions through key integrations, too. Orders from large retailers come in via EDI (electronic data interchange), the leading supplier of which has a unique Pacejet-Acumatica integration. The company has also recently upgraded to Pacejet’s exclusive Built by Acumatica integration which is anticipated to reduce order processing time by 40-50% compared to third-party-built integrations!
More customer orders than manufacturing capacity is a good problem to have, but a stressful situation nonetheless. The right shipping software can make all the difference. Shipping inefficiencies tend to compound, and magnify, the complexities of an integrated manufacturing-distribution business. Timely, accurate processing and information sharing, both internally and with customers, is key to maintaining customer satisfaction and trust.
The outcome
With integrated manufacturing and distribution, Portacool relies heavily on partnership across divisions. Enabling that internal partnership was a key driver in purchasing Acumatica, and the company expects the same level of partnership from its vendors. This is where Pacejet stood out from the very first demo: It was a team to partner with. There is no question the Pacejet team takes more seriously than: “Will you be our partner here?” and it is the ultimate form of recognition from our customers.
“With all the cards on the table, Pacejet was the clear choice to support our growth strategy. 3PL connections. A strong Acumatica integration. Organization-wide visibility. But, more than anything else, a trustworthy partner who’d be there. No. Matter. What.”