Teaming Up With Flexport to Better Serve Its US Customers

Overview

Intermax was established in 1995 in Seoul, South Korea. With offices and factories across Vietnam, the company manufactures and exports technical outerwear for customers around the world, especially in the US and Italy.

Getting products to its customers quickly is one of Intermax’s top priorities. To do this, Intermax imports materials from many different countries before production can begin. In the process, the company looks for ways to gain efficiencies and shorten logistical lead-times.

Like other manufacturers in Asia, Intermax relies on its customers to find and decide which freight forwarder to use for shipping. Manufacturers are often skeptical about partnering with new freight forwarders because of concerns related to new processes and uncertainty — in particular, the potential impact on time and cost.

As a freight forwarder nominated by Intermax’s customers, Flexport offers Intermax a platform to place bookings, manage documents, communicate with all shipping parties, and track shipments. Partnering with Flexport’s dedicated team at origin, Intermax has found efficiency and transparency, plus a peace of mind in managing its supply chain.

In the process, Flexport has become Intermax’s trusted and reliable partner, working to provide the best experience to their customers.

Partnership Has Never Been This Smooth

In 2016, one of Intermax’s customers had shipping issues with a production line. In addressing the issue, the customer asked Intermax to use Flexport services instead.

David Tang, Chief Operating Officer of Intermax, recalls being skeptical about working with a new freight forwarder. “It meant that we had to go through a whole new learning curve,” he says. However, he was quickly convinced once he started shipping with Flexport. “I was impressed by the team. It is easy to communicate with them. They are very responsive and don’t have a lot of bureaucracy, which makes them different from other freight forwarders. It is a painless experience working with Flexport.”

Visibility and Speed, Powered by Technology

Intermax has worked with many freight forwarders, but Flexport’s technology platform stands out in helping to speed up operations. “The platform is a big advantage for us. My team places bookings and manages documents online now, so it’s efficient and so easy to use. It saves us a lot of time from making phone calls, sending emails, and making corrections,” says Tang.

The best part about the platform is that the same information is accessible by everyone in real-time. “Getting documents from freight forwarders has always been a pain. However, with Flexport, all shipping information is on a single platform. So, we no longer have to wait to print out documents and send them to our customers,” notes Tang.

Apart from operations, Flexport also helps Intermax from a financial standpoint. “All manufacturers want to get paid once they have shipped the goods, but for that to happen they need the bill of lading after the boat has sailed,” explains Tang. What would normally take 3 to 4 days for freight forwarders to provide can now be instantly available thanks to Flexport’s platform. “It helps Intermax greatly in terms of cash flow,” adds Tang.

An Extension of Your Logistics Team

Many manufacturers encounter challenges when dealing with US or European forwarders’ local contacts in Asia. According to Tang, however, Flexport was different and it became clear this was going to be a long-lasting relationship. “It could be the language barrier, the culture, or the way we communicate, but it didn’t take us long to get ramped up with the dedicated team at Flexport,” recalls Tang. “Flexport truly understands what customer service is, and they make things easier and less stressful for us,” he says. As proof of the partnership’s success, Intermax has introduced Flexport to many of its customers. “Flexport truly cares about our supply chain. It is not just a freight forwarder—it has become an important business partner to help us reach our customers quickly,” says Tang.