Surry Business

Salem Logistics, whose 340,000-square-foot distribution services hub is in Pilot Mountain, will be the exclusive contractor for all of Klaussner Homes Furnishings’ transportation and logistics operations.

Klaussner, the North Carolina Triad’s largest furniture manufacturer, is launching a major new retail initiative that will increase its logistics requirements, the company explained. Salem Logistics’ services will be phased in over coming months, beginning with all out-bound shipments to retailers from Klaussner’s Asheboro factories.

Salem Logistics’ wholly owned subsidiary Winston Distribution LLC (since renamed Salem Logistics Distribution Services) purchased the former Armtex plant in Pilot Mountain in 2006 after leasing the facility for a year.

Dave Riley, vice president of operations for Winston Distribution, said at the time, “We chose Pilot Mountain to complement our other services. Salem Logistics also owns a trucking company. We found with Pilot Mountain between I-40 and I-77 and near I-85 and I-81 that we could bring shipments in from the West Coast and Pilot Mountain made a good pivot point to go either north or south with little out-of-route miles.”

“It’s been deemed a very viable location,” he added, “and we also saw a good workforce there to pull from.”

“Customers can discharge there and we can store the shipments, consolidate them into different shipments or whatever. We can also consolidate shipments from various areas on the East Coast to send them to the West,” he said. At the Pilot Mountain hub, the company can unload shipments that need to be divided and pair them with other shipments going the same direction, enabling trucks to run with full loads and minimizing costs for customers.

“It’s another way to diversify and provide one-stop shopping and create savings for our customers through our expertise in distribution” said Riley.

“Having our own distributions center system allows us to offer a total third-party logistics package,” said Dave Eshelman, president of Winston-Salem-based Salem Logistics, in a company release last fall. “We built the business on computer-driven logistics planning and added our own carrier fleet in 2003. Now, by having our own warehouse and distribution capabilities, we can put the final piece in place for a full 360-degree service.”

Founded in 1985, Salem Logistics was one of the first third-party logistics companies in the country. Started as a shipper freight bill auditing service, it grew into a full-service organization with a unique freight management system that provides unparalleled freight control and savings for customers all over the country. For eight years in a row, Inbound Magazine has named Salem Logistics as one of the Top 100 3PL (third-party logistics) providers in the United States.

RTO Online.com interviewed Eschelman in August about Salem Logistics. You can see the video here.