Posted on Fri, Apr 26, 2013 @ 05:06 PM
OnTrac International is a worldwide mail distributor specializing in efficient mail preparation for delivery to over 240 countries worldwide. Formerly EMI Worldwide, the company has assumed the corporate name in order to bring its business to the next level.
“While our company has not experienced what some might call ‘explosive’ growth, we have grown year after year showing a steady pattern of gains in both revenue and in contribution,” Vice President and General Manager Blaine Fyksen said. “It is vitally important for us to maintain financial well-being, while at the same time remaining competitive in the market place. “
OnTrac International began as Express Messenger International on April 8, 1996, as one of three divisions under Express Messenger, Inc. Located in New Brighton, Minnesota; EMI quickly established itself as a dependable and reliable international distributor of mail to more than 240 countries worldwide.
It is the dedicated and steadfast staff that Fyksen credits with making the difference in OnTrac International’s success.
“Each and every one of us strives to perform our functions in a professional like manner with the highest degree of accuracy,” Fyksen said. “I am continually complemented by our customers about the great service they receive from our sales and operations team alike.”
As an approved USPS Postal Qualified Wholesaler, OnTrac International is able to pass significant postal savings onto customers. By allowing account managers to assist in the design stage and address layout, customers may reduce their postage costs even further.
We currently pick up mail from anywhere in the country and prepare it for delivery through a postal authority in the country of destination. We have address correction software in house for customers that wish to have their files corrected prior to mailing. Mail destined to Canada can be sorted in walk sequence order that allows for a higher degree of delivery and to increase discounts.
“The current OnTrac infrastructure will not only allow us to offer international mail and parcel services across a much larger geographical spectrum, but it will help to reduce cost and improve service at the same time.” Fyksen said. “We are very excited and enthusiastic about our new expansion and the unlimited possibilities this presents to us,”
Their customers can be virtually any business sending a minimum of 10 pounds of mail to almost any country in the world. Printers, marketing and advertising agencies, publications, and banks make up the bulk of our customers.
Typical large volume mailings will be over 50,000 pieces, while some have gone over 1 million pieces.
OnTrac is expanding its services to meet the needs of its customers. The three divisions of OnTrac-- Overnight, Messenger and now International-- offer customers a broad range of services and encompass an extensive geographical area. With over 58 million total packages delivered last year, the company prides itself in its ability to give shippers an alternative delivery service and a competitive advantage.
“I think that in the short term, our OnTrac infrastructure offers a great opportunity to expand into the same 8-state market they are currently in,” Fyksen said. “The OnTrac facilities, vehicles and personnel are outstanding. I believe that they will be the benchmark in the industry that sets the standards for all competitors. We are very pleased to be a part of this organization.”
Posted on Fri, Apr 26, 2013 @ 05:05 PM
As a part of OnTrac’s continuous effort to improve the quality and efficiency of our customer’s shipping experience, the company has launched an initiative that will include installing material handling systems in all of our facilities.
After expanding operations into a building more than four times the size of its previous operation in Phoenix, OnTrac made the decision to install a material handling system. As a compliment to its effort to increase the throughput capacity of the facility and handle increased volume levels, this decision also enables OnTrac to improve the customer experience and reduce the number of handles per package.
The new system has increased the company’s throughput capacity by over 300% enhancing the speed of the OnTrac Ground Network and created 52 new job opportunities for Phoenix residents.
“We are truly excited about the increased capabilities that each of these new systems brings us. We are confident that these increased capabilities will give us the ability to both increase efficiencies and improve service,” said Director of Operations Development Jim Brownlow.
Faster deliveries and more aggressive rates are a welcome concept for any business these days. These upgrades come as a direct response to the increasing number of businesses choosing OnTrac for all their overnight shipping, and guaranteed delivery needs. OnTrac is proud to offer the highest quality of service at the most competitive rates.
“Based on what we have seen, we are confident that our process rates and efficiencies will meet and exceed our expectations,” Brownlow said. “This is not only exciting news for Phoenix but is exciting for all of the facilities that are having systems installed.”
Posted on Mon, Apr 22, 2013 @ 12:40 PM
Today, more than ever, there is a focus on the need for “Going Green” at the corporate level. OnTrac Customer, C.W. Driver, understands the need for social responsiveness and sustainability as it relates to building and construction. This focus results in many adaptive re-use, renovation and modernization techniques on smaller, new construction projects. C.W. Driver, a premier builder serving the Western United States since 1919, has established a Special Projects Group, Driver SPG, in order to become a player in this expanding market.
Historically C.W. Driver has not targeted these projects, specializing instead on large-scale new construction and project management. However, with the rising focus on sustainability, C.W. Driver and Driver SPG are capitalizing on this opportunity to stay at the forefront of these efforts.
As leaders in General Contracting and Construction Management services, they remain on the cutting-edge across a broad spectrum of industries including education, healthcare/biomedical, entertainment, retail, tenant improvement, and hospitality. Landmark projects, historical renovations, and occupied campus programs have distinguished C.W. Driver as leaders in their field.
Driver SPG is a standalone company headquartered in Anaheim, California and serves all of C.W. Driver’s key regions: Los Angeles, Orange, Ontario, Ventura, San Diego, and the Inland Empire. Operating with less overhead, Driver SPG provides cost-effective project delivery without sacrificing the high level of quality and service that has made C.W. Driver the leading construction firm in Southern California.
Driver SPG clients benefit from enhanced efficiency and flexibility. OnTrac understands the importance of these standards and is willing to go the extra mile for our customers like, Driver SPG.
Cecilia Ulloa, Office Manager for Driver SPG, shares, “We have been using OnTrac services daily for over a year and are very happy with the service.” Ulloa boasts, “OnTrac has been wonderful for all of our shipping needs!”
Driver SPG has access to C.W. Driver’s advanced technological resources including Building Information Modeling (BIM), and proven cost and time management systems.
“We are a business that also believes in using environmental safe products and have a recycle bin,” Ulloa states. “Until OnTrac, I had not found anyone else who would recycle these for us.”
OnTrac offers a recycling program through our supplier, Canyon Computer Supplies, which allows our customers to recycle their empty printer cartridges. Customers can send their empty cartridges directly to OnTrac and, in turn, Canyon Computer Supplies will pick up these empties to be recycled. Another option is to go directly to http://tonerrecycle.net/ where customers can select a recycling option that best meets their needs.
Remanufacturing toners keeps more than 42,000 tons of plastic, metal and toner out of the waste stream. For every cartridge that is remanufactured, a “core,” or spent cartridge is reused. Each core is made of approximately two and a half pounds of plastic, and without remanufacturing, that core would end up going into the waste stream. The plastic used in a typical cartridge is industrial-grade and does not begin to degrade for at least 10 centuries, or 1,000 years.
The vendor supplies from Canyon Computer Supplies are environmentally friendly too. They conserve nature's resources by reusing non-wearing plastic shells and metal components from spent OEM cartridges. Canyon Computer Supplies and their vendors are proud to manufacture more than 80,000 environmentally conscious toner cartridges every month in addition to providing recycling services for OnTrac and other companies.
Using Remanufactured Toner Cartridges benefits all of us:
• Substantial fossil fuel and energy savings (generally, 95% of the energy used to make OEM cartridges)
• Reduction in pollution associated with extraction of virgin resources
• Each remanufactured cartridge lifecycle saves as much as one pint of oil
• Reduction in pollution associated with manufacturing new, OEM products
• Reduction in landfill-destined waste
OnTrac is proud to create programs that help our customers continue be eco-friendly.
Ulloa adds, “Thank you for making recycling easier and more convenient!” Help us preserve our environment for generations to come. Please reduce, reuse and recycle.
Posted on Tue, Apr 02, 2013 @ 03:27 PM
Due to rapid growth, OnTrac, the leader in regional overnight package delivery, is expanding its Southern California market. Its Commerce facility has moved into a building that is six times larger than its previous operation.
“The Commerce facility helps to reduce the time and distance our service providers have to travel in order to make deliveries, which in turn gets packages to our customers in a more expedient and efficient manner,” said OnTrac Vice President of Operations Mark Cronkrite, “In today’s economy, many customers are looking to save both time and money. Regional carriers help with both and this new facility solidifies that.”
The flagship building hired almost 50 new sorters throughout December and January and now employs 128 local residents who operate a full material handling system. The operation includes three times as many dock doors, enabling OnTrac to move packages more efficiently and offer its customers faster service, while a 165 foot truck turning radius, 59 high dock positions, a 100 percent concrete truck court, two large ground level ramps, abundant trailer storage and a central Los Angeles location will enable this new facility to increase productivity.
The OnTrac Commerce facility resides at the following address:
5959 Randolph Street
Commerce, CA
90040
Faster deliveries and more aggressive rates are a welcome concept for any business these days. This upgrade comes as a direct response to the increasing number of businesses choosing OnTrac for all their overnight, guaranteed delivery needs. OnTrac is proud to offer the highest quality of service at the most competitive rates.
About OnTrac
OnTrac is a Phoenix, Arizona based company that provides overnight shipping at ground rates to businesses and consumers in the major metropolitan areas of California, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Idaho. The three divisions of OnTrac, Overnight, Messenger and now International, offer customers a broad range of services and encompass an extensive geographical area. OnTrac has supported each one of our shipments with a Money Back Service Guarantee since we started our overnight division in 1991. As a SmartWay partner, OnTrac promises to do its part to save the environment, getting your shipments there with cleaner air. For more information on OnTrac, please call 800.334.5000 or visit us online at ontrac.com.
Posted on Tue, Apr 02, 2013 @ 03:23 PM
Royalmailers.com is a leading manufacturer and distributor of shipping supplies online. The company serves retail, wholesale, and distributor markets throughout North America. Their factory direct sales model has been well received by their customers that typically save 35% or more by skipping traditional distribution channel markups. They offer a full product line of in-stock ready to ship supplies, boxes, tape, bubble wrap, shipping labels, and more.
But that’s not all.
They also offer their customers custom packaging options where shippers can print their company logo on their packaging supplies.
“We started manufacturing a few different product lines to give us an entry into the marketplace, from there, we kept growing it” Royalmailers.com Operations Director Tam Kaccem said. “Though we manufacturer many items, we’re more famous for our Bubble Envelope lines.”
As a packaging manufacturer, Royalmailers.com prides itself on its ability to bring flexibility and speed to businesses seeking their products and services.
“Business is great,” Kaccem said. “We’re growing year over year which has been a blessing. The more customers that find out about us, the more we grow. Adding manufacturing has been a big contributor to our success. It seems like the word is out about what we can offer, but we’re still rather new in the industry compared to some of our competitors that have been in business for more than 50 years.”
As their customer base grows and industry demands change, it’s important that Royalmailers.com grows and changes with them. That’s why in 2006, they started using ShipWorks, a multicarrier software provider that allows clients to ship faster, work smarter, save time and reduce cost.
“I can’t say enough, honestly,”Kaccem said. “ShipWorks has a real product. They have enough support to handle the ever changing protocols of the internet. They’re up to speed with all the new rules and regulations for each and every market. I’m really impressed with what they’ve done with their software. It’s been a lifesaver for our company.”
Merchants can connect ShipWorks to multiple sales channels and download orders into a single system where they can be reviewed and prepared for shipping. ShipWorks simplifies shipment processing by automatically configuring shipments based on rules specific to each business.
The software can batch print thousands of shipping labels at one time, print fully-branded packing slip documents, send email notifications with order status details, and update tracking information to each marketplace.
“What took us 8 hours without ShipWorks now takes us 30 minutes,” Royalmailers.com General Manager James Mecham said. “And it is error free.”
With 40 percent of Royalmailers.com’s business in the Western part of the United States, OnTrac’s regional service area is a perfect fit; and the new OnTrac integration into the ShipWorks Shipping software further streamlines their operation.
“The main thing for us is the filtering,” Mecham said. “Honestly, ShipWorks is a great match for what the regional carriers are doing with certain states and ZIP codes. They know what shipments go with OnTrac. That way there’s no manual decision making when it comes time to shipping orders. It takes that potential error out of the equation.”
The addition of OnTrac support in ShipWorks provides instant access to a variety of regional shipping options that are extremely competitive in terms of delivery time and cost.
“It has saved us a lot of time,” Mecham said. “Before, we had to run the OnTrac software on the computer alongside ShipWorks, where we were typing in the info and then processing it. Now, it’s all integrated and it’s a time saver for us.”
Royalmailers.com recent decision to relocate to a bigger facility in Sacramento confirms the success of the partnership. The new, 80,000 square foot building, gives Royalmailers.com the opportunity to reach 7 of the 8 states in the OnTrac service area overnight.
“All the carriers are built into the software,” Mecham said. “If you want to choose different carriers they’re all there for you. It’s one central junction point through multiple websites. All of those orders get pulled into ShipWorks and they can all be processed. ShipWorks automatically update through their API, which is great.”
Posted on Thu, Mar 28, 2013 @ 05:05 PM
With the high cost of priority shipping, the demand for efficient transportation is growing.
Shippers are looking for ways to save money on transportation costs, and to do it in a way that makes sense for the environment.
These days, that means putting freight on the ground.
But for companies who use a regional carrier like OnTrac, choosing a ground shipping option doesn’t have to mean sacrificing service. The regional carrier’s next-day delivery footprint is much larger than that of a national carrier’s, and without the need to support an entire air fleet, the company is able to be more conscious of their carbon footprint.
The regional hub-and-spoke model operates entirely on the ground and enables OnTrac to keep costs down and keep its corporate commitment to the environment a priority. That’s why OnTrac partners with Penske.
“OnTrac continues to take the necessary steps to reduce emissions on our fleet of vehicles,” Director of Fleet Operations Steve Heron said. “We are conscious of all the decisions we make as both a responsible corporate citizen and a SmartWay Partner. Choosing to use Penske is a further demonstration of our commitment to operate responsibly.”
Penske is a transportation service that operates in a variety of industry segments including retail automotive, truck leasing, transportation logistics, transportation component manufacturing and professional motorsports. They are also environmentally conscious.
Penske recycles its waste oil—and a primary use is to re-refine it into a base stock for lubricating oil. This process is very similar to the refining of crude oil.
The result is that the re-refined oil is of as high a quality as a virgin oil product. This is important, as just two gallons of used oil can generate enough electricity to run the average household for almost 24 hours.
Because the OnTrac fleet is predominately made up of Penske trucks, the company is a beneficiary of this program and an increasingly green shipper—through its partnership with SmartWay, OnTrac has been able to contribute to the overall savings of 1.5 billion gallons of fuel, $3.6 billion in fuel costs, 14.7 MMT of carbon dioxide (CO2), 215,000 tons of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and 8,000 tons of particulate matter.
It has also enabled the company to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, demonstrating efficiency to potential customers and reduce our fuel costs. Through partnerships with environmental experts and by using new technologies OnTrac is finding ways to help reduce the impact of our operations on the environment, and that makes a difference for everyone.
Posted on Mon, Mar 18, 2013 @ 02:52 PM
OnTrac, a Phoenix based company, announces that EMI (Express Messenger International) is now OnTrac International. EMI, a New Brighton, Minnesota based company is the third division under Express Messenger Systems to assume the OnTrac name.
OnTrac International is a worldwide mail distributor specializing in efficient mail preparation for delivery to over 240 countries worldwide. Formerly Express Messenger International, the company has assumed the corporate name in order to bring its business to the next level.
As an approved USPS Postal Qualified Wholesaler, OnTrac International is able to pass significant postal savings onto customers. By allowing account managers to assist in the design stage and address layout, customers may reduce their postage costs even further.
“The current OnTrac infrastructure will not only allow us to offer international mail and parcel services across a much larger geographical spectrum, but it will help to reduce cost and improve service at the same time. We are very excited and enthusiastic about our new expansion and the unlimited possibilities this presents to us,” Vice President and General Manager Blaine Fyksen said.
OnTrac International began as international mail Express Messenger International on April 8, 1996, as one of three divisions under Express Messenger, Inc. EMI quickly established itself as a dependable and reliable international distributor of mail to more than 240 countries worldwide.
OnTrac is expanding its services to meet the needs of its customers. The three divisions of OnTrac-- Overnight, Messenger and now International-- offer customers a broad range of services and encompass an extensive geographical area. With over 58 million total packages delivered last year, the company prides itself in its ability to give shippers an alternative delivery service and a competitive advantage.
For more information, call 800.628.4868 or visit ontracinternational.com.
Posted on Fri, Mar 08, 2013 @ 11:57 AM
OnTrac, the largest regional parcel carrier in the United States, is proud to announce the addition of Idaho to their service area. OnTrac is now offering its faster delivery service to and from the major metropolitan areas of Idaho. The expansion of Idaho grows their service area to 8 states and 60 million consumers.
From Idaho, customers receive next-day delivery to the metro areas of Idaho, Portland, OR, Northern Nevada and Utah, and Washington. They can also enjoy two-day shipping to Arizona, California, Colorado, Las Vegas, NV and Southern Utah. Now shippers have access to more customers in more states with faster transit times. When shipping to Idaho, customers can save a transit day over national carriers. The best part is that overnight deliveries are performed at Ground shipping rates.
"The addition of Idaho to the OnTrac service area means our customers are now able to ship and receive packages from Boise a day faster than they would with the national carriers," said President Robert Humphrey.
Adding Idaho comes at a great time for online retailers. With more and more consumers turning to an online retail solution, companies are looking for ways to gain an edge over competitors. Regional carriers, like OnTrac, have a Ground shipping footprint that reaches up to Zone 4 destinations next day.
The competitive rates, fewer fees and lower surcharges from OnTrac are all backed by a Money-Back Service Guarantee. To make it even easier for customers, OnTrac Ground uses the same zones as national carriers, so integrating OnTrac into existing shipping workflows will be seamless.
For more , visit our Overnight Shipping to and from Idaho webpage.
About OnTrac
OnTrac is the leader in regional, overnight delivery in the 8 western states. By focusing on regional service, OnTrac reaches more Ground destinations next-day without the added costs of express shipping. Founded in 1991 as a division of Express Messenger Systems, Inc., OnTrac celebrates 22 years of on-time delivery, and offers competitive rates, lower fees, and fewer surcharges. OnTrac is a
SmartWay Transport Partner. To learn more about OnTrac, visit
ontrac.com, or call 1-800-334-5000.
Posted on Fri, Feb 15, 2013 @ 02:34 PM
By Mark Magill
Regular readers of this column know the many benefits of adding regional parcel carriers to their carrier mix. Not only can a shipper significantly reduce their shipping spend, get faster time in transit (including next day delivery at Ground Rates, but they can also increase their productivity by taking advantage of the later pick up times that regional parcel carriers routinely offer. But what does it require to implement a regional carrier, and is it worth the effort? By speaking with a representative of your local carrier, you will discover that it is a surprisingly easy undertaking.
Any change in your business will necessitate some degree of planning, time, and even expense. So you should always perform your due diligence in finding out what implementing a regional carrier will require. One of the most effective methods for doing that is to ask for a list of referrals from your local regional carrier. Ideally, they should come from a company in your industry who has been shipping with that particular regional carrier for some length of time. In addition to asking them how they implemented the regional carrier, ask them what specific benefits compelled them to make the change. You may be surprised at what you learn.
A step by step process for engaging the regional carrier should include providing them with few months of shipping data including package weights pieces per delivery stop and the five-digit delivery ZIP Code information for your shipments. This would enable the regional carrier to determine the true cost of servicing your account and enable them to be the most aggressive in their rate proposal. This cost to serve model is the same one that the national carriers use. When doing your analysis, be sure to include the savings your company would reap by being able to downgrade the shipping mode from Air Express to Ground service in Zone 4 delivery points where the regional carriers can deliver next day at Ground rates over 500 miles from their origin. The savings from this portion of your business can be especially significant. When you have completed the analysis based on the rates that the regional carrier is offering, it should be fairly easy to create a cost/ benefit analysis based on any soft costs you may incur and competitive advantages you receive.
The next step would be to determine how you will process your shipments. A regional carrier of any significant size has their own internally created shipping software that they would gladly supply along with a thermal label printer. But if you are a large shipper you are probably already using multi-carrier shipping software of some kind. The larger regional carriers often have shipping modules for those software providers or if need be can have generic modules created. (if they already do have modules, it is the closest thing to "plug and play" in the parcel shipping IT world). The regional carriers can also directly integrate with your own homegrown legacy system, via API, ODBC or even integrate with the very largest TMS systems.
Finally, having an available dock door is an issue that sometimes arises. The flexibility that is the hallmark of regional carriers can usually alleviate this issue. Since these carriers are by definition regional, they operate in a geographical space that allows them to provide later pick up times. Rather than having a dock door dedicated to them, they can arrange a pull time that occurs after the national carriers have already picked up.
Since DHL pulled out of the domestic shipping market four years ago, there has been a definite need for alternatives to the national carriers. In any industry, a limited number of choices does not best serve the market. It may be well worth your while to investigate the reduced expense and competitive advantages that the regional parcel carriers provide. Adding them to your carrier mix may be much easier than you think!
Posted on Fri, Feb 08, 2013 @ 04:22 PM
For the employees at Nuts.com, the philosophy is (and always has been) simple: treat customers as you’d like to be treated.
It’s modest and unassuming, but it’s this family owned business’ philosophy, and it’s held up for over 80 years.
“We continue the family tradition of providing the same superb quality and service as in the past,” Chief Nut Jeff Braverman said. “Our product selection has grown and our marketing strategy has evolved, but our service has stayed the same. When you place and order, we are going to slam dunk it. We’ve stayed true to the philosophy of ‘treat your customers as you want to be treated’ but these days, we let our personality show.” 
Eighty-four years after Poppy Sol (the company’s first generation nut) opened the Newark Nut Company, selling premium bulk items at the Mulberry Street open air market, Braverman and his cousin David have taken over.
Through the years, the industry has changed—new products have been developed and the demand for a healthy alternative has continued to grow. But as inventory changes, their focus remains the same.
“We’re customers too,” Braverman said. “When we shop or order something online, we have the same expectations as the people who order products from us. We keep that in mind.”
That means satisfied customers from the time they place an order to the time they receive their shipment, and anyone who has ever ordered from Nuts.com knows exactly what that means.
Their packages are all unique—cardboard, with what looks like jokes, hand written in black sharpie, and deals for every occasion.
“We try to go over the top, but we do it in a professional way,” Braverman said. “Our business is very regimented, but it’s fun and we keep it light.”
And although the name may not imply it, Nuts.com is stocked with much more than cashews and almonds.
“We have a really diverse group of customers, because we have a really diverse group of products,” Braverman said. “We started with nuts and dried fruit and now offer gluten free products and specialty powders. We keep discovering new areas and it keeps things interesting.”
The products sell themselves, but the service is what keeps people coming back.
“When you order something online, you want it fast,” Braverman said. “With food, you want it faster. You want instant gratification. People have come to expect fast shipping. It’s not necessarily that people were clamoring for faster shipping—I think everyone wants it. As a customer, I want it, and it all goes back to the philosophy of treating your customers how you want to be treated.”
OnTrac is proud to partner with a company like Nuts.com, offering overnight delivery to six of the seven states in our service area from our Reno, NV location.
“OnTrac’s overnight delivery footprint is amazing,” Braverman said. “It puts the national carriers to shame. And what’s better than forming a partnership with your shipper? There’s synergy. My experience has been so great.”
When the employees at Nuts.com ship with OnTrac, they ship with the confidence that OnTrac will be able to continue their high level of customer service. It is in our ability to provide faster time in transit and keep costs down that keeps customers in our service area satisfied. We are proud to be able to uphold the Nuts.com commitment to quality service from the time it leaves the company’s hands until the time is arrives at a customer’s door.