Inbound Freight Analyst

Kruger Family Industries•Portage, WI

About The Position

At Kruger Family Industries, parent company of Penda Corporation and TriEnda Holdings, our passion is to bring great products to life through an exceptional area of thermoformed solutions. We are the North America leader in heavy gauge thermoformed plastics. We are committed to delivering highly engineered, high quality material handling products and automotive accessories that reduce the weight and cost of traditional composite, fiberglass, wood and metal products, making this an opportunity to work in an innovative environment during an exciting growth phase. SUMMARY The Inbound Freight Analyst is responsible for the daily coordination and optimization of inbound freight activities for all KFI manufacturing locations. This role manages inbound transportation with vendors, carriers, and third-party logistics providers (3PLs), ensuring shipments are executed efficiently, compliantly, and cost-effectively while meeting plant service requirements. The position requires frequent communication with internal departments, external partners, and carriers to ensure accurate documentation, on-time delivery, and continuous improvement of inbound freight processes.

Requirements

Associate degree (A. A.) or equivalent from a two-year college or technical school along with two years’ direct traffic/distribution experience; or equivalent combinations of education and experience.
Has the ability to organize information and coordinate activities to ensure efficient and cost-effective shipments.

Responsibilities

Maintain full cross-training capabilities to support and back up Traffic and Logistics Coordinators as assigned.
Coordinate inbound freight activities for all KFI plant locations, ensuring compliance with routing guides, service standards, and cost objectives.
Collaborate with vendors to plan inbound shipments and determine the most effective transportation mode (truckload, intermodal, LTL, partial, etc.) based on plant requirements, service levels, and cost per unit.
Ensure vendor and internal department compliance with established routing instructions; monitor adherence and address exceptions as needed.
Determine appropriate transportation modes and accurately assign NMFC classifications; update NMFC classifications within the ERP system as required.
Conduct monthly Vendor Compliance reviews, issue corrective actions and apply debits charges when routing requirements are not followed.
Provide training to Vendors and internal departments on routings guidelines, shipping modes and purchase order consolidation best practices to support cost effective shipping.
Coordinate daily shipping schedules with vendors and carriers, considering dock time availability and plant constraints to ensure timely and efficient delivery.
Manage inbound shipment execution, ensuring proper carrier selection, billing accounts, documentation, lead times and cost controls. Communicate shipment delays, changes or issues to the appropriate internal stakeholders and document all actions required.
Monitoring the UPS/Fed Ex account activity to ensure accounts are being used properly according to the routing. Disputing any billing errors as needed.
Interface with third-party logistic providers, including OEM designated and contracted partners, to request quotes, process shipments, track freight and resolve or expedite issues using online carrier and 3PL platforms.
Analyze and maintain carrier performance data, including service failures and damage claims, and recommend carriers or process improvements as appropriate.
Prepare and maintain logistics reporting including freight damage analysis, carrier performance issues, daily on-order reporting and ad hoc reports as requested.
Process transfer order entry and receipt transactions in the ERP system.
Maintain a comprehensive understanding of ERP traffic and logistics applications and their integration with related systems (e.g., sales orders, purchase orders). Ensure data accuracy, system functionality, and process integrity.
Identify logistics process improvement opportunities, submit enhancement requests, and support system or workflow implementation efforts.
Utilize routing and optimization software (e.g., PCMiler) to plan and evaluate multi-stop truckload opportunities.
Process traffic requests and return authorizations by collecting required details, evaluating costs and transit timelines, and communicating outcomes to requestors and internal departments.