PathGuide Technologies, a leader in advanced warehouse management and shipping solutions, announced that Southern Marketing Affiliates (SMA) has reduced packaging material costs by approximately 30–35%. SMA achieved these savings by integrating PathGuide’s Latitude Warehouse Management System (WMS) with automated, right-sized packaging solutions from Packsize. The integration has delivered approximately $80,000 in annual labor savings and paid for itself within seven months.
SMA, a North American supplier of agricultural replacement parts, operates five U.S. distribution centers and one Canadian facility. As order volumes increased, the company sought to reduce manual packaging work and excess materials. The integration supports its highest-volume distribution center, which handles roughly 65% of the company’s total business.
Latitude uses product dimensions and order data to determine each shipment’s box size and corrugated strength, then sends those specifications to Packsize for production. Employees pick directly into the custom-fit cartons, eliminating manual box selection and reducing assembly work.
“We wanted to take the guesswork out of packaging,” said Richard Grantham, Director of Operations at SMA. “With PathGuide and Packsize, we’ve reduced packaging costs, freed up warehouse space, and redeployed employees where they’re needed most. Just as importantly, right-sized boxes have reduced shipping damage and improved the customer experience.”
“Latitude already had the product, order, and cartonization data needed to drive the process,” said Isaac Ostrom, Senior Software Engineer at PathGuide Technologies. “The opportunity was to put that data to work in a new way, connecting the WMS with Packsize to automate another critical step in SMA’s fulfillment operation.”
Designed for distributors, Latitude WMS delivers comprehensive warehouse control and visibility to improve inventory management, labor utilization, and operational efficiency while supporting long-term growth. SMA also uses Latitude to consolidate eligible backorders with new orders, reducing the number of shipments, handling requirements, and freight costs.
“SMA’s results show what distributors can accomplish when they put the data already in their warehouse management systems to work,” said Eric Allais, President and CEO of PathGuide Technologies. “By streamlining time-consuming processes, SMA was able to reduce costs and make its operations more efficient. That’s exactly the kind of practical, measurable improvement we want to help our customers achieve, and we’re glad to be part of SMA’s continued success.”
For more information about Latitude WMS and other PathGuide products, contact clientservices@pathguide.com or call 1-888-627-9797.
About Southern Marketing Affiliates (SMA, Inc.)
Founded in 1964, Southern Marketing Affiliates (SMA, Inc.) is a leading family-owned wholesale distributor of agricultural and replacement farm parts in North America. Headquartered in Jonesboro, Arkansas, SMA supplies over 60,000 ag-related parts, including trusted mainline, value, and private-label brands like TISCO tractor parts, to a vast network of farm equipment dealers, repair shops, and regional or national retail chains. Operating strategically through six major distribution centers across Arkansas, Texas, Iowa, California, and Ontario, SMA remains committed to its founding purpose: helping farmers and families grow. For more information, visit www.smalink.com.
About PathGuide Technologies
PathGuide Technologies, Inc., a privately held company founded in 1989, is a leading provider of warehouse management and shipping solutions for wholesale, industrial, and retail distributors across the United States, Canada, and abroad. PathGuide’s software and services help suppliers increase productivity and order accuracy, improve customer service, and lower labor costs, ultimately driving greater profitability. To learn how distributors of all sizes can benefit from improved warehouse management, visit PathGuide Technologies.
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