“Creating Groundbreaking Supply Chains from the Ground Up”

Taking a holistic approach with clients - sitting down with them and learning everything about their business - is the secret sauce of success for Aaron Poole, Director, BR International Logistics (BRi). Poole has been a pioneer in building customer supply chains from the ground up, modeling the customer's solution with the commitment to building revolutionary freight supply chain programs to deliver a return on investment that exceeds customers' expectations.

BR International Logistics was born in 2005 after Poole and his business partner, Michael Bourne, structured a management buyout of Barry Rogers & Co, which was started back in 1984. They were both executives in the company in the '90s and believed that while BR&Co had a solid foundation, with some further innovation and change, they could deliver a leading-edge freight supply chain service the industry had never seen. "Time after time I have seen supply chain companies ask potential customers to model their supply chain around the logistics company's requirements. This is something we just do not do! Our rule is always to make any solution we deliver purpose-fit for our customers," explains Poole. "Today BRi has office locations around the world with hundreds of personnel striving to deliver what our customers want - a supply chain that is simple, streamlined, cost effective, and able to adapt to ever changing economic and consumer demands."

“As we head into 2021 and beyond, I look forward to continuing our journey into new international markets with further office openings and compelling new service offerings.”

BRi is owned by its shareholders, namely Poole and Bourne. "We know as shareholders we possess a great amount of control over our corporate operations. But in most, if not all cases, our confidence in our executive team, starting with our CEO, allows the best decisions to be made. I cannot recall a time where either one of us has had to step in and take over operations either domestically or internationally," says Poole. ''A great supply chain starts with the right people who fit the team culture, led by managers who help them to grow the business and grow as individuals." To achieve this, Poole is always open when it comes to hiring, even when a position isn't necessarily open. "Our success has come through the investment we've made in our people, whereas our competition has tended to push potential candidates away when positions were closed," adds Poole.

Discussing the company's strengths, Poole shares a case study of one of their fashion customers who has grown to be the largest specialty fashion retailer group in Oceania, with over 1,300 stores across Australia alone. When Poole and his team first started working with the customer back in 2016, the supply chain was under enormous cost and productivity pressures. The customer was initially looking for a supply chain partner to simply provide freight services at the lowest price. After spending time with the client's executive team, however, BRi was able to deliver on more than just price. The end result to the customer was greater visibility throughout the supply chain, significant bottom line savings, and both B2C and B2B solutions for the future. In addition, within 12 months, BRi took over he customer's entire warehouse facility, which today is now part of BRi's specialized fashion supply chain solution.

"2020 has been an education for all of us, but also a test of business stability and survival. Our employees are a testament to how we have made it through one of the toughest years in business history! BRi has emerged stronger and more resilient, having grown further through multiple company acquisitions."

Further, Poole says, "As we head into 2021 and beyond, I look forward to continuing our journey into new international markets with further office openings and compelling new service offerings." IE