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Customer Snapshot
Kurita America, headquartered in Minnesota, is a leader in water treatment and specialty chemicals. With a strong national footprint, the company faced a critical challenge: how to expand its logistics reach into the Southeast to serve fast-growing demand.
Kurita’s operations are large in scale. Each year, Warehouse Basics handles more than 12.6 million pounds of chemicals for them. These shipments include corrosives and other specialty products packaged in totes, drums, and pails. Hazmat regulations, product integrity, and reliable distribution are non-negotiable.
To meet these requirements, Kurita partnered with Warehouse Basics for hazmat warehousing, regional distribution, climate-controlled storage, and value-added services.
The Challenge
Kurita needed a logistics partner who could help them scale in the Southeast without adding unnecessary complexity or risk. Their previous approach relied on multiple fragmented providers, which created inefficiencies and uncertainty in their supply chain.
This fragmented setup led to:
- Intake misses and compliance risks
- Limited visibility into shipments and inventory levels
- Slower response times when customers needed product quickly
- Frustration within the team as logistics challenges pulled focus from growth
Every missed intake or late shipment jeopardized customer satisfaction and slowed momentum in a competitive, high-growth market. Without a strong Southeast distribution partner, they risked falling short of customer expectations.
Why Warehouse Basics
Kurita wanted a single 3PL partner who could simplify Southeast logistics under one roof. They were looking for more than warehouse space; they needed a partner with proven hazmat expertise, reliable service, and the ability to scale with their business.
Key decision factors included:
- Hazmat compliance for Classes 2.2, 8, and 9
- Reliable pallet storage with ambient and limited climate options
- Real-time inventory visibility through the Extensiv WMS
- A proven track record of 27+ years in chemical logistics, backed by responsive support
Warehouse Basics’ location near Atlanta provided the strategic Southeast hub Kurita needed, with the added assurance of one clear point of contact instead of multiple vendors.
The Solution
Warehouse Basics built a logistics program specifically designed for Kurita’s Southeast expansion. At the core was a hazmat-certified warehouse capable of safely handling palletized drums, totes, and pails.
Kurita’s personalized logistics program included:
- Full-pallet warehousing and distribution for totes, drums, and pails
- Hazmat-certified segregation and intake processes to maintain compliance
- Same-day cross-docking and regional distribution to meet customer demand
- Value-added services such as relabeling and QA inspections to keep product moving
- Limited climate-controlled storage for SKUs requiring specific conditions
- Transparent reporting through Extensiv WMS technology, giving Kurita real-time inventory and shipment visibility
The program replaced a web of vendors with one streamlined system, reducing handoffs and risk while improving consistency and customer responsiveness.
Results & Outcomes
The results of the partnership were clear. By consolidating with Warehouse Basics, Kurita eliminated inefficiencies and gained confidence in their Southeast supply chain.
Operational gains:
- Fewer intake errors and compliance misses
- Faster order fulfillment and response times
- Real-time inventory visibility for better planning
- Simplified management with one trusted partner
Business impact:
- Year 1: 8.1 million pounds handled
- Year 5: 12.6 million pounds handled
- Significant year-over-year growth supported by a logistics program that scaled with demand
Beyond the numbers, Kurita’s team gained peace of mind. They no longer worried about fragmented logistics or compliance failures derailing growth. Instead, they could focus on serving customers and expanding market share, confident that their Southeast logistics were in expert hands.