INSIDE SKARGAARDEN’S U.S. LOGISTICS HUB

Skargaarden has relocated its warehousing and logistics operations from Champlain, NY, to North Mankato, Minnesota. Since Skargaarden’s customers are located throughout the United States—including New York City, Florida, Texas, and California—moving its logistics operation to a more central location was a natural next step.

Skargaarden co-founder and CEO Jari Visuri notes that lead times and shipping costs have already improved since partnering with Creative Fulfillment Services (CFS) in Mankato, located about an hour south of Minneapolis. We spoke with Brandon McCourtney, General Manager at CFS to learn more about the operation.

What is your background in logistics, and what led you to become General Manager at CFS?
My background in logistics goes back 19 years. I started out of high school as a brick mason — seasonal work — and picked up warehouse jobs during the winters to fill the gaps. After nine years in masonry, I was offered a full-time warehouse management position and decided to make the switch permanent. A few years later, I joined Creative Fulfillment Services as Logistics Manager, and was promoted to General Manager a couple of years after that.

Could you tell us a little about CFS and your operations?
CFS operates two warehouses in North Mankato, located within a quarter mile of each other, totaling 100,000 square feet of space. We employ 48 people. Our client base spans children’s books and outdoor patio furniture, and we offer full third-party logistics (3PL) services — storage, pick and pack, shipping, order management, accounting, and customer service.

Distances in the US are vast, and there are real benefits to having warehousing and logistics centrally located. What’s your take on the geographic pros and cons of Mankato?
Mankato’s location works to our advantage because it sits in the heartland of the country. Shipping from one coast to the other is expensive and slow, so being centrally located lets us cut both the cost and the transit time on those coastal shipments significantly.

What does it take to handle premium outdoor furniture with the level of care it requires?
Handling premium outdoor furniture takes a high level of care from start to finish. Every shipment has to be packed and shipped properly to prevent damage, while still keeping costs efficient. Many of our customers opt for our White Glove delivery service, which includes a two-person crew who deliver the furniture right to where the customer wants it, then remove and take away all the packing materials.

After your first year working together, Skargaarden has found that you’ve handled furniture logistics very successfully. Is furniture easier or harder to manage than other products?
Furniture is actually easier for us to handle than a lot of our smaller products. It’s quick to pack and ship, which lets us get orders out the door within 48 hours or less.

After a year of working closely with Skargaarden, what do you think sets the brand apart from other companies you work with?
Skargaarden stands out because furniture was a completely new product category for us. We also handle their U.S. customer service, so we had to get up to speed quickly on the furniture industry to field customer questions and quotes. It’s been a great partnership — we meet with their team in Sweden at least every other week to go over open orders, quotes, and logistics. I even had the chance to attend a design show in Milan with Jari, which was a great experience.

Skargaarden with Brandon