Logistics is an industry that’s performing very well in the Central Ohio region. It’s giving Columbus a name across the world, but taking a closer look, the industry is a lot different than most might perceive.
“We’re absolutely a global logistics player as a region,” says Kenny McDonald, CEO of Columbus 2020. What really makes the region stand out, “We have the industry here in every conceivable way,” he says. From logistics tech and software companies and seasoned talent and thought leaders, to graduates coming out of a top-rated program at OSU, and the international shipping hub that is Rickenbacker, Columbus has a lot going for it when it comes to logistics.
There’s a whole side to the industry that is not the low wage, pick-and-packs jobs people might think. Much of the industry is taking high-tech turn and local company Vantage Point Logistics epitomizes this shift.
Founded in 2011, Vantage Point serves the higher education industry – colleges, universities – and healthcare customers like clinics, labs and hospitals.
“The model is pretty straight forward,” says Vantage Point Partner Scott Crow. “We save our customers money on every incoming or inbound shipment that comes into their facility.”
It’s a simple idea that’s much harder in practice, but definitely possible thanks to technology.
“[Our customers]Â have thousands, and most likely tens of thousands, of suppliers that ship things into their institutes every day,” Crow says. How does an organization make all that work? How does Vantage Point work with all an institution’s suppliers and get them to follow a process?
“That’s where the magic occurs,” Crow says. Vantage Point helps customers find the best rates that are available to them. They then work with an institution’s suppliers to implement these rates.
“We don’t have any physical assets,” Crow says. “We simply manage the information around the movement of those products.”
In January, Vantage Point announced it will invest $1.25 million to expand their operations with new software development.
“The only way we can do this is through technology,” Crow says. “It’s the only way you can scale this.”
Crow says that the science of logistics is still extremely important. The industry needs the people that can figure out the best routes and the most effective and efficient ways to physically get things to a company, but the only way to scale and get more complex is through technology.
McDonald echos his sentiments, saying it’s one of the most exciting times to be in the field. It’s a field that’s becoming more scientific and technical, and more integral to a company’s success.
A conversation about logistics in Central Ohio can’t be had without discussing the city’s physical location as well. It’s well-known that Columbus sits in a greater proximity to a higher percentages of businesses and people than most locations.
For more information on Vantage Point Logistics, visit vantagepointlogistics.com.
