Northern Continental Logistics
Streamlined Freight Audit and Payment

Kathryn Leamer is well-versed with the nitty-gritty of the freight audit and payment processes, and despite years of experience and a meteoric rise through the logistics and transportation industry, she is not one to rest on her laurels. In an ambitious bid to alleviate internal and external supply chain challenges faced by large corporations, Kathryn established Northern Continental Logistics (NCL) in 1998. Since then, NCL has been managing logistical processes for clients large and small by translating complicated transportation processes into simplified, web-based solutions.

What concerns the LTL industry most today is ensuring accurate carrier billing, both through auditing freight bills to match invoicing with bills of lading and evaluating shipment liability. To assist with this, NCL offers a spectrum of in-house services, from verifying freight documents to providing reporting customized to each client, NCL does it all. Other services include determining classification dimensions, tracking packages and shipments for timely delivery, and evaluating accessorial charges both before and after shipping. This enforces carrier accountability and relieves the client from uncertainty regarding their freight charges.

NCL’s flagship transportation management system (TMS), called FreightSOLVER, delivers robust logistical reporting for meaningful management decisions involving freight. FreightSOLVER compiles package, truckload, and LTL data and audits it within the system. The results are balanced and submitted to the client with a single consolidated invoice, along with full access to their own audited documents. “Our secure portal allows checking freight bills processed for payment, the checks issued on it, and any freight information uploaded on FreightSOLVER through a personal, password-protected page,” explains Kathryn.

Our secure portal allows checking freight bills processed for payment, the checks issued on it, and any freight information uploaded on FreightSOLVER through a personal, password-protected page

NCL also interacts with clients’ accounting teams to transfer accurate freight information directly into a company’s general ledger (GL), including account coding and inventory part numbering. Custom reporting, mapping, and real-time shipment tracking allow logistics managers to optimize their supply chain, while reporting on shipment classifications and updates on carrier transit times help clients stay up to date in a rapidly changing industry. Kathryn adds, “With apt data analytics, we provide our clients with compliance reports based on their freight shipping to choose a cost-effective delivery path. We see this as a service and a benefit in our partnership with our clients.”

NCL values its long-term partnership with every client. This begins with no upfront charges and a free post-audit of freight bills to determine freight needs and savings. According to Kathryn, NCL uses a transactional free structure, with costs broken down by number of services available to the client. Looking ahead, NCL plans to utilize its recently added brokerage division to provide inbound vendor support for its clients.

From constructing a bill of lading and determining classification of products, to finding a carrier for that all-important truckload shipment and saving a client’s freight dollars, NCL does it all with a personalized touch like no other company. NCL has won numerous accolades, including an Inc.Credible Award for Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics and has been named a Southern Indiana Business Source “Best Place to Work.” NCL is also certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).