Trim‑Tex Transforms Logistics with Data‑Driven Clarity

Company Background

Founded in 1969, Trim-Tex is a second-generation, family-owned manufacturer based in Lincolnwood, IL. Best known for its vinyl corner bead and trim accessories, the company prides itself on being a learning-focused, customer-centric workplace.

Business Problem

Despite strong operations and a loyal customer base, Trim-Tex lacked the logistics visibility needed to make confident decisions. As President Bryan Schwartz put it, “We knew what we didn’t know.” Trim-Tex desired to improve the customer experience as opposed to strictly cutting costs.

Due to unreliable data from their existing freight pay provider, the company couldn’t see that multiple partial loads—particularly in Texas—were shipping to the same regions on the same days. This prevented anyone from realizing that consolidating those shipments could slash costs while improving delivery consistency. The lack of visibility also made internal conversations difficult. Sales worried customers might resist changes such as consolidated shipments or flatbed programs, while leadership continued to view logistics as a cost center rather than a strategic function.

None of these issues were rooted in poor management; they were natural symptoms of a growing manufacturer whose logistics tools had simply fallen behind. 

Solution - Managed Services

Trim-Tex initially believed they needed new distribution centers to improve service, but once TranzAct delivered clean, reliable data, the truth became clear: they did not need more buildings—they needed better visibility.

Schwartz described the shift as “night and day—like the sun coming through the clouds.” With real insight, Trim-Tex unlocked efficiencies that had been hidden behind bad data, avoiding unnecessary capital investment and transforming how they managed their logistics.

With better visibility, Trim-Tex discovered that some carriers hadn’t been paid for up to six months—a major problem that went unnoticed because the old system couldn’t track payment timing properly. This conflicted with the company’s values and could have damaged carrier relationships.

Together, TranzAct and Trim-Tex rebuilt the logistics function from the ground up—transforming it from reactive and manual into  strategic and data-driven. 

The foundation was data. TranzAct’s freight pay and audit platform delivered clean, real-time, actionable insight—the visibility Trim-Tex had always wanted but never had. This enabled the company to make decisions based on facts rather than assumptions. 

The next step was installing TranzAct’s Constellation TMS, which fully integrated with Trim-Tex’s ERP. With automated carrier selection, streamlined tendering, along with customer and cost stratification tools, Constellation TMS provided a powerful engine for running logistics offensively. Order patterns emerged immediately, allowing the team to consolidate loads, align customer order days, and create win-win savings and service improvements.

Supply Chain Edge helped reshape the company’s carrier strategy as well. Instead of relying on a price only, transactional RFP model, Trim-Tex learned how to structure the market approach, evaluate partners more holistically, and focus on becoming a shipper carriers want to work with. Trim-Tex even filmed a video for carriers showcasing their operation and their commitment to being a shipper of choice—something carriers loved.

The transformation also sparked internal growth, both personally and professionally. A Trim-Tex employee once described as a “good soldier” grew into a confident logistics leader through hands-on training in RFPs, TMS, and data-driven processes. Her journey mirrored Trim-Tex’s broader cultural shift: becoming a company that uses data to learn, improve, and lead.

Throughout the project, the team followed a strategic approach—testing ideas in small pilots before scaling. Each success strengthened buy-in across sales, operations, and finance, laying the groundwork for sustainable change.

Return on Investment
The results speak for themselves. Schwartz estimates a “10x or more ROI”—particularly in the first one to two years—as Trim-Tex reduced costs even during volatile market conditions. They improved customer experience through more reliable, consolidated shipments; strengthened carrier relationships with better communication and timely payment; and elevated internal decision-making with accurate, trusted data.

Most importantly, logistics is no longer a defensive cost center. It is now a strategic, offensive tool and a core part of Trim-Tex’s profitability and growth strategy. The partnership with TranzAct and Supply Chain Edge wasn’t transactional—it was deeply relational, delivering not just improvements in freight, but a complete transformation in how the company thinks, operates, and competes.

Trim-Tex now has a true north for logistics—and a platform built for continued innovation and success for the entire business.