Imagine a company built on environmental values struggling to track carbon emissions across its supply chain, forced to manually calculate and verify data. This resource-intensive process made it nearly impossible to deliver on sustainability commitments. Klean Kanteen, the renowned manufacturer of BPA-free reusable bottles, cups, and containers, faced precisely this challenge—until discovering a breakthrough solution.
The Sustainability Dilemma
Headquartered in Chico, California, with production primarily in Shenzhen and global distribution across seven continents, Klean Kanteen operates as a certified B Corporation deeply committed to environmental responsibility. The company relied heavily on accessible data to assess and improve its ecological footprint. However, traditional freight forwarding services failed to provide carbon emission estimates during quoting, forcing Klean Kanteen into laborious manual calculations and data reconciliation.
By adopting Flexport's platform, Klean Kanteen gained access to pre-booking CO₂ emission estimates for every shipment, enabling faster, more strategic decisions aligned with its environmental mission. This partnership fundamentally transformed the company's operational efficiency and carbon footprint.
From Challenge to Opportunity: A Serendipitous Discovery
In 2016, Renlund encountered a blog post by Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen detailing plans to collaborate with Harvard's consulting group on developing predictive emissions tools. Though Klean Kanteen had recently completed a major evaluation and selected a new freight forwarder, Flexport's innovative approach to carbon accounting stood out.
"While we were satisfied with our freight partner, Flexport's proactive initiative impressed me," Renlund recalled. "We investigated their platform and were thoroughly impressed—the decision to trial their services became inevitable."
Side-by-Side Evaluation: Flexport's Competitive Edge
After joining Flexport's platform, Klean Kanteen conducted parallel assessments comparing it against traditional freight services. "This was a game-changer. We quickly realized transferring most shipments to Flexport was the obvious choice," Renlund noted. The platform's transparency and operational efficiency demonstrated unparalleled potential.
Operational Efficiency: Centralized Management Delivers Synergies
Consolidating supply chain management within a single platform enabled superior cross-team collaboration. "Having accurate, readily accessible information improved coordination with finance, demand planning, and warehouse teams," explained Klean Kanteen Logistics Manager Jim Guenza. Flexport streamlined information flows, reduced communication overhead, and enhanced overall efficiency.
Service Excellence: Building Strong Operational Partnerships
From a service perspective, Klean Kanteen developed close working relationships with Flexport's operations team. "Our team genuinely understands our needs and shipment details—often better than I do," Guenza remarked. "While logistics inevitably encounter problems, Flexport consistently demonstrates commitment to solutions, with full transparency through their platform. That peace of mind is invaluable."
Environmental Stewardship: Data-Driven Decision Making
For Klean Kanteen, making informed environmental decisions represents a core organizational imperative. "Last year, air freight accounted for just 1% of our shipment volume but 30% of carbon emissions," Renlund explained. "Flexport helps us optimize planning and develop strategies to minimize air freight reliance. This level of control is transformative."
Access to detailed emissions data empowered Klean Kanteen to clearly understand different transportation methods' environmental impacts and make smarter logistical choices.
Measurable Outcomes: Efficiency Gains and Emission Reductions
The Flexport partnership delivered concrete results:
- Streamlined reporting: Manual data calculation and reconciliation processes that previously consumed significant resources were replaced with real-time platform access, dramatically reducing reporting timelines.
- Substantial emissions reductions: By optimizing transportation modes and minimizing air freight, Klean Kanteen eliminated hundreds of tons of CO₂ emissions. Exact reductions vary annually based on shipping volumes and mode combinations, but the positive trajectory remains consistent.
Case Study: Avoiding Air Freight to Slash Emissions
Consider a typical shipment from Shenzhen to the United States. Previously, time constraints might have dictated air transport. With Flexport's platform, Klean Kanteen now clearly sees air freight's carbon impact—multiple times greater than ocean shipping. This visibility enables advanced planning to accommodate slower sea transit, significantly reducing emissions.
Additionally, Flexport helps optimize routing by identifying cleaner fuel options and more efficient transport vehicles, further minimizing environmental impact.
The Future of Sustainable Supply Chains
Klean Kanteen's collaboration with Flexport transcends conventional business relationships—it represents shared dedication to sustainable supply chain innovation. Through technology and data analytics, Klean Kanteen gains unprecedented visibility into its supply chain's environmental effects, enabling proactive carbon reduction measures that align with corporate values while setting an industry benchmark.
Future initiatives may include renewable energy adoption for manufacturing facilities and cooperative emission reduction programs with suppliers. Through continuous innovation, Klean Kanteen remains committed to building increasingly sustainable supply networks.
Conclusion: Sustainability Starts With Supply Chains
Klean Kanteen's experience demonstrates that environmental responsibility extends beyond corporate social commitment—it creates competitive advantage. By optimizing supply chains to reduce emissions, the company enhanced brand integrity while lowering operational costs, achieving both ecological and economic benefits. For businesses navigating today's eco-conscious marketplace, sustainable supply chain development has become essential, with platforms like Flexport providing critical tools to realize these objectives.