How Porter Logistics Achieved 100x Growth With Extensiv

At a Glance

About Porter Logistics 

Porter Logistics specializes in high-compliance fulfillment and distribution, offering expertise in regulated goods and a technology-forward approach to logistics.

Extensiv has been a key part of our growth story. We cycled through a number of WMS providers before finally settling and expanding with Extensiv.

John Foshee
President & Co-Founder, Porter Logistics

Highlights 

Challenges 

• Needed a scalable, long-term WMS partner to support rapid growth
• Sought advanced traceability to meet high regulatory standards
• Wanted flexible tools tailored to complex operational workflows

Solution  

• Implemented Extensiv’s 3PL Warehouse Manager as a stable, scalable WMS foundation
• Leveraged robust inventory tracking and audit trails to support regulatory compliance
• Partnered with Extensiv’s support team to customize workflows and reporting for complex client needs

 Results 

• Achieved 99.9%+ inventory accuracy across highly regulated goods
• Completed mock recalls in under 30 minutes with full traceability
• Onboarded new users in just 1 – 2 hours with intuitive system design

Industry

Third-party logistics

Company Size 

200+ employees

Challenges

Hitting roadblocks on the route to scaling

For Porter Logistics, the most complex deliveries are their bread and butter. Specializing in regulated industries such as food, chemicals, and building products, nearly everything they handle comes with a high level of compliance. Yet despite the complexity of their work, much of the third-party logistics (3PL) industry has historically relied on pen and paper to keep things moving.

Co-founders Robert Crump (CEO) and John Foshee (President) saw an opportunity to do things differently — to build a technologically sophisticated 3PL company from the ground up. That vision became Porter Logistics.

“We work with a lot of different companies doing high-complexity, high-compliance work for them,” said Crump. “This has allowed us to grow extremely quickly and scale our footprint fast.”

But even as the company took off, it became clear that growth would stall without the right warehouse management system (WMS) in place to manage the flow of goods.

“We went through four WMS systems,” explained Crump. Each platform came with a different set of challenges — from poor support and clunky setup to inadequate auditing and tracking capabilities. None met the operational demands or compliance standards Porter Logistics required. “We were constantly trying and then jettisoning a WMS every six months, it felt like,” noted Foshee.

As the company grew and began handling sensitive goods on behalf of major global brands, the need for precise tracking became even more critical. “Inventory control is one of the absolute most important things you can have in a 3PL,” said Crump. “With good inventory control comes good processes and good outcomes for your customers.”

“We work with some of the biggest brands in the world, but we also play in a lot of regulated industries,” said Foshee. “We have a lot of scrutiny on us at any given time. If the FDA comes in and says we need to recall something because there’s been a report of salmonella, we have to be able to track that specific lot, immediately freeze it, and report out to the relevant authorities.”

Inventory control is one of the absolute most important things you can have in a 3PL. With good inventory control comes good processes and good outcomes for your customers.

Robert Crump
Co-Founder and CEO, Porter Logistics

Solution

Tracking every pallet, every time

With so much riding on every delivery, Porter Logistics needed a solid solution they could trust to support their rapid growth. When an industry peer recommended Extensiv, Foshee and Crump quickly realized this platform was different from the ones they had tried before.

“Immediately during the onboarding process, we knew that this was going to be a better experience than what we’d had with those other tools,” said Foshee.

Crump agreed, adding, “Extensiv has great customer service and tracking — better than any other system we’ve ever dealt with.” Extensiv’s ability to track everything from serial and lot numbers to hazardous material classes set it apart. Just as important was its deep auditing functionality. “It’s the best functionality we’ve come across,” noted Crump. “It’s very easy to track everything back and have full records and traceability all the way through, which is incredible for us since we track so many regulated goods.”

The two partners also appreciated how intuitive the system was for their team. “We can get someone set up and running in Extensiv within an hour or two,” said Crump. “That’s not possible with many other systems. It’s very user-friendly while also being extremely powerful.”

We can get someone set up and running in Extensiv within an hour or two. That’s not possible with many other systems. It’s very user-friendly while also being extremely powerful.

Robert Crump
Co-Founder and CEO, Porter Logistics

Results

Running smoother, growing faster

With Extensiv on board, Porter Logistics has grown by 100x over the last eight years.

“We’ve gone from the proverbial startup guys with a cargo van and a dream to a scaled 3PL in Atlanta closing in on a million square feet, working with some of the largest, most prestigious brands in the world,” said Foshee. “Extensiv facilitated that transition. As we continue to grow, we’re hoping to 10x again in the next five years, and we expect Extensiv to be there along for the ride.”

In addition to massive growth, Porter Logistics now boasts 99.9%+ inventory accuracy and consistently earns Net Promoter Scores of 10 from clients.

Extensiv has also made full traceability easy — an essential capability for a logistics provider working with highly regulated products such as pharmaceuticals, life sciences, and foods that require full cold storage capabilities. “We do mock recalls quarterly, which Extensiv helps with tremendously,” said Crump. “We can put the product immediately on hold and pull all the data to get it out, usually in less than 30 minutes.”

That speed and visibility are vital for avoiding fines or shutdowns from oversight agencies such as the EPA and FDA. “We always want to make sure that we’re prepared for a customer or third-party audit,” said Crump.

“Extensiv has facilitated our expansion here in Atlanta, and it’s going to facilitate our expansion into other markets,” said Foshee. “It’s handling some of the most complex product types a 3PL can have. It’s been battle-tested. We run our entire business on the platform.”

As we continue to grow, we’re hoping to 10x again in the next five years, and we expect Extensiv to be there along for the ride.

John Foshee
President & Co-Founder, Porter Logistics