BNSF Logistics is a Berkshire Hathaway company and subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe, LLC that delivers supply chain and logistics services around the globe.
Dan Curtis, President of BNSF Logistics, has led the company through an impressive evolution. Appointed in early 2018, Curtis brings his people-first mentality and dedication to innovation to work with him every day, resulting in a forward-thinking company culture.
“I knew in order to transform this business, we had to do it from the inside out. It started with defining our purpose and guiding principles to give our people clarity. We needed to understand why we do what we do and how to do it better.”
People-driven Culture
Curtis rallies his teams around BNSF Logistics’ purpose: “We deliver what matters.” Each day, they focus on living out this purpose in tangible ways – delivering what matters to each other, to customers and to local communities.
BNSF Logistics’ leadership team worked together to create six guiding principles, intended to help all employees deliver what matters:
- Protect the well-being of ourselves and others
- Drive innovation and embrace transformation
- Respect and serve everyone
- Keep our commitments
- Foster a collaborative and inclusive community
- Celebrate and enjoy the journey!
It is important to Curtis that employees live by these guiding principles inside and outside of the office, ensuring they are more than just decorative words on a wall.
“These guiding principles are the North Star for where we want to go as a company,” Curtis said. “We should all have a personal connection to them and live them out every day. Using these six guiding principles will enable us to become a company that defines excellence in supply chain and logistics services and is powered by the best people with the right tools, skills and resources. “
Investing in Technology
In addition to fostering a people-driven culture, BNSF Logistics has embarked on a transformation journey with a heavy emphasis on technology to better serve its customers and carriers. The company has invested heavily in integration capabilities and business continuity efforts to deliver uninterrupted service during unprecedented times.
When asked how BNSF Logistics’ overarching commitment to being a people-first company affected his approach to technology, Curtis emphasized that both people and technology function in unison to deliver success.
“Technology is a key enabler, and although it can change what people do on a day-to-day basis, it is developed with people in mind. We aim for deeper connectedness with our technology, helping us deliver what matters to everyone in any environment,” Curtis said. “Our investment in technology has allowed us to develop new ways to automate processes, enhance business intelligence and improve response time to customers.”
Customized Solutions
To Curtis, it’s not just about meeting customers’ needs, but continuing to exceed their expectations by delivering unique solutions, evolving and standing out in an ever-changing industry.
“Our goal is to position ourselves in a unique way from the rest of the market by leveraging our deep logistics expertise and unparalleled suite of services. We are changing the way 3PLs operate,” Curtis said. “From the simplest to the most complex, our team can tackle any project a customer has and build solutions to their business.”
BNSF Logistics’ vast range of origin and destination solutions include:
- EPLT Services (Engineering, Procurement, Logistics, and Transportation)
- Supply Chain Consulting Services
- Project Management Services
- Over The Road and Rail Services
- Imports/Export Services
- Asset-based Services (20-axle Schnabel car, 12-axle depressed flat deck railcar, cranes, trailers, forklifts, and more)
Dedication to Innovation
To continue bringing new solutions to the market, BNSF Logistics has adopted a change-ready mindset. The company has accomplished this by ramping up technological development and expanding its engineering team to ignite innovation. The company’s newly designed Innovation Department is a testament to this, which combines engineering, project management, market research, communications and product launches.
Executive Vice President of Innovation Robert Sutton says innovation for BNSF Logistics is about pinpointing supply chain challenges, developing new ways to solve those challenges, and ultimately, making customers’ lives easier.
“Our services have set the tone for excellence for BNSF Logistics. Adding in our new Innovation team provides customers with never-before-seen solutions to drive efficiency, deliver real value, and transform supply chains. We bring ground-breaking platforms to the market via our engineering and technology that will fundamentally change the way we execute and enhance our customers’ experience,” said Sutton.
BNSF Logistics continues to launch more products and solutions with a demonstrated commitment to its employees, technology, customers and communities.
“It is clear that 2020 has been a tough year, but we are continuing to work through this time of uncertainty by investing in our people and technology,” Curtis said. “Though COVID-19 was an unforeseen obstacle that changed the way we interact, our path to deliver what matters continues to be clear.”
Visit bnsflogistics.com to learn more.