Carlstar Group: LTL & TL Optimization Project

Kennesaw State University and The Carlstar Group have partnered for the first time to launch the Carlstar TL and LTL Outbound Optimization Project at their distribution center in McDonough, Georgia. Since 2010, this facility has served as a critical hub for distributing Carlstar’s products across the southeastern and eastern United States, as well as to other regions. Following a recent management change and a warehouse overhaul, Carlstar faced challenges in establishing optimal and efficient standard practices to streamline their outbound operations. Focusing on the three main outbound processes—Picking, Packing/Order Manifestation/Auditing, and Loading—we conducted thorough research to refine and clarify an existing Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Our goal was to enhance its clarity and usability. Additionally, we developed a Process Flow Map diagram to help the team visualize both the current and improved workflows for their outbound operations. Finally, we conducted time studies for each process to identify delays, inefficiencies, and obstacles that were impacting performance and processing times within the distribution center.