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Case Study · LevelLoad

LevelLoad by ProvisionAI

How EARL eliminated order bunching and saved millions annually across Kimberly-Clark's North American network.

"AI in supply chain management is not a future aspiration — it's a present reality."
Scott DeGroot — VP Global Logistics, Kimberly-Clark
Scott DeGroot · VP Global Logistics, Kimberly-Clark
60% Daily variability reduction
80% Shipments covered
$M+ Saved annually
Kimberly-Clark North American distribution — LevelLoad transportation planning
60% less variability North American ops
10-month deployment Full NA network
The challenge

Order bunching was making the network unmanageable.

Manufacturing plants releasing shipments unpredictably — creating spikes in carrier demand planners couldn't get ahead of.
Securing trucks last-minute at premium spot rates had become the norm — not the exception.
Consumer demand had normalized — this was a planning and execution problem costing millions.
Scott DeGroot saw it as a reset moment — an opportunity to rethink how the network deployed inventory.

Unpredictable shipment spikes

Manufacturing plants releasing orders in bursts rather than a steady flow.

Last-minute carrier procurement

Trucks secured at premium rates because capacity wasn't reserved in advance.

Premium freight costs

Reactive planning meant consistently paying above-market rates across the network.

No network-wide visibility

Planning, TMS, WMS, and carrier systems operating independently with no unified view.

The solution

EARL gave the network a plan it could actually execute.

Runs daily — analyzes shipment volume against committed lane capacity across every site and lane.
Planners see spikes 30 days out — carrier slots reserved in advance, not last-minute.
Team shifted from managing every shipment to resolving only the exceptions EARL flags.
Planning TMS WMS ERP
01 — Daily data pull

EARL pulls shipment volume and committed lane capacity daily

From Planning, TMS, and WMS — building a real-time picture of what the network needs and what it can absorb across every lane and site.

Planning systemTMSWMS
02 — 30-day deployment plan

LevelLoad calculates optimal trucks per lane per day

Smoothing spikes by pulling forward urgent shipments and redistributing others across a flexible planning window — 30 days ahead, every day.

30-day horizonVolume smoothing
03 — Placeholder STO

Shell Stock Transfer Order submitted to ERP

A shell STO is submitted to the ERP with a dummy code — locking in carrier capacity days in advance without committing to specific product yet.

ERP integrationCapacity reservation
04 — Early tender to carrier

TMS receives tender automatically

TMS receives the tender automatically — securing preferred core carriers before other shippers, at committed rates rather than spot market premiums.

Core carriersCommitted ratesNo spot market
Recognition

CSCMP Supply Chain Innovator of the Year — Finalist.

EARL earned Kimberly-Clark a finalist nomination for the 2022 CSCMP Supply Chain Innovator of the Year Award — the most recognized supply chain innovation award in North America.

2022 CSCMP Supply Chain Innovator of the Year — Finalist. Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.

The results

Millions saved. A network transformed.

60% Variability reduction All North American ops
80% Shipments covered Full NA network
10 mo To full deployment Design to live
$M+ Saved annually Replenishment freight
Scott DeGroot — VP Global Logistics, Kimberly-Clark

Scott DeGroot

VP Global Logistics · Kimberly-Clark

"Kimberly-Clark fully deployed the platform across all North American operations. As a result of both the process improvements and new technology, it reduced variability daily by 60% — particularly in locations where production plants are shipping to distribution centers."

Could your network run this smoothly?

If it worked for Kimberly-Clark,
it can work for you.

Most clients see ROI within 4 months. Our team will show you exactly where your network is losing money — with specific numbers from your operation.