Standard Textile stands as a global leader in textile manufacturing. It's known for innovative products and a commitment to excellence. 

But, like many companies that operate with a worldwide network of suppliers, partners, and other stakeholders, Standard Textile struggled with outdated, manual systems that made international shipping and regulatory compliance processes far more difficult and complex than they should be.

These dated, manual systems created:

• Rampant inefficiencies
• Informational black holes
• Mountain frustrations (both internally and externally)

At 3rdwave, our platform played an essential role in helping Standard Textile replace its manual, offline process with the modern technology needed to thrive in a competitive environment. Where once the company relied on spreadsheets, physical file folders, and burdensome manual updates, it now uses a fully digital, cloud-based system that offers real-time visibility, automation, and streamlined workflows.

Here’s the story of how Standard Textile replaced its inefficiencies, delays, and frustrations with speed, accuracy, and agility.

Ready to take control of your global shipments? Schedule a demo with 3rdwave.

The Challenge: Systems and Processes Buckle Under the Need for Modernization

Standard Textile runs the type of complex, high-volume shipping operation that you would expect from a global company. Each year, it manages 3,500 containers — while also self-filing for trade compliance. It did all of this without a fully integrated ERP or TMS. Instead, the organization relied on a heavily customized Microsoft Access database to track shipments.

“We were literally receiving everything from our suppliers via email, printing it off, and creating a shipment in the Access database, while also transposing that information onto a physical file folder,” said Doug Shaffer, Director of Transportation and Trade Compliance at Standard Textile. “It was highly redundant and incredibly inefficient.”

Here are the three leading challenges that inspired Standard Textile to modernize its tech stack.

1. Manual, Paper-Based Processes

Managing international shipments required extensive manual effort. As Doug noted, emails served as the primary method of communication with suppliers, and every shipment’s details had to be entered into the Access database by hand. The process didn’t end there — shipment documents were printed, placed into physical file folders, and manually updated as changes occurred. 

This paper-based approach led to redundant work, inefficiencies, and an overwhelming volume of active shipment folders (often between 300 and 500 at a time) scattered across desks.

2. Inefficient Tracking & Visibility

Because shipment updates were only available via email, any change in ETAs required multiple manual updates across various platforms. In many cases, the information wasn’t updated at all due to time constraints. This lack of real-time visibility led to frequent disruptions in inventory management and purchasing. It left teams scrambling to react to changes instead of proactively managing delays.

3. Operational Rigidities & Data Limitations

The Access database itself was limited in its capabilities. It lacked real-time data sharing, making collaboration difficult across teams. Standard Textile’s IT had already indicated they would no longer support the system, further compounding the risks. The database also played a key role in trade compliance, meaning any transition away from it had to consider both transportation and regulatory requirements.

Without a modern system in place, Standard Textile’s supply chain team found themselves constantly fighting fires instead of focusing on strategic improvements. They knew they needed a better solution — one that would provide visibility, automate repetitive tasks, and enable faster decision-making.

Implementing the Right Solution: The Transition to 3rdwave

The search for a modern, cloud-based solution that could integrate international transportation and trade compliance ultimately led Standard Textile to 3rdwave. While the company used Oracle Transportation Management (OTM) for its domestic shipping needs, it became clear that OTM was incapable of managing the international process without significant development, time, and cost. Standard Textile’s analysis also found that the importing process was sufficiently disconnected from distribution, meaning there was little benefit to consolidating international and domestic transportation onto a single platform — especially given the expense involved.

Standard Textile looked at other TMS platforms, but they were primarily designed for domestic shipping (with international requirements as an afterthought). As a result, critical trade compliance processes were either missing or unworkable. Also, most of these systems were built for freight forwarders rather than importers, lacking the functionality needed to manage transportation from the company’s perspective rather than a service provider’s.

3rdwave stood out because it’s a technology purpose-built for international shipping, integrating both transportation and trade compliance. Unlike traditional enterprise solutions, 3rdwave was designed specifically for the complexities of global logistics, including the ability to automate the self-filing process. Its adaptability and collaborative approach made it the perfect fit for Standard Textile, allowing the company to maintain its unique workflows without being forced into a rigid, predefined structure. This flexibility ensured a smooth transition without disrupting daily operations.

“We decided that it was better to go with a smaller company that could adapt to the way that we were doing business currently,” Shaffer said, “rather than forcing ourselves into a rigid, one-size-fits-all model.”

Standard Textile approached the transition to 3rdwave in two phases:

1. Trade Compliance First: Since Standard Textile’s operations required tight control over regulatory filings and compliance, 3rdwave first focused on digitizing and automating compliance processes.
2. Shipment Execution Second: Once compliance was in place, the transportation execution component was built, ensuring a seamless flow of information from origin to final delivery.

The implementation process required meticulous data validation and process alignment, which led to some delays. Those delays were necessary, though, as the team understood that ensuring data integrity was critical to long-term success.

“The devil’s in the details,” Shaffer said. “If you don’t get it set up right, bad data in means bad data out. We remained patient because we knew this foundation was going to set us up for long-term efficiency.”

The implementation of 3rdwave allowed Standard Textile to transition from a manual, fragmented process to an automated, real-time system — positioning the company for greater efficiency, accuracy, and resilience in an unpredictable global supply chain environment.

The Results: Reaping the Benefits of Digital Transformation

As Standard Textile implemented 3rdwave and overhauled its approach to international transportation and trade compliance, the company rapidly started realizing the benefits. Those benefits included:

1. Digital Transformation and Cloud-Based Efficiency

With 3rdwave in place, Standard Textile fully transitioned from a manual, paper-based process to a digital, cloud-powered system. Gone were the physical file folders and tedious data entry — shipment execution became streamlined, efficient, and accessible from anywhere. 

This shift proved invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic when remote work became essential. With 3rdwave’s cloud-based system, employees could manage shipments from home, avoiding operational disruptions. Without this digital solution, relying on hard-copy folders would have been completely unworkable — causing severe delays and making remote operations nearly impossible.

2. Enhanced Visibility and Automation

One of the most immediate benefits was the automation of shipment tracking and ETA updates. Instead of manually updating records across multiple platforms, ETA changes were now reflected in real-time, eliminating redundant work. Purchasing and inventory teams no longer had to rely on transportation staff for updates — they could access accurate information directly, reducing delays and increasing operational efficiency.

3rdwave’s exception reporting also allowed Standard Textile to proactively identify shipments at risk of delay. Instead of reacting to problems as they emerged, teams could now take preventative measures to minimize disruptions.

3. Agility in Crisis Situations

The benefits of enhanced visibility became especially clear during global disruptions.

“During the Red Sea disruptions, we needed to quickly understand which vessels were moving and which ones were stalled,” Shaffer said. “Within 24 hours, 3rdwave had set up a report that gave us exactly what we needed. That kind of responsiveness is invaluable.”

In other critical situations, 3rdwave also enabled Standard Textile to rapidly estimate demurrage risks and assess alternative transport options, helping the company avoid unnecessary costs and delays.

4. Scalability and Future-Proofing

Beyond solving immediate operational challenges, 3rdwave positioned Standard Textile for future growth. The company expanded its supply chain capabilities by integrating a Turkey office into the system, enabling global teams to access and manage shipment data seamlessly.

Also, with the ability to integrate future solutions like pre-shipment control and advanced freight management, Standard Textile is now better equipped to adapt to evolving supply chain demands.

By embracing 3rdwave’s flexible and scalable platform, Standard Textile transformed its shipping operations from a fragmented, reactive process into a proactive, efficient system — ultimately saving time, reducing costs, and improving overall supply chain performance.

Step Into the Future of International Transportation and Trade Compliance

Digital transformation is never easy. Because of its complexity, many large, successful, global companies like Standard Logistics continue with outdated, manual, inefficient systems and processes — just to avoid the pains of overhauling things.

At 3rdwave, our platform is designed to help international shippers overcome the challenges of digital transformation, rapidly replacing what’s old with a modern solution that digitizes the shipment execution process, eliminates manual redundancies, and delivers real-time visibility.

Are you ready to transition into the future of international shipping and trade compliance? Get started with 3rdwave.