A seasoned cross-border carrier taps Cargado to grow its network, win new business, and move high-value freight from Canada to Mexico.
Results TLDR
- 6 shipments moved with a new broker sourced through Cargado.
- High-value shipment from Montreal to Veracruz completed without issues at a rate SSP was happy with.
- Direct relationship developed after that initial Cargado booking.
The situation: SSP Group, a seasoned carrier, wanted to build new broker relationships in a changing market
SSP Group is a Canadian-owned carrier specializing in cross-border lanes across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, going as far as Veracruz and even Cancun from two of SSP’s terminals in Monterrey, Mexico, and Laredo, Texas. Logistics specialist Jot Dhillon and his team focus on Canada-to-Mexico loads or U.S.-to-Mexico loads and manage more than 100 cross-border shipments every week, using SSP’s extensive cross-border experience and established industry relationships from being in business for 15 years.
But even for a seasoned carrier like SSP, the freight market presents ongoing challenges. Staying competitive means constantly looking for new ways to grow. While they already work directly with many brokers, the team is always open to expanding their network. They just needed to find a faster, more efficient way to connect with new brokers they hadn’t worked with or weren’t previously aware of.
The partner: Engaging with Cargado to discover new broker connections
Jot had heard about Cargado from his coworkers at SSP Group. Intrigued by the prospect of a new channel for business, especially one that was free to use, Jot decided to explore the platform.
He admits that initially he didn’t think Cargado would be necessary; SSP already worked with many of the broker names he saw. But as brokers continue to join the platform, Jot started to see the value. “After a couple of months, I’ve seen more people added to the portal that we were not aware of, and in fact, we got business through them,” he said. “Thanks to Cargado, we connected with someone we wouldn’t have found otherwise.”
Now, Jot keeps the Cargado platform open on his browser and checks it throughout the day for interesting lanes and actively bids on shipments that fit SSP’s network and capabilities.
He uses the search and filter capabilities to target their niche—flatbed, Conestoga, oversized, and step-deck loads—and relies on the email notifications for matching new lanes and bids. “We focus our bids on our regular lanes and on new lanes that align with our capabilities.”
“Thanks to Cargado, we connected with someone we wouldn’t have found otherwise.”
— Jot Dhillon, Logistics Specialist, SSP Group
The result: New broker relationships and seamless cross-border execution
Jot calls Cargado a “launch network”: If you provide great service on a load, brokers will come back to you directly to cover more.
Since joining Cargado, SSP Group has seen real results, starting with new broker relationships they wouldn’t have landed otherwise, including one with a broker that has consistent cross-border volume and an active presence on the Cargado platform.
“We ended up doing quite a few shipments for them,” Jot says. “We are happy with them.”
Jot pointed to a high-value shipment from Montreal to Veracruz as an example. SSP handled the Canadian leg, worked with the broker’s customs broker, and coordinated with SSP’s own partners in Mexico to complete the delivery.
For Jot and his team, Cargado is a valuable channel for business development and network expansion. “It helped us book loads with brokers we didn’t know before,” he said. “It’s been good for us. Good for SSP.” He also called out the added visibility that Cargado provides across the U.S., Mexico, and border segments, compared to other platforms with flat all-in rates.
“It is a nice channel to find different loads,” Jot said. “Any channel that supports getting you more business is good, and Cargado did help us get more business. We are grateful, and we plan to keep bidding on the portal.”
About SSP Group
SSP Group is a Canadian-based logistics and transportation company specializing in flatbed, LTL, truckload, and cross-border shipping services. They operate under the name SSP Group of Companies and have been providing freight solutions across North America for over 15 years.