The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division announced today that it has received the Best Distribution/Warehouse Innovation Award from StateWays magazine. ABD received the award for partnering with Des Moines-based trucking and logistics company Ruan Transportation Management Systems for the warehousing and distribution of spirits.
“It is an honor to receive this award and national recognition for our efforts to improve the spirits fulfillment process in the state of Iowa,” said ABD Administrator Stephen Larson. “This public-private partnership is increasing service to our more than 1,600 customers and maximizing the return on investment by Iowans in our operation.”
ABD is responsible for selling and delivering over 1,100 spirits orders weekly to private retailers licensed to sell spirits to consumers for off-premises consumption. Since April 15, 2019, Ruan has been responsible for processing and delivering orders on ABD’s behalf.
“This partnership has been nothing but a win-win for ABD and for Ruan,” said Marty Wadle, senior vice president of Commercial Solutions at Ruan. “We’ve had a seamless integration with ABD, and now we can enter the continuous improvement phase, where we’ll identify and implement further efficiencies and service improvements.”
The partnership with Ruan is the culmination of planning by ABD that began in 2012 to improve distribution operations. A Request for Proposal was issued in May 2017, and through the competitive bid process, Ruan was chosen to assume responsibility for warehouse and distribution operations.
StateWays is a national magazine covering issues affecting alcohol regulatory agencies across the country. StateWays’ Best Practices Awards recognize agencies leading the industry in innovation, education, and enforcement. The award announcement can be found here.
About the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division
The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division serves Iowans through responsible and efficient licensing, regulation, and distribution of alcohol. Learn more online at: https://abd.iowa.gov