Craft is a Brazilian multinational company specialized in international transportation, focused on consolidating shipments and negotiating maritime, air, and land contracts.
Founded in 1997, it now operates in 10 countries and 35 offices spread across South and North America. Its scalable solutions connect its 1,200 experts to global networks specialized by mode. Managing more than 200,000 processes annually, the company prioritizes operational excellence, sustainable growth, and digital transformation.
A need for change
Craft found themselves in the challenging position of experiencing rapid growth and the growing pains that come along with it.
“Our existing system served its purpose, but we reached a point where we hit a wall,” shares Queit Zunino, Director of Information Technology. “In order to make our legacy system work, we required more people, control and resources than we could justify.”
The team lacked system integration that could manage the unique tax, compliance and operational requirements between countries, especially considering the high dependency on manual processes across different areas of operation.
“We needed a solution that could pull us from our siloes and help us excel,” says Queit.
A digital transformation journey with CargoWise
In 2022, the team at Craft began to implement CargoWise, and immediately experienced the benefits of data centralization and data management.
“We can make decisions faster, consult processes and, importantly, align the business strategy with the data that we have in hand, all in one single place,” says Natalia Bueno, Air Operations Manager. “It's simple things, like having documents readily attached and team members having direct access—no longer getting lost searching through several portals—to complex information—like consolidation management and wind control—that have significantly improved our processes.”
Data management is essential to be able to generate good experience for customers.
“Being able to view the entire cargo journey allows us to extract data, insights and generate value for our customer,” says Queit. “We seek to never lose the human aspect of the process, so we ensure that the customer stays connected with us and technology is a means to make that happen.”
Centralization has improved internal communication, as well as that with suppliers and customers.
“Every day we answer three questions for our customers: ‘Where is the cargo?’; ‘When will my cargo arrive?’; ‘What is the cost of this cargo?’;” explains Queit. “We answer these questions with successful shipments, however the most important thing for me is this visibility and accessibility to data to use for decision making and the benefit it provides to our customers. Simply put, with CargoWise we are equipped to provide greater visibility and predictability in shipment tracking, costs, and timelines.”
Customers have noted the automation of, and the delivery cadence of consistent, accurate information.
“Our customers are very important to us, and we prioritize the constant need to improve their experience,” says Queit. “CargoWise made life much easier for users and helped further establish our connections in Brazil and beyond.”
“CargoWise gives you clear visibility—all without borders,” highlights Alexandre Toffoli, CargoWise product owner for Craft. “This was key in our implementation, because each country used to have its own process, its own database, its own way of working. But this all shifted once we started thinking globally and implemented CargoWise.”
“Being able to view the entire cargo journey allows us to extract data, insights and generate value for our customer. We seek to never lose the human aspect of the process, so we ensure that the customer stays connected with us and technology is a means to make that happen.” Queit Zunino, Director of Information Technology, Craft
Tailored, human-centric implementation on a global scale
Craft adopted a phased approach to implementing CargoWise, initially implementing the air freight module in Brazil —all within three months—starting August 2022 and going live November 2022. This was no easy feat, however. A change in process required a change in mindset.
“The craft team had to start thinking globally and break from the siloes which we worked within,” says Alexandre. “Once we were all aligned on our goal, we gathered members of our existing team to ensure we were able to implement CargoWise quickly. This is where our entire journey as equals began—learning by using the system, experimenting and improving air freight.”
A diverse team of internal experts and external consultants drove the implementation. As Cristiane Alonso, Digital Product Manager, states, "Almost 90% of our implementation team were internal employees, combining business expertise with technical insights from across different countries."
By the end of 2023, the platform was operational in all Craft’s branches, spanning 10 countries, with nine fully implemented within the first year.
“We involved 300 people from all areas of business: commercial, operational, financial registration. We focused on the company as a whole and pushed an integrated vision. Today, we see the shift in mindset as we now approach everything as a single process; no longer divided by country or department,” shares Cristiane.
“We learned that technology is only as powerful as our ability to make our processes and our people embrace it,” adds Priscilla Bueno, Chief Technology Officer. “CargoWise fosters a culture of experimentation and innovation making it an ideal tool for Craft.”
Craft’s success with CargoWise hinged on managing cultural and operational transformations. Extensive training through the CargoWise Academy equipped users to maximize the system’s potential.
"Starting with areas of comfort allowed teams to adapt incrementally," Alexandre explains. "Empathy and collaboration were central to our approach, ensuring alignment between system capabilities and user needs."
Craft’s experience demonstrates how adopting a robust logistics platform like CargoWise can catalyze digital transformation, streamline operations, and drive global success.
“It's in Craft's DNA to care for people, and we are proud of keeping local economies alive, and the only way to do it at the level we do is with the assistance of technology,” said Priscilla.
Craft’s implementation of CargoWise marks a significant milestone in its digital transformation journey. The system’s flexibility and scalability position the company for sustained growth. Looking ahead, Craft plans to integrate additional modules, such as FCL, and expand its use of automation to further enhance operational efficiency.
As Cristiane summarizes, "CargoWise is not just a system; it’s a strategic enabler for our global ambitions."