Herschel Parts Deploys Descartes Pacejet for Multicarrier Shipping

Descartes Systems (DSG.TO ) Group announced on October 27, 2026, that Herschel Parts, a global manufacturer and distributor of aftermarket agricultural replacement parts to businesses and consumers, is using the Descartes Pacejet multicarrier shipping solution integrated with its enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. According to the announcement, Herschel is processing 98% of its shipments through one workflow spanning parcel and less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers. By consolidating shipping workflows and carrier rating, Descartes said, Herschel has eliminated approximately 10 hours per week of manual data entry, gained immediate shipment visibility and identified carrier options that can be 5% to 10% less expensive for individual shipments.

Moving Parcel and LTL Into One Workflow

Lori Archibold, Enterprise Systems Manager at Herschel Parts, said the company previously managed parcel, regional delivery and LTL shipping in separate systems and carrier portals. That arrangement required employees to re-enter tracking numbers, freight costs, weights and other shipment details by hand. Some information did not reach Herschel’s legacy ERP system until an overnight update ran, which she said delayed shipment visibility for the customer service team.

Archibold said Herschel deployed a new ERP system integrated with Descartes Pacejet on an accelerated timetable, a transition she said eliminated extra work and lowered shipping costs. Tracking information and shipping documents now move automatically between the two systems. “Two members of our shipping team each used to spend about an hour each day re-entering shipping data; now, there is no manual entry, and our pickers and packers are amazed by how straightforward the process is,” she said. Archibold said having all carrier rates in one place has allowed Herschel to find less expensive options and to choose the provider and shipping mode that fit each shipment best, and she credited the added visibility with helping the company identify cost savings.

Shipment Mix and Rate Comparisons

Approximately 70% of Herschel’s shipments move by LTL, with the balance shipped as parcel, according to the announcement. The shipment mix includes long, irregularly shaped agricultural parts such as seven- and nine-foot sickles, which makes shipment dimensions and accessorial charges important factors in mode and carrier selection. Descartes Pacejet enables Herschel’s team to compare parcel and LTL options using current rates and shipment characteristics. In one example cited in the announcement, Herschel identified an $85 LTL option for a shipment that would have cost approximately $200 by parcel. The announcement did not disclose the financial terms of Herschel’s deployment.

Descartes describes Pacejet as an ERP-integrated, multimodal and multicarrier shipping solution built to help manufacturers, distributors and other shippers improve cost control, fulfillment efficiency and customer service by managing parcel, LTL, freight and third-party logistics services in one place. The solution supports rate shopping across carriers and modes by incorporating shipment dimensions, residential status and accessorial charges, including charges for nonstandard items, into comparisons before shipments are tendered. It also automates packing, shipping, labeling, customer notifications and data exchange, which makes tracking information immediately available to customer service teams and notifies customers when orders ship.

“We’re pleased the Descartes solution is helping Herschel reduce administration, make more informed parcel-versus-LTL transportation decisions and give customer service immediate access to shipment information,” said Mikel Richardson, General Manager, Ecommerce at Descartes. Richardson said that for manufacturers and distributors managing complex parcel and LTL operations, ERP-integrated shipping automation can improve cost control and delivery efficiency while providing the visibility needed to offer a better customer experience.

Herschel Parts, founded in 1887, manufactures many of its own products and serves distributors, dealers and end-user farmers through business-to-business and business-to-consumer sales channels across the United States, Canada and other global markets, according to the announcement.

Descartes issued the announcement from Atlanta, Georgia, and is described in it as the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce. The company unites those businesses on its Global Logistics Network, where shippers, carriers and logistics service providers connect and collaborate using technology, data and artificial intelligence to manage last-mile deliveries, domestic and international shipments, transportation rating and payment, global trade research, customs compliance and a variety of regulatory processes.