Initially based in Greenwood, Harris and his sales team quickly built core relationships with trucking firms and companies needing trucking capacity.
"Backhaul Direct is a third-party logistics brokerage. We act as a sales extension for trucking companies where they need a sales presence and find loads for them in that region," he said.
If a retailer purchases a truckload of Gatorade from a plant in Chicago and needs to get it to a distribution center in Florida, Backhaul Direct will put that retailer in touch with a truck that recently dropped off freight in Chicago and is going back to Florida with capacity available.
Backhaul Direct will find the best deal available on behalf of the retailer. It can be a very valuable service; according to Harris.
"If we can come in and reduce their transportation bill 3 [percent] to 5 percent over a year, we're talking millions of dollars for some companies," he said.
In 2007, Backhaul Direct moved from its small office near Greenwood to its current location at 47 S. Meridian in downtown Indianapolis. Just this year, the company added a Denver branch office to expand its reach outside of the Midwest.
The company isn't planning on stopping there. "We'd like to maybe open another hub in the next three to five years. There's always something to be said for a local relationship," Harris said.
In an industry subject to intense pressure from fuel prices and other overhead, Backhaul Direct finds itself in an enviable position.
"We don't have the trucks and the actual equipment, so we don't have to spend our resources looking for the best-paying deal," Harris said. "We have the luxury of partnering up with very good carriers and customers."
The flip side is the lack of control Backhaul Direct has over drivers and trucks, but it's a problem Harris said the company rarely faces.
"We have very good carrier partners," he said.
Even with things running smoothly, Backhaul Direct is fine-tuning its operations through the use of new technology. Harris said the company is developing its own software that will allow shippers to track status on a secure system.
One of the biggest keys to the quick growth, according to Harris, has been its "fun and rewarding" company culture. Backhaul Direct puts an emphasis on company-sponsored activities, such as golf, bowling and fantasy football, while also matching 100 percent of employee's 401(k) contributions. It features an employee as "the hardest working person of the month" on it's Web site.
At the end of 2007, Backhaul Direct had a staff of 26, up from just six two years before.
"We have a very open company," said Harris, who keeps his desk on the sales floor. "Any question asked receives a straight answer. Any employee can approach me at any time, and it's the same with motor carriers and customers."
A laid-back work place goes a long way toward alleviating the daily pressure, and Harris said he works hard to keep employees - and clients - coming back for more.
"This business can be very stressful," he said. "You're only as good as the next load you deliver."
Backhaul Direct LLC