CASE STUDY
Protecting Pharmaceutical Shipments With Temperature-Controlled Logistics
Learn How OcuSOFT Protected their Pharmaceutical Shipments with Unishippers
Summary
OCuSOFT improved pharmaceutical shipping by partnering with Unishippers to protect temperature-sensitive Rx products, simplify carrier management and gain real-time visibility. With cold chain support, drop trailer operations and a centralized TMS, the company reduced risk, streamlined workflows and improved efficiency. The partnership enables scalable, reliable logistics to support continued growth and protect high-value healthcare shipments.
OCuSOFT Inc. is a privately held research, development and supply company headquartered in Rosenberg, Texas. Since 1986, the company has specialized in eye and skin care solutions designed to address the needs of patients suffering from ocular surface disease. Today, OCuSOFT is widely recognized for OCuSOFT Lid Scrub, the #1 doctor-recommended brand of eyelid cleansers, and serves as a trusted distributor of ophthalmic products and supplies for eye care professionals.
From its Rosenberg distribution center, OCuSOFT supports nationwide pharmaceutical shipping, delivering products to doctors' offices, retailers, wholesalers and e-commerce customers across the United States and internationally. Many shipments involve Rx products that require temperature-controlled shipping and strict delivery timelines to maintain product integrity.
As shipping volumes increased, the company needed a more reliable way to manage time-sensitive deliveries, coordinate multiple carriers and maintain visibility across its logistics operations. A Unishippers franchise stepped in, providing expanded carrier access, a strong UPS relationship, responsive support and improved real-time visibility, helping OCuSOFT strengthen its pharmaceutical shipping strategy and protect critical healthcare products in transit.
Challenge 1: Protecting Temperature-Controlled Pharmaceutical Shipments
Shipper Challenge
OCuSOFT manages temperature-controlled pharmaceutical shipments that must arrive quickly and remain within strict temperature parameters throughout transit. Missing delivery windows during Rx shipping could result in lost product and revenue. In some cases, shipments can be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Unishippers Solution
A Unishippers franchise provided OCuSOFT with enhanced cold chain logistics support for its temperature-controlled shipping. By monitoring shipments and proactively identifying delays, Unishippers helps ensure that sensitive Rx products remain protected throughout transit — whether moved by parcel or freight shipping. If a shipment risks missing its delivery window, Unishippers coordinated cold storage to maintain product integrity overnight before delivery could resume.
"This product is Rx. So normally once it's out of temp or we can't deliver it, that product is gone and usually these orders are larger orders, sometimes $30,000+ in just one shipment. But if it's not going to get there on time, our Unishippers franchise helps move this product to a cooler facility and then we'll ship it the next day."
— Eunice Pensado, Director of Warehouse Operations at OCuSOFT
Challenge 2: Simplifying Carrier Management
Shipper Challenge
Before working with Unishippers, OCuSOFT managed parcel shipments, LTL freight and occasional truckload freight shipments through multiple carriers independently. Managing several carriers and rate shopping created complexity for their logistics team.
Unishippers Solution
As a 3PL, Unishippers tapped into its network of 75+ LTL freight and 45,000+ truckload freight carriers, allowing OCuSOFT to compare carrier rates and select the best option for each shipment. As part of the largest nonretail authorized UPS® reseller in the nation, Unishippers also provides businesses access to competitive parcel shipping rates and expanded carrier options. This centralized approach, supported by the myUnishippers™ transportation management system (TMS), simplifies logistics management while giving OCuSOFT greater flexibility across parcel and LTL.
"We had to go find a carrier and check on pricing every time. But with Unishippers, we're able to get all the carriers and rates in one place."
— Eunice Pensado, Director of Warehouse Operations at OCuSOFT
Challenge 3: Improving Warehouse Efficiency with Drop Trailer Operations
Shipper Challenge
As OCuSOFT's shipping volume increased, coordinating daily pickups became more difficult. The warehouse team often had to adjust their schedules around carrier arrival times, and employees sometimes needed to stay late waiting for drivers to pick up shipments. With large daily parcel shipping volumes, this created unnecessary delays and operational inefficiencies for the warehouse team.
Unishippers Solution
Unishippers implemented a UPS drop trailer solution that allows OCuSOFT to load shipments throughout the day without waiting for a scheduled pickup. With a drop trailer setup, an empty trailer is left at the facility so warehouse teams can load shipments on their own schedule. Once the trailer is full, the carrier returns later to pick it up and replace it with another empty trailer.
This flexible setup allows the warehouse team to load shipments throughout the day instead of rushing to meet a driver's arrival window. The result is a smoother workflow and more efficient shipping operations.
"The carrier drops off empty trailers overnight and returns later to collect the fully loaded trailers. With Unishippers, it's load and then go home and they take care of the rest."
— Eunice Pensado, Director of Warehouse Operations at OCuSOFT
Challenge 4: Improving Shipment Visibility Across the Organization
Shipper Challenge
Before working with Unishippers, OCuSOFT's teams had limited visibility into shipment status. When customers asked for updates, sales and customer-facing teams often had to rely on the warehouse to track down information. Without centralized tools or real-time visibility, employees often had to call or wait for updates before providing accurate shipment details.
Unishippers Solution
Unishippers provided OCuSOFT with access to the myUnishippers™ TMS, with shipment tracking tools that allow employees to quickly locate and monitor parcel and LTL freight shipments in real time. The platform enables teams across the organization to retrieve shipping information instantly, improving responsiveness and customer communication. , with shipment tracking tools that allow employees to quickly locate and monitor parcel and LTL freight shipments in real time. The platform enables teams across the organization to retrieve shipping information instantly, improving responsiveness and customer communication.
"Unishippers gives the customer real-time information instead of having to say 'we'll call you back once we get this information.' It's at their fingertips."
— Eunice Pensado, Director of Warehouse Operations at OCuSOFT
Key Results
- Protected temperature-sensitive Rx shipments
- Simplified carrier management
- Improved warehouse efficiency
- Increased real-time shipment visibility
- Reduced manual tracking
- Eliminated end-of-day pickup
- Strengthened customer support
A Logistics Partnership Supporting Future Growth
OCuSOFT continues to grow as demand for its healthcare products increases. The company has already expanded its operations and expects pharmaceutical shipping volumes to continue rising.
"Working with the franchise has been great. They don't try to force everything into a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, they find solutions that truly fit our needs, which is something that really stands out. And of course, the pricing helps too.
"During peak season, we were running low on labels and getting close to running out. Our Unishippers franchise actually drove out to pick them up and bring them back to us. That really stood out. They consistently go above and beyond to make sure we have everything we need."
As the company expands its distribution footprint and supply chain operations, OCuSOFT sees its relationship with Unishippers as a long-term partnership.
"Year over year there's always been growth. We expect the packages to keep going up as the sales go up," added Pensado. "The customer support is there and they're meeting all of our demands and needs. We're happy to work with Unishippers."
Pharmaceutical Shipping FAQs
Looking for a shipping partner to ease supply chain complexity?
At Unishippers, we believe small to mid-sized businesses deserve big-league support. For more than 35 years, we've helped SMBs grow with tailored shipping and logistics solutions backed by powerful technology and dedicated service. As your one-stop shipping partner, we simplify complexity while helping you control costs and scale with confidence.
Our franchise owners are small business owners themselves, so they understand your challenges firsthand — and how to overcome them. As part of WWEX Group, a leading third-party logistics (3PL) provider that includes Unishippers, Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz, JEAR Logistics and BLX Logistics, we combine expertise with national scale to deliver smarter shipping solutions.
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