Case Studies
Blog
Videos

APF Cold Storage & Logistics Case Study

Tom from APF Cold Storage & Logistics is what we here at CartonCloud would call a power user as he was able to self setup CartonCloud and triple his business by streamlining his operations so he could focus on growing the business.

Author:

Vincent Fletcher

Linked to author page

Published:

November 28, 2018

APFreezers

I'll admit it's been a while since I've spent more than a few short minutes in a cool room. While I clearly recall the evenings packing frozen pies into boxes after a staff member called in sick, in more recent years I've become Gold Coast-acclimatised. 20 degrees here is getting a bit nippy, and if it goes below that it's time to light a fire.

It's no surprise then that filming at APF Cold Storage & Logistics, in which the entire floor area (including where Tom works at his computer) is refrigerated, was quite a shock for my body. (His business is growing so quickly his office at this new site was still being built when we visited).

APFreezers (1)

I remember one of the first times I spoke to Tom on the phone. It was late 2016 and we'd just come off the back of two very complicated implementations (I was still managing most of them myself back in those days). I was calling to check how things were going and clearly remember that our conversation was incredibly succinct. Tom was driving his car. In the time it would normally take to open with pleasantries and talk about the weather; Tom had asked me about 5 highly specific questions, we'd been able to quickly resolve all his issues, and the call had ended. I loved talking to this guy.

Tom Colyer was the first client we had who was a self-setup. He'd convinced us during the sales process that he would be capable of installing all by himself, and therefore wouldn't require our onboarding services. We had heard this before, but it had always resulted in a long-winded and very frustrating experience, so we were apprehensive about agreeing. Something about Tom seemed different, so we decided to give it a go.

All by himself he had been able to get his whole warehouse up and running, stock loaded, customers logging on, files automated, the whole thing - with little more than a couple of emails asking for clarification, and diligently reading our Knowledge Base.

From that point, I knew we were dealing with a true power user. Someone who would be the first to jump on a new feature, point out a knowledge base article which was outdated or immediately report an issue if something had gone wrong (thankfully, this hasn't happened for quite a while...).

APFreezers (2)

It's no surprise that in the time I've known Tom, his business has truly stepped up and is really cranking along. He has multiple warehouses, all running CartonCloud. In the last 12 months his warehouse volumes have tripled. More recently, as he's built up his transport side, he's implemented CartonCloud for rate calculation and POD capture (once again, by himself).

It's been great to work with you Tom - our team are very excited to see what the future has in store for you :)

Explore the resource hub

Tips, tools, downloadable guides and stories from logistics teams who are working smarter.

Visit hub

Get a Free, Honest Read on Your Operation, in About Two Minutes

1pl
3PL
Transport
Bulk & Pallet
eCommerce
1PL
3PL
WMS
TMS
Get a Free, Honest Read on Your Operation, in About Two Minutes

How to Implement a WMS in Your Small 3PL Business: A Practical Guide

3PL
WMS
3PL
How to Implement a WMS in Your Small 3PL Business: A Practical Guide

This Week in Logistics: Multiple Warehouses, Multiple States, One Standard — How HD Warehousing Does It, With Special Guest Chad Hildebrandt, Owner & COO

3PL
3PL
WMS
This Week in Logistics: Multiple Warehouses, Multiple States, One Standard — How HD Warehousing Does It, With Special Guest Chad Hildebrandt, Owner & COO

August 2026: New Feature Round-Up

3PL
Transport
eCommerce
Accounting
1pl
3PL
WMS
TMS
E-Commerce
1PL
August 2026: New Feature Round-Up

Warehouse Software for Cold Storage, Food, and Temperature-Controlled Logistics

3PL
F&B
3PL
F&B
WMS
Warehouse Software for Cold Storage, Food, and Temperature-Controlled Logistics

This Week in Logistics: Season 2 Returns — US-Canada Tariffs, Oil Volatility, and Panama Canal Cuts All at Once

1pl
3PL
Accounting
Bulk & Pallet
eCommerce
1PL
3PL
CrossDocking
E-Commerce
F&B
This Week in Logistics: Season 2 Returns — US-Canada Tariffs, Oil Volatility, and Panama Canal Cuts All at Once

How Do You Know You've Outgrown Basic Warehouse Systems? 7 Signs for Growing US 3PLs

3PL
Bulk & Pallet
Wholesale
F&B
3PL
WMS
How Do You Know You've Outgrown Basic Warehouse Systems? 7 Signs for Growing US 3PLs

CartonCloud Named a 2026 "Great Supply Chain Partner" by SupplyChainBrain

1pl
3PL
1PL
3PL
TMS
WMS
CartonCloud Named a 2026 "Great Supply Chain Partner" by SupplyChainBrain

Dock Management: How We Built Visibility Into Every Delivery

3PL
Transport
3PL
Transport
WMS
TMS
Dock Management: How We Built Visibility Into Every Delivery

What's the Best WMS for Small 3PLs That Need an Easy Setup?

3PL
3PL
WMS
What's the Best WMS for Small 3PLs That Need an Easy Setup?

July 2026 — New Feature Round-up

1pl
3PL
Accounting
Bulk & Pallet
eCommerce
1PL
3PL
CrossDocking
E-Commerce
F&B
July 2026 — New Feature Round-up

What US 3PL Operators Really Say About Switching From Slow, Complex WMS Alternatives

3PL
3PL
WMS
What US 3PL Operators Really Say About Switching From Slow, Complex WMS Alternatives

CartonCloud vs Competitors: An Honest Comparison from an Implementation Specialist

3PL
TMS
WMS
3PL
CartonCloud vs Competitors: An Honest Comparison from an Implementation Specialist

Running Multiple Sites from One WMS System: How HD Warehousing Scaled Without the Complexity

3PL
Bulk & Pallet
eCommerce
F&B
Wholesale
3PL
E-Commerce
F&B
Wholesale
WMS
Running Multiple Sites from One WMS System: How HD Warehousing Scaled Without the Complexity

This Week in Logistics: The Operator Playbook

1pl
3PL
Accounting
Bulk & Pallet
eCommerce
1PL
3PL
E-Commerce
TMS
Transport
This Week in Logistics: The Operator Playbook

Deposco Alternatives: What Growing 3PLs Should Consider

3PL
3PL
WMS
TMS
Deposco Alternatives: What Growing 3PLs Should Consider

CartonCloud Feature Spotlight: April-June 2026

eCommerce
3PL
1pl
Accounting
Bulk & Pallet
3PL
WMS
E-Commerce
1PL
CrossDocking
CartonCloud Feature Spotlight: April-June 2026

3PL Software Pricing: What You're Actually Paying For (And How to Compare It)

3PL
3PL
WMS
3PL Software Pricing: What You're Actually Paying For (And How to Compare It)

Inside CartonCloud: A Top-Rated 3PL Logistics Software Platform

3PL
WMS
Inside CartonCloud: A Top-Rated 3PL Logistics Software Platform

3PL Software Find the Best Fit for Your Business

3PL
WMS
3PL Software Find the Best Fit for Your Business

Still counting stock the old way?

Book a free demo
Case Studies
Blog
Videos