PRISM Logistics Spotlight

Operating a warehouse network of 2.3 million sq ft, situated with direct rail access, connections to the port of Oakland, and with warehouse space near throughfares including I-5, I-580, I-680, and I-880, PRISM Logistics provides service for companies large and small, sourcing materials and ingredients and distributing orders and goods throughout the US Western states. And after 30 years in business, they are good at what they do!

PRISM has long believed that success depends largely on doing the right things the right way. Through this philosophy, they have increased their capacity 43% since COVID began, welcoming new clients and continuing to serve long-standing ones with temperature-controlled, rail accessible, and real-time inventory services among others.

People

PRISM Logistics is family owned and operated. Jere van Puffelen co-founded the company, serving as its CEO from its inception until 2022, when his son Jeremy van Puffelen took the reins as president. Jere remains connected to both the industry and the company, serving on numerous boards – and continues as Chairman of the board of PRISM. Zech van Puffelen heads up Transportation and Customer Service while other members of the family also participate.

And family goes beyond blood lines at PRISM. “We believe in people. We invest in people. We have people who have been with us for decades and we want them to stay,” said company President Jeremy van Puffelen. “We are better able to serve our customers by having employees who know our systems, our clients, and how to do things the PRISM way. This is the main reason our clients stay with us year after year.”

Excellence

PRISM serves clients in all segments of the economy, but they are most well-known for their service of food, beverage and consumer packaged goods clients along the west coast. To that end, PRISM Logistics has gone to great lengths to continually improve its offerings and services.

PRISM is state registered, ISO 9001 compliant, and QAI audited for compliance with organic food handling and consistently receives a superior rating above 900 from AIB International for quality and safety of food handling and production.

These three pillars, combined with their breadth of services – including temperature-controlled space, direct rail access, kitting, order collection and processing, testing, store assembly and preparation, shrink-wrapping, sequencing and preparation for production, and direct door delivery – are no doubt the reasons they continue to grow, increasing capacity 43% in the past few years and become the clear, regional-best 3PL in Northern California.

Innovation

PRISM was one of the early adopters of paperless warehousing and logistics and since then has gone on to incorporate real-time inventory controls and online client portals, allowing clients to stay on top of inventory demands and manage everything from wherever they are in the world.

In more recent years, PRISM has expanded its efforts on automation, beginning a pilot program utilizing automated forklifts. “It goes back to people. We invest in our people and train them to use these amazing tools. Our technology allows our people to serve our clients faster and better than other providers out there. And at the end of the day, serving our clients is what we are here to do.”