Benefit case study: DAT enables $1.5M in cost savings for Henkel

Henkel, a global consumer goods and industrial manufacturer operating multiple supply chains across North America, deployed DAT iQ to strengthen its freight procurement strategy and gain external market validation for transportation rates. Before DAT, procurement teams lacked a reliable benchmark for contract negotiations and struggled to align freight budgets with shifting market conditions. By expanding its use of the DAT iQ platform, Henkel standardized rate benchmarking, introduced a gain-share/pain-share carrier model, and leveraged DAT’s forecasting tools to set defensible rate targets and conduct mid-year volume reviews. These capabilities enabled the organization to achieve approximately $1.5M in annual cost avoidance, improve negotiation accuracy, and reduce exposure to volatility. Henkel also noted that ongoing engagement with DAT’s team, not treating the platform as a static tool, was a key best practice, ensuring its sourcing strategy remained aligned with market shifts and supported continuous value capture across its transportation network.