Forging a Resilient Supply Chain: A New Blueprint for Industrial Growth

NEW FREEDOM, PA – November 21, 2025 – In a strategic move that signals a broader shift in manufacturing strategy, motion control specialist RG Group has announced a comprehensive partnership with logistics provider Nexterus. While on the surface a straightforward operational alliance, the deal represents a critical evolution in how established industrial firms are confronting a landscape rife with volatility. By integrating advanced technology with a relationship-centric approach, the partnership provides a blueprint for building supply chain resilience as a core competitive and defensive asset.

RG Group, a 60-year-old manufacturer of motion control and fluid handling systems, has engaged Nexterus, America’s oldest private 3PL, to manage its entire freight and supply chain operations. The collaboration will see RG Group adopt Nexterus’ proprietary Transportation Management System (TMS), gaining access to a suite of tools for domestic and international transportation management. This decision comes as RG Group pursues an aggressive growth trajectory, aiming to consolidate its market position in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

The Strategic Pivot from Cost Center to Growth Engine

For decades, logistics was often viewed as a necessary but burdensome cost center for manufacturers. The new reality, shaped by persistent global disruptions, material scarcity, and geopolitical tensions, has shattered that paradigm. For a company like RG Group, which has expanded through acquisitions like Benz Hydraulics and ASAP Hydraulics, a simple, organically grown supply chain is no longer a viable foundation for its ambitious goals. The motion control industry itself, while projected for modest growth, faces significant headwinds from component shortages and economic uncertainty, making operational efficiency paramount.

This is where the strategic pivot occurs. Instead of merely managing costs, leading firms are weaponizing their supply chains. “As our business continues to grow, we needed a partner who is both relationship & technology focused,” stated Andrew Friesema, Director of Supply Chain at RG Group. This sentiment reflects a growing understanding that a resilient, optimized supply chain is a direct enabler of corporate strategy. It allows a company to promise and deliver products reliably, scale operations efficiently, and navigate market turbulence more effectively than its competitors.

Nexterus CEO Ryan Polakoff noted that RG Group “understand[s] the value of supply chain as a part of strategy.” This shared understanding is the bedrock of the partnership. By handing over the complex, data-intensive work of logistics management to a specialized partner, RG Group can focus on its core competencies—engineering and manufacturing innovative motion control solutions—while ensuring its path to market is secure, efficient, and scalable.

Technology as the Linchpin of Supply Chain Security

The modern supply chain is a complex web of data, and its security is defined by visibility and control. The greatest threats are no longer just delays or damages, but the black holes of information where poor decisions are made and risks multiply unseen. The adoption of a sophisticated TMS like Nexterus' Fusion Center is a direct countermeasure to these threats.

This technology provides a centralized command center for logistics, offering real-time rate shopping, automated booking, route optimization, and granular shipment tracking. For a data-driven company like RG Group, this is transformative. The system’s analytics and reporting capabilities—offering over 60 standard reports—turn raw logistics data into actionable intelligence. This allows for proactive management of freight spend, identification of inefficiencies, and quicker responses to the inevitable disruptions, from port closures to sudden spikes in demand.

By leveraging such technology, manufacturers move from a reactive to a predictive posture. They can better anticipate bottlenecks, manage inventory to mitigate the impact of material shortages, and ensure compliance across international borders. In essence, the TMS acts as a critical infrastructure security tool, hardening the supply chain against the operational and financial threats that define the current global trade environment.

The Enduring Value of Cultural Alignment

In an industry increasingly dominated by transactional, technology-first interactions, the partnership between RG Group and Nexterus is notable for another reason: both are long-standing, family-owned businesses. Nexterus will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2026, while RG Group has been operating for over six decades. The press release explicitly cites their “close cultural alignment” as a key factor in the decision.

This is not a trivial point. Partnerships between family-owned enterprises often benefit from a foundation of shared values that prioritize long-term stability, trust, and integrity over short-term gains. This cultural synergy can act as a powerful binding agent, fostering deeper collaboration and more open communication, which are essential when navigating supply chain crises. While a purely transactional partner might falter or disengage during a disruption, a culturally aligned one is more likely to work collaboratively toward a solution.

This 'human element' provides a layer of resilience that technology alone cannot. It builds a foundation of trust where strategic information is shared more freely, and both parties are invested in mutual success. In a world of digital interfaces and automated systems, this commitment to a relationship-focused approach serves as a reminder that the strongest chains are fortified by both cutting-edge technology and human trust, creating a partnership built to withstand pressure.

Ultimately, this alliance illustrates a forward-thinking approach to modern industrial strategy. It shows how a legacy manufacturer can embrace the future not by abandoning its history, but by integrating it with advanced technological capabilities and the enduring power of trusted relationships. For other businesses navigating the complexities of the modern threat landscape, the lesson is clear: building a resilient enterprise requires securing the supply chain, and that security is achieved through a strategic synthesis of technology, expertise, and shared values.