Introduction
Based out of Umatilla, Florida, R&D Nurseries is known for cultivating and shipping high-end tropicals and rare plants to major retailers across the United States. But maintaining plant quality over long hauls—especially across multiple stops and unpredictable conditions—can be a risky business.
Environmental inconsistencies—especially during transfers from reefer trucks to greenhouses or storage facilities—can cause irreversible harm to delicate plant material, and in 2024 it became clear R&D needed real-time temperature monitoring and shipment visibility.
To ensure that each and every load arrives on time and in perfect condition, R&D Nurseries turned to Tive. Now, with Solo 5G trackers on every shipment, they have the real-time visibility needed to protect their products, reduce claims, and strengthen customer relationships.
From Cold Claims to Customer Complaints
Since they were founded in 2009, R&D has never used a shipment visibility solution to track shipments while in transit, instead relying on their trusted transportation partner for regular updates.
R&D never experiences problems while shipments are in transit; for R&D, issues periodically cropped up when their containers were delivered to distribution centers (DCs) and left in dangerous temperature zones. Plants were getting too cold or hot while sitting on loading docks or in holding rooms, leading to stress, damage, and customer dissatisfaction.
“In the beginning, we had a lot of claims from Arizona customers saying the product had gotten too hot, or from DCs where it got too cold,” said Natalie Roe, Vice President & Chief Financial Officer at R&D Nurseries. “Once we started using Tive, we were able to pinpoint the source of those issues and prevent them from happening again.”
Real-Time Tracking as a Mobile Insurance Policy
R&D now outfits every shipment with a Tive Solo 5G tracker, and sometimes uses three per load, depending on the number of stops or temperature zones inside the container. These trackers give Roe and her team real-time data on temperature, humidity, shock, and location. Depending on which plants are inside the container, R&D sets up specific alerts—and when thresholds are crossed, R&D is able to contact someone and get the situation fixed.
“If I get a notification that a load is too cold in the DC, I screenshot the alert and immediately contact the customer,” said Roe. “We’ve been able to prevent product damage multiple times this way.” The Tive cloud platform enables the R&D team to stay informed 24/7, and because Tive’s data logs are tied to purchase order numbers, it’s easy for R&D to communicate specifics with customers and quickly resolve issues.
Fewer Claims. More Trust. Better Business.
Since implementing Tive, R&D Nurseries has seen a measurable drop in damage claims—particularly with a large grocery chain that once stored plant products in unsuitable environments. “We had to fight for our reputation,” said Roe. “We used to put five devices on one truck—inside boxes, outside boxes, on the truck—just to gather data. Thanks to Tive, we could prove that the damage wasn’t because we were mishandling shipments."
This improved level of visibility has raised customer confidence and reduced the level of potential friction in high-stakes retail relationships. It has also helped R&D forecast cash flow: real-time delivery confirmations enable the company to better plan accounts receivable and business operations, which has proven to be an added bonus.
Unexpected Benefits: Beyond the Road
For R&D, the benefits of using Tive go beyond shipping lanes. The R&D team also uses trackers inside their greenhouses, especially during winter, to monitor temperatures across different zones.
“We scatter trackers around the greenhouse to monitor temperatures, so we can see if propane needs to be cranked up,” said Roe. “We have even identified air leaks or cold drafts using this strategy.”
That kind of flexibility, paired with the ease of use and reliability, has made Tive an indispensable tool for the R&D team. Says Roe, “We call Tive our mobile insurance policy. It protects our product, our customers, and our peace of mind.”
Would they recommend Tive to others in the industry? “We give Tive a ten, and recommend them with no hesitation,” said Roe. “If you're proud of your product and want it to arrive the way you expect, you need to protect it. Tive helps us do that.”
