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Emerge was named 2026 Broker Carrier of the Year by Ace Hardware at the retailer's third annual Carrier Summit. The award recognizes Emerge's performance across nearly 3,800 shipments for ACE this year, delivered at 98% on-time with a rejection rate under 1%, built on a three-year partnership spanning contract and spot freight, drop trailer support, and Premier Carrier coverage.
At Ace Hardware's third annual Carrier Summit this week, held at ACE's headquarters, Emerge was named the retailer's 2026 Broker Carrier of the Year.
We're proud of this one, and the numbers behind it are why. Across nearly 3,800 shipments for Ace so far this year, Emerge has delivered 98% on-time with a tender rejection rate under 1%. In a freight market where rejections industry-wide have run at multi-year highs, that consistency is the whole job: freight that shows up, on time, load after load.
Emerge has been part of Ace Hardware's carrier network for three years, supporting the cooperative across both contract and spot freight. The work spans capacity solutions on Ace's lanes, drop trailer support at its facilities, coverage through Emerge's Premier Carrier Program, and ongoing service and performance management as Ace's network needs shift.
"The biggest thing I hear from Ace is that they value our responsiveness and flexibility," said Sara Krawczyk, Senior Account Director at Emerge. "We're willing to adapt with their network, find solutions quickly, and stay closely engaged when challenges come up."
That's the standard we hold ourselves to with every shipper, and it means a great deal to have it recognized by a partner of Ace's caliber.
Ace's Director of Logistics, Jacob Nance, reflected on the summit in a post congratulating this year's award winners:
"Last week we had the pleasure of hosting our carrier base for our 3rd annual Carrier Summit at our HQ. We had a great turnout, and it's always humbling to see the village of carrier partners that work every day to support us and our retailers. Thanks for your on-going support and collaboration." — Jacob Nance, Director of Logistics, Ace Hardware
The gratitude runs both ways. Ace Hardware is the world's largest hardware cooperative, and keeping freight moving for more than 5,000 independently owned stores is exactly the kind of network that tests a capacity partner. Thank you to Jacob and the entire Ace logistics team for the partnership, and for hosting a summit that brings its carrier community together.
Awards are earned one shipment at a time, and the mechanics behind a 98% on-time rate are unglamorous on purpose: vetted carriers matched to the right lanes, backup depth so a disruption becomes a re-tender instead of a scramble, live market visibility so coverage decisions track reality, and a team that picks up the phone when something changes.
That's the model Emerge runs for every shipper, a light TMS with the Emerge Marketplace inside it, and Ace's recognition is proof of what it delivers when it matters: performance, consistency, and coverage that holds up in a tightening market.
Who won Ace Hardware's 2026 Broker Carrier of the Year award?
Emerge was named ACE Hardware's 2026 Broker Carrier of the Year at the retailer's third annual Carrier Summit, held at Ace's headquarters. The recognition is based on Emerge's performance across nearly 3,800 shipments for Ace this year, delivered at 98% on-time with a rejection rate under 1%.
What is the Ace Hardware Carrier Summit?
An annual event, now in its third year, where Ace Hardware brings together its carrier network at its headquarters to review performance, strengthen partnerships, and recognize its top-performing carrier partners with annual awards.
What does Emerge do for Ace Hardware?
Emerge has supported Ace Hardware's freight network for three years across contract and spot procurement, providing capacity solutions, drop trailer support, Premier Carrier coverage, and ongoing service and performance management across Ace's lanes.
Being named Ace Hardware's 2026 Broker Carrier of the Year is recognition of the thing we care most about: freight that performs. Nearly 3,800 shipments, 98% on-time, under 1% rejections, three years and counting. Thank you, Ace. We're just getting started.
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