Articles
How-To
Improving Your Security Program
Security breaches in the United States cost industry tens of billions of dollars each year. If you manufacture, distribute, or ship high-value items, security within your company is at risk of being compromised. Preventing security breaches—in your facilities, and when your cargo is being loaded or unloaded for transit—is key. Here are 10 tips for […]
Read MoreCreating an Inbound Routing Guide
Used properly, inbound routing guides can streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance trading partner relationships. Pete Stiles, vice president of strategy and marketing, LeanLogistics, offers these tips for creating a routing guide that your vendors will comply to. 1. Understand what a routing guide is and clearly define its parameters. Routing guides contain routing instructions […]
Read MoreImproving Supply Chain Visibility Projects
Having visibility into the supply chain allows companies to gather and utilize information effectively. It also helps them better communicate with customers and partners. Because of this, supply chain visibility (SCV) systems are a much sought-after logistics tool. If used successfully, SCV systems can cut logistics costs, improve resource planning, and allow your organization to […]
Read MoreHow to Outsource Freight Bill Payment
As transportation costs continue to soar, some businesses are looking to reduce operational spend by outsourcing freight payment audit and reconciliation to third-party companies. An estimated 65 percent of major corporations currently outsource their freight payment function as a result of prohibitive labor, processing, and technology costs, as well as the complexities of coordinating internal […]
Read MoreHow to Ship Expedited Oversized Cargo
Problem: You need to ship an oversized, irregularly shaped piece of equipment expedited to Shanghai. Now what? Step 1: Build the shipment and prepare it for tendering to the carrier. The key question in building your shipment is: how will the carrier handle it? Forklift handling is ideal, so the cargo should be palletized. If […]
Read MoreHow to Construct Build-to-Suit Projects
Increasingly, U.S. companies are embracing build-to-suit (BTS) development projects to leverage the capital, resources, and expertise of commercial real estate developers, while dictating the design, construction, and management of new facilities themselves. Consider, for example, a company that wants to locate a distribution facility on the West Coast to accommodate growing inbound volume from Asia. […]
Read MoreFinding the Best NAFTA Carriers
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was crafted to reduce tariff complexity and foster efficient movement of goods between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The challenge for shippers is finding carriers that can maneuver among the three government jurisdictions, and understand and follow their rules. NAFTA carriers have secured the required licensing and […]
Read MoreHow to Improve Rail Velocity
Improving rail velocity, which entails expediting rail car turnsand making better use of equipment to create a more fluid railroad, is a growing priority for shippers of all stripes. It promises to keep existing rail customers happy while luring non-traditional shippers to the tracks – especially as traffic-choked highways and high fuel prices make the […]
Read MoreOptimizing Your Forklift Fleet
Purchasing a new forklift can be expensive, but that’s just a fraction of what it costs to operate it efficiently—or inefficiently. Getting the most bang for your forklift buck means understanding the products you move and establishing baseline costs as a start. Here are 10 tips for optimizing your forklift fleet, from Joseph Lafergola, manager, […]
Read MoreImproving Picking Practices
Companies often think their picking operation is efficient as long as products roll out on time and customers are happy. But most picking operations in warehouses across America could use a re-organization, says John Giangrande, senior account executive with distribution software provider Fortna Inc. He offers these 10 tips to improve picking practices. 1. Profile […]
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