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Using Data Analysis to Minimize Transportation Costs
In today’s data-rich world, the logistics industry as a whole is surprisingly behind the times. It’s been said that there are two ways to increase profits: raise prices or reduce expenses. Moving product around spends money. Whether a shipper is taking inbound deliveries of raw materials or sending a finished product to an end user, […]
Read MoreSpring Clean Your Trade and Compliance Processes
This is the time of year when many of us begin our spring-cleaning projects around the home. Yet it is a good idea to also consider some spring cleaning of your organization’s trade compliance processes, perhaps dusting off some plans set earlier and readying programs for developments coming in the remainder of the year. Prep […]
Read MoreSo You’ve Decided to Invest in a Global TMS – Now What?
The benefits of a Transport Management System (TMS) are well recognized, allowing users to replace separate management systems for their different logistical needs with an end-to-end solution that allows shipments to be booked in just a few clicks, saving vast amounts of time and money. It’s no wonder then, that so many companies are moving […]
Read MoreTransportation 2016 (And Beyond): The Old Rules Don’t Apply
Transportation is ever-evolving with current shipper concerns of growing truck driver shortages, severe capacity crunches, supply chain talent shortfalls, and tenuous customer service levels. Traditionally, shippers would pick up the phone to call a favorite carrier who would carry the load for an acceptable rate at the day and time requested. These manual transactions were […]
Read MoreWhat Effect Will 3D Printing Have on Logistics and SCM?
The worldwide market for 3D printing grew at a compound annual growth rate of 35.2% to $4.1 billion (USD) in 2014, according to Wohlers Report 2015. The industry expanded by more than $1 billion with 49 manufacturers producing and selling industrial-grade 3D machines. If 3D printing is going to have a major impact on how […]
Read MoreThoughts on Independent Contractor Pitfalls
Hire. Employ. Train. These are a few words that can cost you dearly, should a governing entity decide it wants to look at your business model and how you utilize independent contractors (ICs). Do they wait at your location for their next job? Are your drivers in uniform? Do their vehicles have your logo on […]
Read MoreReal-Time Load Tracking: Improving Productivity and Customer Service, and Reducing Costs
Do you have a team of people who spend their time calling carriers, checking websites, filling out spreadsheets with EDI data, and answering endless inquiries from internal and external customers about where the truck is? It’s an all too familiar story for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers across the country. Did you install your dream TMS […]
Read MoreInbound Vendor Programs
A lot of attention is paid to the control and management of outbound shipping to someone’s customers, but many times the expense of inbound vendor traffic and its impact on landed cost is overlooked. Sometimes because the buyers get no credit for managing freight costs of inbound shipping and expertise of the shipping staff is […]
Read MoreRealizing the Power of a Leveraged Platform
Q: How can today’s manufacturers deal with increasing regulations, demand volatility, and shifting global trade currents? A: One way a manufacturer can mitigate the effects of increasing regulations and demand volatility is by working with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider with a leveraged platform. When a 3PL provider utilizes a leveraged platform, it is employing […]
Read MoreFree Trade – Vital to Our Industry
Free trade has been a pillar of the U.S. economy for much of our nation’s history. Over the past several decades, the United States has negotiated many bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) to increase access to other countries’ markets while opening the U.S. market and benefiting consumers. In addition to membership in the […]
Read MoreThe Value of a Positive Customer Experience
We have all been there—we purchase a product and something about it doesn’t meet our expectations. While many companies have figured out that an "easy return" goes a long way in customer satisfaction, there are still those that make it challenging. Let’s be honest, we have avoided ordering from companies that don’t make this process […]
Read MoreGlobal Trade Game Changer
As the Panama Canal’s $5.25-billion expansion nears completion, how are shippers and ports preparing?
Read MoreWhat Trends are Shaping the Global Air Freight Market?
New research by SandlerResearch.org has predicted that the worldwide air cargo logistics market will experience a 5.97% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2014 to 2019. Increased research into this market is welcome, but this report attributes most of the annual growth to an increase in online retail store sales. Consumers are ordering more products […]
Read MoreHow to Implement a Successful Retail Omni-Channel Logistics Operation in Asia Pacific
For any U.S.-based company interested in expanding retail logistics operations outside of the country, Asia Pacific may be the most ideal location. Not only does the region offer more than 4.3 billion potential new customers, but the American brand remains highly popular among its residents. To access these buyers, companies should first focus on their […]
Read MoreDoing Business in China
Q: What do I need to know about doing business in China? A: Most companies today know why China is a great place for business for manufacturing, regional distribution, and domestic consumption. What companies may not know is that the logistics costs of doing business in China are quite high. China’s trade rules and regulations […]
Read MoreIntelligent Technology Provides Visibility into Supply Chain
As more and more companies scale and expand, managing transportation is quickly becoming a challenging factor of growth. More so, companies need to have complete visibility into their entire transportation process in order to operate as efficiently and effectively as possible. While many TMS providers can promise transportation management, intelligent transportation technology also provides organizations […]
Read MoreOpening a Dialogue on Freight Payment
Q: A recent report revealed that only 18 percent of shippers discuss best practices in freight payment processing with outside organizations. Were you surprised by that number? A: As a company that works hard to help our clients think strategically—and views payments as a strategic function of any company—we’d love to hear that shippers are […]
Read MoreTemporary Bills and Lack of Investment Threaten U.S. Infrastructure
Q: The House just passed a three-month highway bill. Will that impact infrastructure investment? A: On July 28, 2015, the House voted to approve a temporary $8-billion bill extending federal transportation funding until the end of October. They sent it to the Senate only two days before the nation’s road and transit spending would have […]
Read MoreLeveraged Platforms: The More Efficient Road Ahead
Q: What is a leveraged platform? A: A logistics services provider leverages its platform to employ the same best practices to manage its own supply chain needs as it does for its own client base of direct shippers. By augmenting their global scale with a vast network of local stations, these service providers are better […]
Read MoreOutsourcing to a Third-Party Logistics Provider
Q: From a shipping perspective, how can manufacturers best address today’s increasing regulations and demand volatility? A: Outsource your shipping to a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. The answer might sound a bit self-serving, but I believe most manufacturers would agree if they took the time to crunch the numbers. A 3PL is much more familiar […]
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