In the wake of recent terrorist attacks in Brussels, attention is again being called to the security of the world's transportation systems. Concerns about port security, airport security and the inspection of cargo being transported on planes, trucks and ships have been at the forefront of the industry for a number of years. In 2012, the Obama administration failed to meet its goal of inspecting 100% of incoming container freight when it arrives at US ports. The government pushed this deadline back to 2016 - which is now upon us.
1. Plan your warehouse layout with sales in mind. Your most popular items probably likely change with the seasons, so re-slot your warehouse to accommodate your expected sales, and review the plan at least once every season. This can reducing unnecessary travel for your order pickers, improving efficiency, saving money and decreasing the chances of product damage or safety issues. Many warehouse management systems even have dynamic layout tools which can help you with this kind of planning.
News broke late last week that Amazon.com has been engaged in conversations to lease cargo airplanes and develop its own freight operation. The Amazon executive team seems to have decided that it wants Amazon to have more direct control over delivery and shipping operations, and other trials (such as the door to door drone delivery program) which seem to suggest the same are already underway.
For the US Postal Service, today (12/15/15) is the last day that standard shipping services will make your package arrive in time for Christmas. In the freight world, similar deadlines are here. Standard LTL service can take 5 - 8 business days from coast to coast, which means that shipments headed to retailers, wholesalers and distributors who want to make that product available to buyers in time for Christmas must be on trucks soon.
If you have overseas customers, chances are that you are very savvy when it comes to the process of exporting goods from the USA. For other companies who might be considering selling to customers Internationally, duties and taxes can be confusing and unnerving. After talking to many of our customers, the GlobalForwarding.com team identified that not understanding the import process is one of the main reasons companies sometimes hesitate to start selling product to overseas customers. This short article will provide you with an overview of what’s involved!
Australia’s domestic freight task is expected to triple from its current size by 2050. There is a concerted industry push to increase rail’s share of the growing freight transport task through productivity and customer focused initiatives. As a result, major additions to the inland transportation hub are being planned to accommodate the uptick in rail volumes.
Many logistics professionals have heard the term “Pick and pack”, but many don’t fully understand how it can be added to their supply chains. The GlobalForwarding.com team sat down to put together this informative article to help explain the term, and provide some insight about what role (if any) it can play in your shipping plans.
Each state has certain requirements for obtaining permits when oversized freight is trucked. Understanding the process is crucial to making sure that your FTL shipments deliver on time and without issue. Hefty fines can be assessed to truckers who do not have the proper permits, so understanding the rules is important if you’re operating your own fleet, or hiring a trucking company.
Canadian National Railway is building a new hub just west of Toronto, at a cost of over $195 million (USD). Milton seems like a logical location, given it's proximity (about 30 miles) to Toronto, and the existing presence of major roadways around the area. CN believes that the new hub will help the railway and its network better handle the increasing demand for rail and intermodal freight. In addition, the rail network, local economy, and freight industry as a whole stands to benefit from CN's significant investment in infastructure.
Now that the West Coast longshore workers and the port have reached a tentitive agreement, trucking rates are already being affected. Spot market van rates from LA rose 4 cents to $1.92 per mile within the last 8 days. The bottleneck of freight that was caused by the strike severely decreased available loads that would normally pick up freight at nearby facilities and move them throughout the country. The directors of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach estimate that things won't return to normal for approximately 90 days.