Conventional wisdom tells you not to put all your eggs in one basket. In the logistics industry, however, this isn’t always good advice. By leaning on one third-party logistics provider (3PL) for each leg of the distribution cycle, you may find greater efficiency and improved operational success than you would sourcing à la carte.
In this article, we’ll examine the benefits of an integrated logistics services approach.
It wasn’t that long ago that simply having a sophisticated warehouse management system (WMS) was a major selling point for third-party logistics (3PL) providers. Over time, however, this technology has become commonplace, with just about all 3PLs having their own WMS bells and whistles to advertise.
But, while having a full-featured WMS may no longer be a differentiator for 3PLs, the way a 3PL uses the system certainly can be.
For consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies, efficiency is the name of the game. Your online customers expect faster delivery, while your retailer KPIs continue to multiply and grow in importance. Understandably, many CPG companies struggle to keep up with these increasing demands. In this article, we’ll examine where many companies are falling short, and show you how third-party logistics providers (3PLs) can be invaluable allies in overcoming CPG supply chain inefficiencies.
Warehouse labor is hard to come by. With national unemployment the lowest it’s been in 50 years, there are simply more jobs than there are people to fill those jobs. There is no easy remedy for attracting and retaining warehouse talent in this economy, but there are ways to adapt. Following are some important ways that your warehousing operation can navigate this ‘full employment’ economy.
With the state supreme court’s Dynamex decision, followed by its Senate Bill 1402 (SB 1402), California’s position on the hiring of independent owner-operators by drayage carriers is now firmly established. In short, the state asserts that many of these contractors are not independent after all – and those that claim to be acting as employees of the hiring companies have solid legal ground to sue for wages and benefits.
Many beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) have seen the writing on the wall and are protecting themselves from possible legal and financial penalties by turning away from drayage carriers who engage contractors. Others are not yet reacting, while still others may not even be aware of recent legal precedents. In this article, we’ll get you up to speed on these developments and help you determine whether your prospective carrier’s drivers in California are actually considered to be on that carrier’s payroll or are sub-contractors.
Drayage is technically just another transportation service. A driver picks up a load and then delivers it.
With port drayage, however, this simple process becomes much more complex. Navigating seaport terminals is a tricky business on a good day and can become extremely difficult as rules change from terminal-to-terminal, or even hour-to-hour. To navigate the ports effectively – and avoid wasting time and money – shippers need to ensure the drayage carriers they work with have a roster of experienced drayage drivers.
If you’re selling online, chances are you’re selling on Amazon. And, if you’re selling on Amazon, you want to be Prime-certified to reach Amazon’s 100+ million Prime customers. These ‘frequent flyers’ spend an average of 1,400 per year[i] on the site.
To become Prime-certified, many sellers go straight to the source and let Amazon handle fulfillment through their Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program. But there is another Prime-friendly option available to you: Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP). In this article, we’ll take a closer look at this Amazon seller fulfillment program and the ways in which it differs from FBA.
If you’re a manufacturer, supplier or any other type of company seeking to do business with big box retailers, a key word to consider is “compliance.” Every retailer has its own distribution infrastructure – complete with its own processes and procedures that allow products to flow through to stores in the most efficient manner possible. They expect vendors to adhere to these processes and procedures. In this article, we’ll examine the most important aspects of retail compliance so that you can enjoy successful, long-lasting relationships with your retail partners.
You’re ready to outsource your warehousing operations to a 3PL that has the expertise, technology, and capabilities to handle your unique business day in and day out. One of the first questions a 3PL will ask is if you are interested in dedicated or shared warehouse services. Or, if you have been in a shared 3PL service contract for a while and your business has grown significantly, would it benefit you to move to a dedicated solution? In this article, we’ll briefly explain what each of these services entails and then examine ‘the four Cs’ to consider when choosing between the two choices.
When you entrust your food and confectionery products to a food warehousing provider, you’re relying on that company to be much more than a provider of space. You’re really relying on them to be a partner that will work to protect the integrity of your products through every step of the supply chain. And, while every 3PL warehousing company will promise to be just that, you must find one that truly “walks the walk.” In this article, we identify 5 things that you should look for in a warehousing provider before entrusting them with your food or confectionery products.
