CAI Transportation Blog

How to secure capacity for the holiday season

With school back in session and Labor Day officially behind us, it’s time to shift our thinking from the dog days of summer to the holiday season ahead. Companies have already begun ramping up production and inventory for the upcoming season starting as early as July. As the clock is ticking, it’s probably time for your company to follow suit as you don’t want your goods to get left behind.

We’ve offered some great insights on planning ahead for holiday season shipping, but now is the time to get to work. It’s not enough to have a production and inventory plan if you haven’t secured capacity to ship that inventory where it needs to go in time for the holidays.

How to choose a new shipping carrier

When you’re evaluating new shipping carriers to work with, the stakes are pretty high. These are people you’ll potentially entrust with your valuable goods. Their efficiency and care can mean the difference between increased profitability and significant loss for your company.

In addition to the financial implications, your company’s reputation should also be a key consideration. No matter how well you handle your own internal processes, if products don’t arrive on time and in good condition, it reflects poorly on your company. Crucial business relationships can be damaged by careless freight carriers.

Clearly, this is not a decision you should take lightly.

How a good 3PL can improve your reputation

Finding a third-party logistics company to work closely with should be a high priority for any business that relies on transporting goods. Even when managing a relatively uncomplicated supply chain, the details can quickly become overwhelming. For larger companies with more goods on the move, the sheer scale of work involved in ensuring that cargo is in the right place at the right time necessitates help from experts in the transportation industry.

Visibility, cost savings, and efficiency are some of the reasons why partnering with a reliable 3PL is crucial to creating a smooth supply chain. But of the many factors to consider when deciding whether it’s time to start working with an expert third-party logistics company, one of the most important is the resulting benefit to your reputation as a company.

Fleet managers: boost productivity in the supply chain when you track these KPIs

When you're managing a fleet or a warehouse, there are a lot of moving parts. Equipment and labor inefficiencies can slow you down and cost your company time and money. One way to identify areas where you can improve your supply chain and operations, is by measuring and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs).

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): What you need to know

Each year, according to the CDC, 48 million people in the US (about 1 in 6) get sick and 128,000 are hospitalized due to foodborne illnesses. On top of that, foodborne illnesses cause as many as 3,000 deaths per year.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is making strides in mitigating and controlling this problem that affects many Americans each day. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) gives the FDA a legislative mandate requiring comprehensive, science-based preventive controls across the food supply, expressly aimed at reducing foodborne illness.

Plan a successful warehouse move with these 10 tips

Warehouses are no longer pure storage facilities or storehouses. In today’s supply chain, your warehouse needs to contribute to the overall efficiency, productivity, and cost-effectiveness of your business. If it’s not doing that, it may be time to reevaluate. To further streamline your supply chain, the functions of a warehouse need to shift to include inventory control and cost management. 

Let your 3PL handle bumps in the road

When it comes to managing a supply chain for your organization, the stakes are often high. Not only is your freight valuable, but so are the relationships between you and your suppliers, distributors, and any other involved parties. Your ability to ensure that your goods make it to their destination on time and in good condition can make or break your reputation in your industry. It’s important to get it right as much as possible.

Unfortunately, there are so many aspects of the transportation process that are outside your control. Weather patterns, delays due to traffic congestion, problems with infrastructure, and other factors can put a dent in even a well-developed logistics plan. While these obstacles typically aren’t the fault of any one party, and often aren’t preventable, the fact remains: your goods still need to get where they’re going, safely and as close to the original schedule as possible.

So how can you ensure that unexpected logistics hiccups don’t destroy your schedule, budget, or reputation?

3PL vs. Freight Brokers: What's the difference?

When you are looking for a logistics partner to help your supply chain run efficiently, finding the right partner can be a tall order. There are many factors to consider, and common industry jargon often creates more confusion than clarity.

For instance, the terms “freight broker” and “third-party logistics” (or 3PL) are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there are a few key differences between these two services, and when you’re looking for a new logistics partner, it’s helpful to know what they each do.

How to determine if rail or over-the-road trucking is better for your business

Moving your freight requires more than loading a shipment on a truck and hoping everything arrives on time and in shape. As a supply chain manager, you want to be sure you’ve got the best method of transportation for your freight, whatever it may be. There’s been a lot of back and forth over the years about whether it’s better to transport freight using railroads or trucks. Ultimately, the method of transportation you use depends on the specific needs of your freight and your business. We've broken down the main domestic shipping options to help you understand and make the right choice for your cargo.

How important is it to use an asset-based 3PL?

If you’ve been managing your supply chain entirely in-house, and are ready to start working with a third-party logistics provider, it can be tough to know where to start your search. There are so many factors to consider, and so many providers to choose between.

When looking at potential logistics partners, in addition to considering their reputation, cost, and areas of expertise, one factor may come up: do they have their own equipment or not? An asset-based 3PL owns some or all of the equipment needed to manage your supply chain, whereas a non-asset based logistics provider (or broker) gets your goods moved entirely through a network of trusted partners.

Is it preferable to use an asset-based player or a non-asset-based one? Let’s take a look at how they each stack up on convenience, cost, and stability: