Though we haven't quite made it to having our groceries delivered by drone, the way consumers and retailers acquire what they need has changed radically, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.  A quick look at a topic like "the future of retail" indicates that traditional models of the distribution of consumer goods are fast disappearing.

Working with superior single source logistics partners will increase your profits. It will also improve your internal employee job satisfaction levels, speed up delivery times to your end users, improve customer service, allow for quick adaptation to the ever-changing market and provide you with a competitive advantage. The right shippers and 3PL partnerships will improve your bottom line because they are able to offer certain services that would cost your business too much to be comfortably profitable.

It used to be that most cargo theft targets were always high-priced items. By today’s standards, such items would equate to electronic goods, such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. While these items are still highly targeted goods, it is also important to understand that other goods have become bigger targets since the economic recession of 2008. Now, cargo criminals will target any items they can sell for a decent profit margin. This includes energy drinks, frozen seafood or meat, pharmaceuticals, home and garden items, construction materials, auto parts, clothing and shoes, metals, personal care products and tobacco.

Third Party Logistics, or 3PL, is a service that is experiencing incredible growth. According to a study by Armstrong and Associates, approximately 400 of the Fortune 500 companies use 3PL, and nearly all of the Fortune 100 companies use a 3PL company in some capacity to meet their logistics needs. So what is 3PL? Is it something your company should consider using? Let's take a look at what 3PL is and why it is a service your company might need.

Beginning in the 1970’s and continuing as a growing trend throughout the 80’s and 90’s, many retailers and manufacturers expanded their operations to include logistics; seeking to manage costs by controlling inventory along the entire length of their supply chains.

Today, tech-savvy e-commerce providers like Amazon can far outpace the speed at which most retailers and manufacturers can move their goods to the point of sale. It is has become very difficult for companies to effectively compete with e-commerce providers plus manage their payroll and benefits-related expenses, as well as cope with rising fuel costs. To remain competitive, many businesses have opted to cut overhead and streamline operations by divesting themselves of their logistics operations and outsourcing freight-handling to third-party logistics (3PL) providers.

This is a fascinating period for the trucking industry. Momentum is undeniably building in domestic manufacturing. Who will drive those manufactured goods remains to be seen; driverless trucks promise to change the dynamics of the industry in almost unimaginable ways. Across the trucking world, change is right around the corner... except for the literal corners.

Beginning in the 1970’s and continuing as a growing trend throughout the 80’s and 90’s, many retailers and manufacturers expanded their operations to include logistics; seeking to manage costs by controlling inventory along the entire length of their supply chains.

Today, tech-savvy e-commerce providers like Amazon can far outpace the speed at which most retailers and manufacturers can move their goods to the point of sale. It is has become very difficult for companies to effectively compete with e-commerce providers plus manage their payroll and benefits-related expenses, as well as cope with rising fuel costs. To remain competitive, many businesses have opted to cut overhead and streamline operations by divesting themselves of their logistics operations and outsourcing freight-handling to third-party logistics (3PL) providers.

Port City Logistics is saving money every year by switching to energy efficient LED lighting!

Port City Logistics owns and manages nearly 2 million square feet of warehouse facilities in the heart of the Savannah port system. One of their facilities used to store food products had been converted from area bulk storage to aisle racking. They discovered that the lighting in their 180,000-square foot building was in need of an upgrade. The challenge was to adequately and economically light 23 aisles with food products stacked to  the ceiling. There were too few lights with many of the existing lights either totally blocked or poorly spaced.

The supply chain model of the 1970s mainly involved local suppliers and physical retail stores, where goods went straight from the suppliers to the retail stores. In the 1980s, retail distribution centers popped up. Suppliers shipped goods to the centers which functioned much like airline hubs, and retailers then distributed goods to individual stores in the region. Imported goods were added to the mix in the 1990s, which created the need for retail import centers.