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Helpful Articles - Logistics

An efficient supply chain keeps all aspects of your business running smoothly. If you’re a manufacturer, you’ll have access to all the components you need—when you need them—to meet your delivery dates. If you’re a retailer, you’ll find it easy to keep the flow of inventory to your stores constant. And no matter what business you’re in, a supply chain that runs smoothly allows you to deliver consistently on the promises you make to your customers.   On the flip side, however, inefficiencies in your supply chain can cost your business in big ways. You might see symptoms like longer transit times on critical shipments, increasing your inventory carrying costs. For manufacturers, this could cause delays on the assembly line, which can push delivery...

Many organizations outsource their third-party logistics needs to access the flexibility and scalability that an outside vendor can offer. If your shipping needs to be ramped up, instead of hiring extra staff or expanding your warehouse space, a 3PL vendor can often supply extra capacity on demand.   Additionally, outsourcing your 3PL can prove more cost-effective than keeping the function in house. You’ll also gain access to extensive expertise when you choose an experienced vendor, rather than having to train your staff.   That being said, as with any vendor relationship, it pays to be clear on what to expect from your 3PL provider. Armed with this information,...

When it comes to inventory control, you’re often dealing with two schools of thought: Just-in-case, in which you carry, for example, 2-3 months of inventory at a time that’s stored in a warehouse, then distributed. Just-in-time, in which you order, receive and distribute just enough to supply your customers, without storing much inventory at all. However, in addition to these two options, you really have a third: A hybrid approach in which you combine both. Ultimately, assembling the right mix of inventory control strategies will depend on your business’s unique needs. That being said, one way you might consider approaching a hybrid inventory control system...

A quick scroll through LinkedIn presents many supply chain experts. Experts who claim to have the ideal solution for supply chain planning. Unfortunately, what might work for one company may not be feasible for another. What works in the OEM industry might not work for retail. The demands of customers and clients, restrictions and tariffs at the final destination, and the availability of materials from vendors makes planning complex. Therefore, every company must prepare diligently to build a solution that works for the reality of their business. While there are plenty of quick tweaks that will boost your efficiency, a genuinely excellent supply chain is one...

The consumer landscape is changing, nay, has changed. Same-day delivery, free shipping, and near instant access to more items than a brick and mortar store can hold, are all changing how customers and buyers think about vendors. A simple Google search for the “future of retail” yields thousands of results on current changes happening in retail and the impending doom for traditional store models. In order to compete with behemoths like Amazon, Wal Mart, and Target, medium-sized businesses (even most large) must reevaluate how they are storing, stocking, and shipping. Relying on the status quo in supply chain management means stagnation. For retailers and vendors stagnation means an...

Cutting through the noise of the internet can be grueling. Never-ending twitter feeds, countless blog posts on the best dog shoes and Facebook updates from your childhood neighbor Todd distract from discovering meaningful data and ideas. However, the immense amount of information available to anyone with wi-fi or a cellular connection is exhilarating. It can help inform your business strategy and ultimately increase your revenue. The Approved Freight team spends a lot of time researching in order to develop the best logistics solutions for our clients. We know how difficult it can be to find great and reliable information. We’ve compiled a list of 8...