Approved Freight Forwarders
Helpful Articles

Sustainability has become a hot topic in the world of logistics and supply chain management. Some companies embrace this value for ethical reasons.   Others are leveraging sustainability measures to appeal to consumers, who are increasingly aware of environmental practices. In fact, a recent Forrester study published in Forbes revealed that 32% of U.S. consumers “prioritize companies that are actively reducing their impact on the environment.”i   Finally, many companies are pursuing sustainability measures to stay compliant with regulations. For example, the International Maritime Organization’s low-sulfur mandate required many companies to reduce sulfur oxide emissions by changing fuels or adopting new technology. One of the trends we’re seeing in sustainability is a move toward liquified natural gas (LNG)-fueled ships....

Before Hurricane Maria tore across the island of Puerto Rico in September 2017, few Americans had heard of the Jones Act. If you 1) don’t work in the shipping industry or 2) don’t live in a destination impacted by this law, you might not think much about this  sub-section of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. The Jones Act requires that all ships carrying goods between two U.S. destinations be built, owned, and operated by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. During Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricane Maria, the Jones Act made headlines nationwide as President Donald Trump issued a temporary waiver for the territory. The goal? To expedite relief, aid, and supplies to the people...

Eliminating unnecessary costs is a crucial aspect to supply chain optimization. If you’re seeing a significant amount of freight damage in the shipments you send, it might be time to focus in on this potentially expensive area.  Although reliable industry-wide statistics are hard to come by, the National Cargo Security Council (NCSC) estimated at one point that the global financial impact of cargo loss exceeded $50 billion annually. Additionally, Packaging Digest estimates that as many as 11% of loads arrive with some kind of damage, with the average sitting at about 2%.  In addition to the obvious cost of damaged goods that you can no longer sell, freight damage also creates a ripple effect throughout your operation:   First, there’s the cost of replacing the shipment for your customer, which might also include paying for expedited freight. Additionally,...

Although last year’s scramble for household items has mostly passed, supply chain challenges continue to crop up in 2021. The backup at US ports, semiconductor chip shortages, and other supply issues have affected industries across the board. Even national chains like Starbucks and Chick-Fil-A are feeling the pinch.  We’ve seen our customers face several supply chain challenges of their own this year, and we’ve helped them create solutions that kept their businesses moving forward. To share some of these solutions with you, we called on our Approved experts who have been navigating supply chain issues alongside our clients. Below, you’ll find their top tips for surviving the supply chain challenges of 2021.  #1: It Might...

Approved is proud to announce to have once again been honored as 2021’s Top 100 3PL companies by Inbound Logistics Magazine. This is the sixth year we have made this prestigious list. The recognition is given for exceptional supply chain expertise, strategic vision, and client partnerships. “We are so honored to be selected for this prestigious list for the sixth year,” said Randy Tutor, Vice President of Sales. “This year, our team has worked through pandemic challenges to continue providing best in class service. I couldn’t be more proud.” Approved Forwarders was handpicked by the Inbound Logistics editors for this select list of best of...

Like many other specialized areas, the logistics and transportation industry has its own set of terminology. In fact, if you’re listening to two logistics pros chat about an upcoming shipment, it might even sound like they’re speaking an entirely different language.   To help you decode the transportation, freight and logistics words you might hear, we dug deep into our glossary of transportation terms and pulled out one common one that causes an uncommon amount of confusion for many: freight forwarder.   We’ll walk you through exactly what a freight forwarder is, what a freight forwarder does, what kind of services a freight forwarder offers and why you might want to use a freight forwarder when you’re shipping...