tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2740848855817816422012-01-16T14:22:31.525-05:00Extra Mile :: Industry insights from TOTALogistix. (Supply Chain, logistics, transportation, shipping air freight, ocean, information management, LTL, TL, Parcel)TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.comBlogger731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-21220546003113958422012-01-09T11:06:00.001-05:002012-01-09T11:14:45.641-05:00

Longshoremen’s union ‘unloads’ on port operators over automation plans. With N.Y.-N.J. port operations humming, union officials signaled their displeasure with operators’ labor-saving measures. Volume rose 5.2 percent for imports through the Port of New York and New Jersey in November, reported the Journal of Commerce on January 6. Container traffic in the first 11 months of 2011 rose 5 percent

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-32792518453049589162011-12-20T10:48:00.000-05:002011-12-20T10:48:02.022-05:00

Morgan Stanley 2012 Transportation Conference guardedly optimistic. At their annual Transportation Conference last week, financial services giant Morgan Stanley Co. LLC hosted freight company management teams, to take the pulse of the cargo moving biz. While the forecasts are couched in bankerese, overall they strike a note of cautious optimism as the outlook for the coming year. If no one

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-22383039836863866202011-12-13T11:03:00.004-05:002011-12-13T11:27:00.277-05:00

Customers happy with rate increase, says UPS. When UPS announced their price annual increase, they added a helpful piece of information: their customers don’t mind. "Our customers are willing to accept adjustments like this because overall they still recognize the value UPS brings to the table," said Norman Black, Director of Global Media Services for UPS. The carrier, he explained, is “using

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-85887022484283381592011-12-06T14:38:00.002-05:002011-12-06T14:40:37.974-05:00

‘Occupy’ protesters call for shutdown of West Coast ports. In another illustration of the enormous variety of events that can threaten companies’ supply chains, the “Occupy Movement” is calling for a shutdown of all West Coast ports on Dec. 12. The movement's declaration came about three weeks after thousands of Occupy Oakland protestors halted nighttime operations at the Port of Oakland on Nov

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-91460168612991956952011-11-28T09:35:00.000-05:002011-11-28T09:35:33.497-05:00

Supply chain management can mean difference between success and… How important is your supply chain? Recent examples show it can literally be the difference between life and death for a company. Efficient supply chain management can catapult a firm to spectacular profitability, or drive a competitor out of business. One point that came out about Apple Corp. in the aftermath of Steve Job’s death

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-52931783589772069352011-11-11T12:02:00.002-05:002011-11-11T12:04:41.585-05:00

Wildcards With all the unlikely and unsettling events, it can seem the deck is stacked against you. Planning for the unexpected is tough. If you knew what to plan for, it wouldn’t be unexpected. But planning is essential to manage a supply chain, and to plan, you have to make assumptions, even though we all know “what it makes of you and me” when we assume. But who would have assumed a summer

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-11229502895015528732011-11-02T15:36:00.002-04:002011-11-02T15:38:09.733-04:00

Giant retailer finding difficulties in taking over its suppliers’ logistics. Wal-Mart has had to make adjustments since moving to take control of inbound logistics from its suppliers 18 months ago. The biggest of the “big box” retailers decided they would handle delivering the boxes to their stores, too. In mid-2010, the company greatly expanded their program to take over deliveries of inbound

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-41650865032171331762011-10-13T16:48:00.001-04:002011-10-13T16:49:49.937-04:00

Holiday Traffic Jam? Bloomberg warns of potential capacity crunch for fourth quarter deliveries. If consumers decide to open their wallets this holiday season, retailers and other shippers could get caught in a trucking capacity crunch, as stores rush to restock depleted inventories, warned Bloomberg business news. During the 2009 holiday season, retail demand spiked unexpectedly, forcing

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-47280124494681588742011-10-06T16:43:00.001-04:002011-10-06T16:46:59.903-04:00

Shortage of Deliveries in China – Lack of Chinese ‘labor’ causing shift in Asian demographics and manufacturing. Deliveries in China could have a major impact on imports into the United States in coming years. Actually, it’s the lack of deliveries, as in babies being born, a result of the “one-child” policy originally instituted by the Communist government back in 1979. The steady drop in

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-31590866576224742462011-09-27T13:42:00.002-04:002011-09-27T13:45:02.877-04:00

UPS expects strong holiday season, plans to buy its own shares. Despite the slow economy and the turmoil affecting the government’s Postal Service, private sector carrier United Parcel Service says they are doing just fine, thank you. UPS will increase revenue 6 to 8 percent annually through 2016 and raise earnings 10 to 15 percent during that period, company executives said Thursday at a

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-81872765875848154042011-09-19T15:18:00.002-04:002011-09-19T15:20:59.790-04:00

Changing global situation leading manufacturers back to North American production Soaring labor rates in China, strong “buy American” sentiment in this country, and the need for flexibility and quick response to changes in demand patterns are causing increasing numbers of manufacturers to rethink sourcing decisions, according to surveys cited in Inbound Logistics. Increased awareness of Total

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-72732944840427225652011-09-08T16:48:00.001-04:002011-09-08T16:49:57.349-04:00

Teamsters file suit to block cross-border trucks from access to U.S. roads. The Teamsters are gunning for the Feds over a south-of-the-border trucking agreement. Joined by lobbying group Public Citizen, the traditionally pugnacious union filed a lawsuit to block the U.S. Department of Transportation’s plan to allow Mexican trucks back on this country’s roads, reported Transport Topics. The

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-67314143298488972732011-08-19T15:32:00.000-04:002011-08-19T15:32:42.099-04:00

USPS wants six-figure layoffs and thousands of facility closings to stop the financial bleeding. The United States Postal Service is trying to deliver some bad news to its employees – 120,000 layoff notices to postal carriers. The USPS Board of Governors took the step, requesting authority from Congress to remove collective bargaining restrictions and replace existing health care and retirement

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-73902489322085947382011-08-12T12:33:00.000-04:002011-08-12T12:33:20.040-04:00

Harbor truckers looking for money and more time to come clean. In danger of being priced out of the market, harbor truckers are seeking financial aid and more time to achieve compliance with tightening environmental regulations. Ports from Oakland, Calif., to New York are adopting clean-trucks programs that will require independent owner-operators, who in many cases make $35,000 a year or less,

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-33487841476798785852011-08-05T11:28:00.001-04:002011-08-05T11:38:13.665-04:00

Quick Takes on Supply Chain News from Around the Country and the Globe Diesel Prices Remain High. The July 25 average U.S. diesel price was $3.949 per gallon, 2.6 cents more than the week before and $1.03 more than the same week a year ago. The Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Dept. of Energy forecasts diesel will average $3.86 in 2011 and $3.95 in 2012, following an average of

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-86887608543668503182011-07-28T14:37:00.003-04:002011-07-28T14:42:41.934-04:00

A Bumpy Road: ‘State of Logistics’ Report sees unsettled times ahead for supply chains The state of logistics is volatile, according to the 22nd Annual State of Logistics Report, put out by industry prognosticator Rosalyn Wilson, and presented to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. “Most measures would call the first quarter a strong one for the logistics industry,” says

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-52919742304823693742011-07-13T13:54:00.001-04:002011-07-13T14:09:39.803-04:00

Cubic Capacity Rule means some shipments are more equal than others. Trucking is not known as a creative business, but carriers get positively artistic when it comes to creating ways to boost revenue and make margins on a given shipment. Case in point: the Cubic Capacity Rule. Like the DIM or dimensional weight rules used in the air freight and small package world, the Cubic Capacity Rule is a

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-36796346673146543172011-06-28T11:57:00.001-04:002011-06-28T16:46:39.658-04:00

TNT Express initiates Europe-to-India air freighter, after FedEx and DHL expand service. TNT Express has launched a dedicated 767 freighter service between India and Europe, claiming the added capacity will consolidate the Dutch company’s market leadership in Asia-Europe express deliveries. The new service will run five times weekly between Delhi and TNT’s European hub at Liege, Belgium, with

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-77393500195466865212011-06-21T15:51:00.000-04:002011-06-21T15:51:46.533-04:00

USPS suspends mail delivery to Canada as Canada Post strike continues. The U.S. Postal Service stopped taking mail bound for Canada as a strike by Canada Post workers moved into its second week with no signs that it would end anytime soon, reported the Journal of Commerce. Talks between Canada Post and the postal union broke off over the weekend and the national post office said it would lock

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-86739303997984287152011-06-03T14:50:00.000-04:002011-06-03T14:50:28.873-04:00

Increasing freight volume chasing a tighter trucking pool creates a capacity squeeze. It’s getting hard to find a truck. In industry after industry, increased economic activity, rising transportation costs, and tightened availability from the carrier shakeout during the downturn are translating to a squeeze on shippers. New Federal hours-of-service requirements may keep drivers off the road,

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-60743859756091550962011-04-29T10:33:00.000-04:002011-04-29T10:33:04.683-04:00

Rising fuel costs force shippers to become more efficient. So, you think your gas mileage is lousy? How about 44 feet to the gallon, or about 120 gallons per mile? That’s what a typical container ship gets. Not surprisingly, shipping lines have moved to “slow steaming” to save on fuel, and a new generation of super-container ships now being developed by Maersk will have lower top speeds than

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-7034684756346935212011-03-18T16:09:00.001-04:002011-03-18T16:10:14.393-04:00

Choosing most efficient routing is impossible without ongoing automated analysis. With fuel costs on an upward spiral, you want to ship your goods in the most cost-effective manner. Choosing what mode of transportation to use for a given shipment is one of the very basic building blocks, right? Well, as they say in Brooklyn, “fuhgeddaboutit.” Even something seemingly as simple as deciding

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-57482106788985388252011-03-02T13:23:00.000-05:002011-03-02T13:23:19.083-05:00

Supply chain visibility is useful only to the extent C-level executives can act upon it. Management tools available today allow companies to track shipments in real time, compare alternate distribution channels, and analyze the effect of multiple variables on future demand. As more shippers utilize sophisticated modeling for their supply chains, the question becomes how to translate the data

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-51692042692042779432011-02-18T15:28:00.000-05:002011-02-18T15:28:26.704-05:00

Analysis of Total Landed Costs gives C-level executives the tools to decide among logistics options. To fully understand your supply chain, and properly value your goods that flow through it, you may need to apply some TLC. No, not that TLC – we’re talking about Total Landed Cost, which factors in all the costs associated with getting a product to its final destination, be it a retail shelf

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-6671528223174054632011-01-21T17:19:00.000-05:002011-01-21T17:19:24.358-05:00

Canadian market presents strategic opportunity, plus unique challenges. There is a foreign country with enormous trade with the US, and the potential for much more. No, not China – the largest trading partners in the world are the US and Canada, with $479 billion in 2010 trade through November, versus $414 billion between China and the US. Unlike many other trading partners, Canada imports more

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-2284454337515753642011-01-06T17:09:00.000-05:002011-01-06T17:09:57.964-05:00

New Year brings new challenges for shippers. In logistics, what you don’t know can hurt you. 2011 is looking to be a tumultuous year for the world of logistics, and the companies that depend on it. As industry after industry shakes off the lingering effects of the economic downturn, demand for merchandise of all sorts has come roaring back, and with it, the demand for carriers to deliver a

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-13833951211360208702010-12-10T09:04:00.001-05:002010-12-10T09:05:44.231-05:00

Increased demand and profitability allow LTL carriers to make higher prices stick. Since the economic downturn, less-than-truckload has been less than profitable. As reported in Transport Topics, the LTL industry has seen “a turbulent two years of rate cutting, market-share swings and some astronomical losses.” But the black ink has returned. As a group, publicly-traded LTL carriers turned a

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-2258684034753500542010-11-22T16:47:00.003-05:002010-11-22T19:28:24.338-05:00

Parcel Carriers’ New Dimensional Weight Policies Add Up to Higher Shipping Costs. Happy New Year from FedEx. Their 2011 rate increase overviews have been announced, with UPS following suit, and the biggest change is not that your list rates are increasing (which they are), or that acccessorial charges are increasing (which they are). The newest change is how FedEx and UPS will calculate “

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-34335109968139231092010-11-09T16:49:00.000-05:002010-11-22T19:24:33.106-05:00

Terrorist attack, though thwarted, highlights vulnerability of international air freight A shudder went through the international air freight system last week, when it was discovered terrorists in Yemen had used UPS and FedEx to ship packages containing bombs headed for Chicago. The multi-billion dollar air cargo industry carries millions of time-sensitive packages every day, everything from

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-58795102066106795272010-11-04T16:59:00.000-04:002010-11-04T16:59:42.018-04:00

As previously reported here, signs continue to point to a squeeze on transportation platforms, with increased demand chasing capacity that was significantly reduced during the downturn. Rotterdam, Europe’s busiest port, is facing “serious operational problems,” overwhelmed by surging container imports from China. Other major north European ports also risk congestion during the summer because of

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-25021504697956361642010-11-04T16:57:00.000-04:002010-11-04T16:57:58.039-04:00

Proposed Federal legislation could allow weight of truckload shipments to increase 38%. Under proposed legislation working its way through Congress, over-the-road shipments may be putting on some weight. The Safe and Efficient Transportation Act introduced in the Senate this month, aka SETA or the SAFE Act, mirrors a House bill backed by trucking companies and shippers. Under the law, 40,000

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-22728158983642543782010-11-04T16:53:00.001-04:002010-11-04T16:55:32.326-04:00

Flood of agricultural products monopolizes trailer capacity, puts ‘growing’ strain on pricing. Have you been feeling the pinch? Every year, as the bulk of farm crops are harvested and shipped, a supply crunch hits the trucking industry. Perishable food items are extremely time-sensitive, and often must be shipped in temperature-controlled equipment. With much of the produce coming from

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-18120710197298113852010-11-04T16:46:00.001-04:002010-11-04T16:49:24.053-04:00

YRC urges Teamsters not to vote themselves out of a job. Against a backdrop of rising demand for trucks and truckloads, YRC Worldwide’s COO told his union employees the fate of the company – and their jobs – is in their hands. YRC Worldwide’s Teamster employees, who twice last year voted to accept wage and benefit cuts, must vote on the carrier’s latest proposal, extending wage cuts and

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-63539566848155134142010-07-12T17:02:00.000-04:002010-11-04T17:05:12.242-04:00

Industry heavyweight shares his take on the direction shipping is moving. In an informal sit-down with the TOTALogistix executive team recently, the vice president of global logistics for a major athletic products retailer shared his thoughts on where transportation is headed. With product sourcing throughout the world, a nationwide chain of retail outlets, and direct B to C shipments, this

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-35639943823444145952010-06-14T09:40:00.001-04:002010-11-29T10:07:37.297-05:00

The strongest, most profitable companies make sure they are. As reported recently in Business Week, Walmart has embarked on a major expansion of their long-standing effort to take control of suppliers’ shipments to the retail giant’s distribution centers. Instead of the manufacturers delivering, Walmart proposes to pick up products directly from the suppliers’

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-88692197047692821152010-05-03T09:41:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:09:01.172-05:00

UPS and FedEx battle in Congress over provision in FAA re-authorization bill You know something is going on when UPS and the Teamsters are on the same side in a fight. On the other side of the dispute is FedEx, making a lot of noise about “bailouts” and “special interest” legislation. FedEx has spent $21 million lobbying against a provision working its way

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-47421870979094884292010-04-30T09:42:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.481-05:00

European supply chain disruptions highlight fragility of global distribution The volcano in Iceland with the impossible name provided a stark reminder of just how vulnerable global commerce is to unpredictable events. In addition to stranding millions of travelers and causing the airlines billions of dollars in losses, the eruption created chaos in international

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-62561162022814713212010-04-14T09:44:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.487-05:00

When Brown and FedEx are using the US Mail, it might be worth looking into. Do you use the U.S. Postal Service to deliver small packages to your customers? These guys do. FedEx and United Parcel Service are both utilizing “snail mail” in their parcel fulfillment operations. FedEx has “SmartPost,” in which the company handles packages from their origin all the

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-29750843066878160472010-03-24T09:45:00.001-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.492-05:00

Oceans “Heating Up” with New Signs of Vitality in Overseas Commerce Upward pressure on maritime container shipping costs is intensifying. After the global economic crisis began in September 2008, steamship operators responded by cancelling new ship orders, mothballing existing container ships and “slow steaming,” with capacity tied up by extending voyages and

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-66406521729300476712010-02-24T09:46:00.000-05:002010-11-29T10:29:57.498-05:00

YRC’s moves let it ‘remain a going concern,’ say financial analysts For less-than-truckload (LTL) shippers, the ongoing travails of YRC Worldwide, the country’s largest trucking firm, have loomed large in the past year. Now, with a debt-for-equity swap approved by the company’s shareholders last week, YRC has gained breathing room, and taken a giant step on the

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-27520799497665031292010-02-09T09:46:00.000-05:002010-11-29T10:29:57.528-05:00

New Customs regulations add up to one more reason to have an expert on your team If you’re bringing goods into the country from overseas, you have new hoops to jump through. They’re not brand new. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP’s) 10+2 plan initially was put in place January 26, 2009, and now, after a year, has become mandatory and in “full effect

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-72907300653552959682010-02-01T13:43:00.000-05:002010-02-01T13:44:56.892-05:00

Looking for a logistics manager? Get an industry leader working for you.If you could find the ideal hire to manage your transportation operations, what skill sets would you look for?You want someone who is an expert in small package, less-than-truckload, and truckload, plus intermodal, air, and ocean shipping. You want someone who has worked at the major carriers and shippers, with contacts and

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-79620923327995785012010-01-19T09:47:00.000-05:002010-11-29T10:29:57.540-05:00

Ocean carriers throttle back to save fuel costs; impose container surcharge Your containers may take longer to arrive from their ocean voyage, as shipping lines deliberately cut the steaming speed of their freighters to save fuel, according to Alphaliner Weekly Newsletter. The move also helps the carriers deal with overcapacity in ocean transit without idling

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-1310778782666503392009-12-17T09:58:00.000-05:002010-11-29T10:29:57.544-05:00

With business activity, fuel prices, and competition in the parcel business all way down, guess what’s UP? You guessed it – small package rates. UPS and FedEx have announced their Christmas presents for their customers, and it’s the same as last year – rate increases. The overall increases for both carriers are 5.9% for ground and 6.9% for air, but the devil is in

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-47011277588627710842009-12-08T09:48:00.000-05:002010-11-29T10:29:57.552-05:00

Don’t be fooled – 4.9 percent is just the start UPS has announced their annual rate increase, with a straight 4.9 percent hike in ground service, and a 6.9 percent air and international increase offset by a 2 percent reduction in the fuel surcharge. But when you look closer, the net cost increases for shipping parcels can be significantly higher. Additional fees

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-64145765259347769132009-11-25T09:49:00.000-05:002010-11-29T10:29:57.556-05:00

Pirates in the Indian Ocean are not the only concern for shipping lines and their customers Ocean shipping is in rough water, and companies with their products on board need to take notice. Eastwind Maritime went under last week, burdened by debt of $300 million, and the New York-based carrier’s bankruptcy could be a harbinger of more failures to come, analysts

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-25050522063226816952009-11-13T09:49:00.000-05:002010-11-29T10:29:57.561-05:00

The future of American transportation is…railroads? Warren Buffett thinks so. His Berkshire Hathaway holding company made its biggest investment ever last week, buying 77 percent of the Burlington Northern railway, one of the nation’s largest, for $26 billion. If the Sage of Omaha is willing to commit to railroads to that extent, maybe they deserve a look from you

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-13669806195164461342009-09-30T09:23:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.566-05:00

“The recession is over!*” proclaims the cover of Newsweek. The asterisk takes you to the caveat: “*Good luck surviving the recovery.” While competing statistics seem to bounce up and down like yoyos, and one day’s good news about factory orders is offset by the next day’s worse than expected job loss report, a consensus seems to be emerging that catastrophe

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-34923023654360452562009-09-28T09:50:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.571-05:00

So here we are in the classic example of a down economy. Employment is down, wages are down, orders are down. Business is down. Well, at least something is up. FedEx is bumping up their rates, but you will be glad to know they are doing it for you. The company announced a 5.9% rate increase for its express shipments, to take effect January 4, 2010. While the

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-65370906210212608102009-09-21T09:51:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.578-05:00

A recent article in Supply Chain Asia Magazine points out how critical managing your supply chain is to the success of your business. The ability to understand and optimize logistics operations, they suggest, may well be the “make or break” difference for companies over the course of what is likely to be a challenging and difficult environment just ahead. Here is

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-67029876993871571732009-09-16T09:55:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.587-05:00

“Seldom,” said a recent article in The Economist, “has corporate strategy been turned on its head so quickly.” For decades, accumulating and holding large amounts of cash was seen to indicate slipshod management, leading to takeover vulnerability and calls for special dividends. That changed abruptly last fall, when the growing financial crisis suddenly caused

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-48708648976600883902009-09-16T09:54:00.001-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.591-05:00

A longshoremen’s strike keeps your products from entering the country. The warehouse operator storing your inventory goes into receivership, raising questions of ownership. An earthquake in a Pacific-rim country destroys the factory of your sole supplier for a key component. These days, management and boards of directors face unprecedented liability issues. In

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-36845994013194804282009-09-16T09:54:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.595-05:00

A new study indicates that smaller and midsize companies are increasingly turning to third party logistics providers (3PLs) as a way to enhance their profitability in today’s increasingly challenging economy – discovering a strategy which the largest corporations have utilized for years. “In the current recessionary environment, companies are looking more and

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-78419674340240233942009-08-24T09:57:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.602-05:00

Detailed, timely information is crucial to getting freight claims paid No one likes to have to file claims for damages or shortages on their shipments. And carriers, like insurance companies, do not like to pay them. Sometimes, it seems their claims departments are set up specifically to deny claims – and they certainly will do everything possible to minimize

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-26448977995445461182009-08-24T09:56:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.612-05:00

The drumbeat grows louder, the buzzards are circling, the sharks scent blood... Rumors of the possible impending collapse of LTL giant YRC Worldwide continue to shake the trucking industry ahead of the Overland Park, Kansas-based company’s Feb. 17th deadline for rolling over or restructuring its massive bank debt. Despite anticipated labor cost savings of over

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-17538111346630239322009-04-22T09:57:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.621-05:00

After losing $10 billion in their effort to , DHL is throwing in the towel. Now that DHL has announced they are ceasing their domestic package shipping, where does that leave you? Short term, UPS and FedEx, the two remaining providers, are eager to pick up the business. If you are a DHL shipper, you can count on being wooed by both. But longer term, fewer

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-27286134358667934402008-12-12T09:59:00.000-05:002010-11-29T10:29:57.627-05:00

The parent company of Yellow Transportation and Roadway got swift approval from the Teamsters union for a wage rollback of up to 15% for their 40,000 unionized employees. The agreement could save YRC some $400 million in the coming year, and the company urgently needs the relief to stay on the road. The largest LTL carrier in the country, YRC faces debt of

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-85399475752905214082008-09-03T09:59:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.634-05:00

Many companies are asking themselves that question, and finally someone has come up with an answer.  “That depends.”  Who said it would be easy? Dr. David Simchi-Levi of MIT has been studying the “tipping point” for4 to 5 years, and during that time transportation costs have risen 40% and inventory carrying costs have also risen 50%.   His analysis showed the

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-4818090009536822662008-07-17T10:02:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.639-05:00

With the current state of the dollar on the international monetary stage, many companies are re-evaluating the efficiency of sourcing abroad.  It appears more often than not, the estimated cost savings have been lost somewhere in the process.  A recent survey by Supply Chain Digest suggests the lost savings fall into five categories common to most companies:1.

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-27081058355901609272008-07-09T13:45:00.003-04:002008-07-14T15:57:16.705-04:00

As professional logisticians we are fascinated, some might say obsessed, with numbers, data and trends. Here is one to consider. 11%. This number is from the Morgan Stanley/Parcel Magazine Annual Survey. It states “Although companies who use consultants to negotiate rates have deeper discounts still only 11% of companies use them (the same percent as in 2006.)”Historically, we save our clients

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-54065764769943034622008-07-09T13:42:00.001-04:002008-07-14T15:57:54.916-04:00

You won’t find it on the McDonald’s dollar menu. If your company is paying its own freight bills, you’re paying somewhere between $10.50 to $14.00 per invoice. At TOTALogistix, we charge $1.00/invoice. With an industry average of $12.71, that’s both time and money that you can apply to your core business.Freight invoices are complex and need to be validated per shipment. Multiple shipments,

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-69834068299296471592008-07-09T13:37:00.002-04:002008-07-14T15:58:49.332-04:00

Time was, expedited shipments covered up a lot of mistakes. Well, times change, and it might not be the emergency services business that you once thought. Expedited is now the fastest growing sector in the transportation environment.While there’s an additional cost, many shippers are weighing these costs against the benefits of guaranteed delivery times and the increased cost of production time

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-61781070704306502392008-07-08T14:07:00.000-04:002008-07-08T14:09:01.628-04:00

The recent Minneapolis bridge collapse will have a national impact on us all, regardless of where wecall home or operate our business. As states access their infra-structure rebuilding costs, state politicians are busy raising taxes to pay for new bridges and roads.New Jersey’s Governor Jon Corzine has proposed raising tolls 50% on the state’s major thoroughfares,including the NJ Turnpike every

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-21403307981221467852008-07-08T14:06:00.003-04:002008-07-08T14:09:37.048-04:00

On January 2, 2008 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking. It’s referred to as the 10+2 Rule, and it effects all ocean shipments of US boundcargo.The rule requires additional shipment data to be provided to CBP at least 24 hours prior to the vessel’s departure from overseas. It’s designed to enhance Customs ability to target high-risk inbound containers

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-86873670006877308152008-07-08T14:06:00.001-04:002008-07-08T14:12:42.871-04:00

December 31st 2007 isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of the biggest rate increase in shipping history. After all, the $6.1 billion payment UPS needs to make to Central States has to come from somewhere. And that somewhere is most likely out of your pocket in the way of higher shipper costs.The announced rate increase of 4.9% for ground and 6.9% for Air doesn’t paint the whole picture. These rates

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-7813409524545999442008-07-08T14:04:00.000-04:002008-07-08T14:05:22.676-04:00

B2C sales via on-line shopping has seen double digitgrowth year after year for some time now. However, if you’ve been watching the numbers slip, there may be one number you should look at more closely.Consumers who abandon their sale at check-out say the biggest reason is hidden costs. And what’s the biggest cost? Shipping.A recent survey conducted by PayPal finds that almost half the

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-69038111457501970592008-07-08T14:01:00.000-04:002008-07-08T14:04:17.611-04:00

Transportation Management Systems can be an invaluable tool in managing shipment activity and reducing transportation costs. A recent Supply Chain Digest survey quantified just how valuable. It determined the opportunities depended on three basic factors:Level of TMS technologyLevel of consolidation opportunitiesPlans for centralizing decentralized transportation functionsWhile there is some

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-84720009772855395502008-07-08T13:59:00.001-04:002008-07-08T14:01:20.314-04:00

First of all, we all know it’s important. But then why is it no one seems to calculate landed cost the same way? Is it goods landed at port of entry? Or, as some suggest, is it goods delivered tofinal destination?For years, it seems landed cost was calculated as port of entry. But was that because it was the easiest thing to do? A recent Penn State Research Survey suggests to accurately

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-51424658343376337812008-07-08T13:57:00.001-04:002008-12-09T10:23:12.795-05:00

Is it coincidence that both FedEx and UPS raised their prices6.9% this year? To be fair, we did get a 2% reprieve on fuel…but that was just rescinded due to the combustion of fuel prices.Fact is, the real increase is in the hidden accessorial charges…asmuch as 30% of your bill could be accessorials! Each smallpackage shipment could contain anywhere from 2 to 10 chargesper shipment. We know

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-40707524497758914522008-07-08T13:48:00.000-04:002008-12-09T10:23:12.950-05:00

We all know that transportation costs are continuingto increase. With the economy in its current statewe have to question everything. So, one question is:Are you willing to challenge the numbers?Are you getting the best price for shipping andare you uncovering all the hidden costs? Well maybethe question really is: Are you capable of challengingthe numbers?At TOTALogistix we capture and

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-35400258635892754452008-07-08T13:47:00.000-04:002008-07-08T13:48:57.040-04:00

We all thought $100 a barrel for oil would be a magical ceiling,like most magic, that was just an illusion that went up in smoke.In spite of over capacity for LTL and Truckload in some markets,transportation costs are still rising. And fuel surcharges haveenabled carriers to push all those risks back on to the shippers.The American Trucking Association now states that fuel costsare now exceeding

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-85674175575979641892008-07-02T23:35:00.001-04:002008-07-09T10:08:23.543-04:00

Is that too direct? We don’t think so. The recent price increases from FedEx and UPS represent the largest increase in shipping history. So being direct is the best way to answer the question we know you’re asking yourself: How can I reduce my transportation expenses? Fact is, the small package sector is the fastest growing niche market in the logistics industry, about $110 billion annually. For

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-274084885581781642.post-23460946322132798202008-06-20T10:03:00.000-04:002010-11-29T10:29:57.650-05:00

First of all, we all know it’s important.  But then why is it no one seems to calculate landed cost the same way?  Is it goods landed at port of entry?  Or, as some suggest, is it goods delivered to final destination? For years, it seems landed cost was calculated as port of entry.  But was that because it was the easiest thing to do?  A recent Penn State

TOTALogistixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16095284128753433652noreply@blogger.com0