The pressures you face as a logistics manager are immense: warehousing, overseeing employee safety procedures and performance, monitoring the flow of goods, inventory control, transportation management – the list certainly goes on. Considering the number of projects that you manage, it’s easy to find yourself overwhelmed without the time you need to get it all done efficiently!

Summer time is in full swing! With it comes abundant sunshine, heat and caravans of anxious travelers out on the roads headed to their vacation destinations. For most of us, summer means fun and relaxation, but for shippers in the logistics industry, summer time can present extra challenges on the job:

You work in the logistics industry, so you’re probably familiar with the term “3PL.” But did you know that last year, the U.S. 3PL market net revenue grew 11.8% to $86.2 billion? Considering this level of growth, it’s easy to see that 3PLs are increasingly becoming a major player within the industry. So, what is a 3PL company and how can a 3PL help shippers? If you’re looking for this information, we’ve got you covered!

How do you know when it’s the right time to hire a 3PL? Take a look at the list below. Do any of these things sound familiar?

We all know what it feels like to have too many things on our plate. Not only is it overwhelming and stress-inducing to have a seemingly never-ending list of things to do, but having multiple tasks to accomplish in a limited amount of time often means we have to sacrifice doing things well for the sake of getting them all done.

Third-party logistics (3PL) providers are companies to whom other businesses in the supply chain and logistics industry can outsource certain segments of their operations. Whether you need additional help with managing warehousing, order fulfillment or transportation processes, a 3PL has you covered. In this blog, we’ll talk about the differences between these three different types of 3PLs.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “guilty by association.” If you’re surrounded by people who are consistently negative, it becomes hard for you to fight the pessimism. Likewise, if the people you’re with day in and day out are optimistic and upbeat, it’s likely that energy will rub off on you. And, more likely than not, you’ll find yourself reaping the benefits of a positive lifestyle. You’ve probably experienced similar effects in your personal life, but the same goes for your work life! The people you work with can have a huge impact on the trajectory of your career. Keeping this in mind, in the logistics business, it could be said that you become the 3PL you work with. Therefore, it’s imperative that you work with a freight brokerage whose goals and values match yours.

Talk of federal tariffs has been inescapable over the past few months - mainly in relation to the U.S. trade war with China. New talk of a tariff on Mexican products has been added to the mix. President Trump announced, effective June 10, the U.S. will impose a 5% tariff on all goods imported from Mexico. The tariff is set to increase to 25% by October if Mexico does nothing to halt “its illegal flow of aliens to the U.S.” The proposal of a 5% tariff on Mexican goods, and the potential for it to increase to 25% over the next several months, has shippers worried about what this could mean for their businesses.

If you’re a customer or shipper in the logistics industry, you probably have experience working with a third-party logistics carrier (3PL). A 3PL is essentially the middle man between a customer and a carrier company who oversees the customer’s shipment. The 3PL is responsible for managing all transportation details of the customer’s shipment so that the customer can focus their time and energy elsewhere. But how does a 3PL work for customers and shippers? What happens behind the scenes once a customer tenders its load to a 3PL?

You’re already aware of how tough it is to reach your growth goals and increase earnings, and finding a carrier company that you can trust at a reasonable rate is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue that isn't making your growth goals any easier to reach. This level of truck availability and the higher rates associated with them has been happening for longer than anyone expected, and we’re coming to learn that it’s probably going to be around for the long-haul (no pun intended)—leaving a permanent mark on your cost structure. What’s the driving factor behind this seemingly permanent tight market, you ask?