PPLUS Global, a leader in transportation and logistics, has long-term expertise helping the Construction Materials Industry in general and the Roofing materials industry in specific. Global supply chain issues are impacting everything. This includes the availability of Building and Roofing Materials… the lifeblood of the building contractors in our local communities.
Freight is simply going to take a bit longer for every part of the process. Even if your shipments are purely domestic, you still need to plan more time than ever before. Equipment is in short supply (both trucks and trailers) and drivers are scarce (although there has been a little progress in this area). Warehouse and cross-dock facilities are at or beyond capacity.
Freight is simply going to take a bit longer for every part of the process. Even if your shipments are purely domestic, you still need to plan more time than ever before. Equipment is in short supply (both trucks and trailers) and drivers are scarce (although there has been a little progress in this area). Warehouse and cross-dock facilities are at or beyond capacity.
Those disruptions do not appear to be going away until possibly Q4 of 2022. By following these few tips, you can rest assured that your shipping operation will run smoothly in 2022 and beyond.
Stay educated
Stay on top of changes that could affect your shipments. Seasonality, International Land Ports of Entry, International Container Ports, and Transportation Management Systems (TMS) will all impact your shipments. Stay educated.
Build in more time
Freight is simply going to take a bit longer for every part of the process. Even if your shipments are purely domestic, you still need to plan more time than ever before. Equipment is in short supply (both trucks and trailers) and drivers are scarce (although there has been a little progress in this area). Warehouse and cross-dock facilities are at or beyond capacity.
Be flexible with carrier switches
When working with a good logistics partner, there will be times when they will need to switch the carrier that you thought your freight was riding on. This generally comes up when your logistics partner is trying to help reduce a delay that has surfaced. By being flexible and prepared, you can minimize disruptions to your shipping schedule.
Proper packaging
It is important to pack every shipment well to ensure the items arrive at their destination safely. If you are shipping pallets of small items, make sure that the items themselves are securely packaged to protect them. In addition, make sure that the pallet is properly loaded, corners are protected, pieces are banded/strapped down, and the entire pallet is shrink-wrapped to prevent load shifting during transport. For larger items, have them professionally secured to a pallet and crated.
Insurance
Carriers often limit their liability to 50 cents per pound as stated in the fine print on their freight bill. So, an umbrella policy of $100,000, which most carriers have, may not cover even a fraction of the value of your freight. For best protection, get first party “all risk” cargo insurance on your freight and don’t jeopardize your financial fate on a carriers’ cargo liability insurance policy.
In order to stay ahead of the competition, it’s important to future-proof your business by preparing for changes in the shipping industry. PPLUS Global Logistics can help you do just that. Contact us for a free quote and see how we can help you prepare for the future of shipping.
