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3PL Links Blog

How our Supply Chain Solutions Reduce Expenses and Increase Efficiencies

Supply Chain SolutionsWhatever market share a company enjoys, there are always competitors working to grab it. In the whole chain from manufacturer to consumer, the goal should be not just to make the customer happy, but to keep them happy. What keeps them happy is competitive prices and product availability. Supply chain solutions companies ensure that customers who know and like your brand are never disappointed on these two points.
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Logistics Solutions for the Hotel and Hospitality Industries

Hotel logistics informationIn the corporate world, the catch-all term “logistics” describes any and all activities involved in the transportation and warehousing of goods.

Commercial logistics adopted the concept from its military application, where the procurement, maintenance and transportation of materials, facilities and personnel are all of equal importance. In essence, logistics is the science of supply chain management.

Providing logistics solutions to the hotel and hospitality industries is a very particular discipline, one that’s practiced almost as an art form at 3PL Links.
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Why Logistics Consulting is an Important First Step

Logistics ConsultingExternal, third-party consultants must bring expertise that enables the solving of a specific issue or series of issues within a set budgetary resource that cannot be addressed internally. Certainly, logistics consulting is one such skillset; it’s a necessary function of most businesses, on which few companies maintain internal experts.

The word “consult” has a Latin root meaning “to discuss,” and that’s all most consultants do – they chatter away until you’ve answered all your own questions, then formalize that input, take credit for it, and send out a bill. Logistics consulting most emphatically does not fall into this category.

As noted, the only time an individual or company really benefits from expert third-party consultation is when highly specialized, technical expertise is a prerequisite and when no internal knowledge-base is available to resolve the problem. Because logistics concentrate on such specific areas, few companies have their own in-house authority.
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3PL Links Case Study: Manufacturing (Outdoor Equipment)

3pl_manufacturing_outdoor_equipmentFor people around the world, enjoying the outdoors is a critical component of happiness. 3PL Links has had the privilege to work with an entrepreneurial and innovative world leader in the design and manufacturing of ready to assemble outdoor living products for residential customers. This client delivers exceptional play and leisure structure options around the globe to children and adults alike. Operating under three distinctive branded product lines, this client creates products adhering to the highest standards in quality, safety, value, and fun.

Much like many companies in the modern economy, they are eager to capitalize on emerging trends in today’s consumer marketplace. For this client, that means having the ability to mobilize resources and engage their supply chain to continually exceed their customers’ demands. This need drove an engagement with 3PL Links.

Read the full retail apparel case study here

3PL Links Case Study: Retail (Apparel)

Retail_ApparelAs the embodiment of modern American style, 3PL links’ largest women’s apparel customer offers impeccably designed clothing that meets and exceeded the needs of today’s women. Faced with explosive growth in Canada, the International Retailer turned to 3PL Links for help with their supply chain management. 3PL Links was faced with a number of warehousing, cross docking, outbound and inbound distribution requirements. Furthermore, 3PL Links introduced the Retailer to the power of 3PL Links’ Vendor Audit Program. The over-arching goal was to optimize processes to improve speed to market, improve outbound freight from Distribution Centre’s to retail outlets, increase visibility on both their shipments and vendors and continually seek innovative ways to reduce logistic-related expenses. Through the use of a Risk Free Assessment, proprietary auditing tools and ongoing freight management program, 3PL Links was able to and continues to meet and exceed the needs of the Retailer.

Read the full retail apparel case study here

Transportation Logistics: Getting Goods from A to B, Stress Free!

19148602_sTransportation logistics providers make life much easier for customers. Not only do they have expertise in logistics, they are also efficient, technically sound and highly scalable. If you are interested in using a third-party logistics company, you are on the right track! You will be amazed how easily goods reach from one point to the next without any problem, resulting in better customer service and increased profitability.

Benefits of Using a Third-Party Transportation Logistics

There are various advantages of hiring a logistics service provider. They are dependable and definitely cost effective, leading to increased performance of any business. Here are a few benefits of hiring a third-party transportation logistics company:

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3PL Links Case Study: Retail (Home Improvement)

retail_home_improvementAs a staple in the home renovation industry in Canada, 3PL Links’ customer has been the go to store for do-it-yourselfers and contractors alike for more than 15 years. This big block retailer operates over 75 stores in convenient locations across Canada and is headquartered in Ontario, Canada. At any given time the customer can stock as many as 40,000 home improvement products; tailored to the communities they serve.

3PL Links’ customer caters to do-it-yourselfers, as well as home improvement, construction and building maintenance professionals. Under its roof, the retailer provides various value-add features such as installation services, where the homeowner can choose to have qualified professionals complete home renovation projects for them. In addition to the installation services they provide, a tool rental service is available at selected stores throughout the nation.

Read the full retail home improvement case study here

Outsource Your Warehousing and Distribution to a Reputable Logistics Company

9417487_sOutsourcing warehousing and distribution to a 3PL (Third-party logistics provider) carries with it numerous benefits for the enterprising business owner or manager. It’s a long held rule of savvy
business: If someone else can do it more efficiently, it’s probably worth letting them do it. By leveraging the strengths of a 3PL in optimizing your warehousing and distribution, you can refine your business to new heights—and new profits. Here are just a few reasons to consider third-party warehousing and distribution:

Shared Costs

Sharing a resource means sharing the expenses—without losing anything in the exchange. With third-party logistics, the equipment, resources, and man-hours that would go wasted if you handled the matter in-house end up tasked to others; that increased efficiency would put money in your pocket even if a 3PL had nothing else to offer over in-house warehousing and distribution.

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3PL Links Case Study: Food & Dairy

fooddairyWorking with world-renowned multinational companies is always a privilege. Since 2010, 3PL Links has been working with a prominent dairy company with operations in Europe, Latin America, North America, Australia, China and South Africa. With over 100 years of brand heritage in the Canadian dairy industry, our customer is committed to the health and wellness of Canadians and markets a variety of high-quality food products under multiple brands.

Read the full Food & Dairy Case Study Here

5 Things to Consider When Hiring Transportation Companies

9774967_sMany businesses rely on transportation companies to move their product across the country or borders because they know that lowering transport costs is critical to maintaining their business’s healthy bottom line. If your business is examining the costs versus benefits of outsourcing its freight requirements, here are five important factors to consider.

Experience

Since on time delivery is so critical to your company, do your homework to ensure that the transportation companies that you are considering have the experience in the specific areas that you need. Not only should the transportation company have experience in transportation in your area, but a transportation company in business and with a track record matters, too. A transportation company that can demonstrate excellent customer service over the years is more likely to deliver those same results to your business

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