Freight forwarders are people or companies that organize the shipment of goods on behalf of their customers (individuals or businesses).  They play an important role in logistics by helping manufacturers acquire the raw materials they need and distribute the finished products to customers through the various stages of the supply chain. Since a lot of businesses depend on a global supply chain these days, they use international freight forwarders to streamline their shipping process. Continue Reading

A growing number of businesses and organizations are outsourcing their logistics to third party logistics providers (also called 3PL or TPL) to save time and money. 3PL companies typically offer warehousing, transportation and integrated operation services that can be tailored to the customers` needs based on market conditions. These services often go beyond logistics and include value-added services that are integral to the supply chain.

The outsourcing of logistics to 3PL providers allows you to focus on your core competencies of your business. They can help your business save money in the following ways: Continue Reading

Moving goods from one location to another is never free. You will need packing materials, movers (workers), drivers, vehicles (trucks) and possibly storage facilities. The greater the load and the longer the distance, the higher the cost.

But weight and distance are not the only two factors that affect transportation costs. There are several other factors that have a significant impact on the cost of transportation. The following are some of the important factors: Continue Reading

Businesses today are a part of a highly complex supply chain involving multiple suppliers and vendors located at different places across the world.
SubmitWhen a disruption or bottleneck occurs in any part of the chain, it is often impossible to identify the culprit without a complete supply chain analysis. Without identifying the source and cause of the problem, it is not easy to achieve targeted sales and growth.

Supply chain analysis is the process of evaluating every stage of a supply chain starting from the time the business acquires raw materials or supplies from its suppliers to the delivery of final products to the customers. The purpose of the analysis is to determine which part of the supply chain can be improved or shortened to deliver the product more quickly and efficiently to the customers. The philosophy behind supply chain analysis is that the more flexible a business can be, the faster its growth rate will be.

Supply chain analysis helps businesses identify the suppliers and/or processes that can be bypassed, reduce inventories, schedule events and programs, and improve forecasts. This increases efficiency, reduces costs and minimizes risks. It helps businesses optimize their processes to remove redundancies in the supply chain while helping create new value-added processes. Continue Reading

When moving goods from one location to another, it is very important to be aware of the legislation regarding the transport of dangerous goods. Dangerous goods are anything that can harm people, property, the environment and other living organisms. They may be in solid, liquid or a gas state. In Canada, dangerous goods are known as HazMat, short for hazardous.

Classes of dangerous goods: Dangerous goods are divided into nine classes on the basis of their chemical characteristics. There are also subcategories under each class. Continue Reading

Logistics is the chain of processes and events involved in moving a finished product from the manufacturer to the customer. So what is reverse logistics? Reverse logistics is backward logistics. It involves the movement of goods from the customer back to the manufacturer. This usually happens when the product is defective or when the product has been recalled because of some glitch. Continue Reading

When transporting goods from one place to another, it is very important to store them in safe and secure warehouses that are not only guarded twenty-four hours a day, but are also climate controlled to prevent damages to your product.

Theft and damages mean delays in delivery, loss of credibility and a financial loss to your company. 3PL Links offers warehousing services in safe and secure warehouses equipped with automated TMS systems that allow the clients to track their shipments online. Continue Reading

When transactions increase and vendor bills pile up, managing them can be a tedious and time consuming task. Unfortunately, this is a fact of life with many companies. Companies can either spend too much time auditing vendor bills or they do not spend enough time resulting in overpayment and duplicate bills. At the same time, the complexity of purchasing procedures can also lead to financial losses. This is why it is important to have your vendor bills audited Continue Reading

A company”s ability to transport merchandise quickly and inexpensively is crucial for the growth of the business. But shipping large consignments of goods can be tedious, time consuming and expensive. It requires considerable administrative and other resources than can drain away your company”s profits. Instead, using the logistics management solutions provided by 3rd party logistics providers can help you save time and money and concentrate on other important areas of your business. Continue Reading

Coordinating the shipping of large quantities of items, especially of a fragile or hazardous nature, can be tedious and time consuming, not to mention costly. The fact that there are different shipping regulations and challenges across every border makes matters more complicated. Fortunately, there are third party logistics companies that can handle all your shipping needs without your having to get involved in the process. With the hassle of shipping, distribution and storage taken care of, you can concentrate on other important aspects of your business operations. Continue Reading