Port of Oakland’s monthly volume report reflects trade war tensions

BusinessBy Brian Bateman July 17, 2018 Leave a comment

Oakland handled the equivalent of 87,207 20-foot import containers in June. That beat the previous monthly record of 84,835 containers set last July.

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New tentative five-year agreement with Teamsters at UPS Freight

BusinessBy Brian Bateman July 14, 2018 Leave a comment

It’s been a summer of labor success at United Parcel Service. Besides scoring a “handshake agreement” covering 275,000 Teamsters at its small parcel unit, UPS also has a tentative deal for a new five-year Master UPS Freight Agreement that covers about 11,000 Teamsters-represented UPS Freight (formerly Overnite Transportation).

AAR reports annual volume gains for week ending July 7

BusinessBy Brian Bateman July 14, 2018 Leave a comment

Rail carloads, at 240,514, were up 5.4% annually, which is below the week ending June 30 at 270,916 and the week ending June 23 at 268,464.

SEKO announces plans for new UK-based airfreight and omni-parcel services facility

BusinessBy Brian Bateman July 14, 2018 Leave a comment

Chicago-based third-party logistics (3PL) services provider SEKO Logistics recently announced it is investing in a new flagship airfreight and omni-parcel services facility in close proximity to London Heathrow airport. The company said that this investment is a reflection of its confidence in the “continued cross-border growth of British bands globally,” adding that revenues in the…

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Note to CEOs (Part 3): Committed to reducing your rising freight costs? You must be kidding!

BusinessBy Brian Bateman July 13, 2018 Leave a comment

In case you missed my transportation notes to CEOs Part 1 (Don’t fail to plan!) and Part 2 (Your people need you!), let me set the stage: Since the beginning of 2018, the Wall Street Journal has run over 70 articles about how the current freight market is negatively impacting supply chains and corporate earnings.…

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Making the Case for Global Supply Chain Digitization

BusinessBy Brian Bateman July 13, 2018 Leave a comment

Global supply chain challenges continue to proliferate, but digitizing the supply chain and leveraging structured data can help ease those pressures while also providing high levels of visibility, improved efficiency and minimized risk.

How to Become a Shipper of Choice

BusinessBy Brian Bateman July 13, 2018 Leave a comment

Learn at how companies are effectively increasing the desirability of their freight, streamlining their supply chains, and reducing their transportation costs to become preferred shippers.

DAT reports stellar spot market activity in June

BusinessBy Brian Bateman July 13, 2018 Leave a comment

Recent spot market data issued by Portland, Oregon-based freight marketplace platform and information provider DAT, a subsidiary of Roper Industries, reinforces the current strength of the trucking sector, with June having the highest spot market rates on record. DAT said that the national averages for van, flatbed, and refrigerated (reefer) were the highest ever recorded…

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CBRE research highlights another quarter of declining U.S. industrial real estate availability

BusinessBy Brian Bateman July 13, 2018 Leave a comment

In its “U.S. Industrial Availability Index,” CBRE reported that the availability rate for U.S. industrial real estate fell ten basis points to 7.2% in the second quarter, which is its lowest level since 2000. CBRE said this represents the 32nd consecutive quarterly decline, with demand for industrial property continuing to outpace supply. What’s more, CBRE…

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How to overcome the capacity roadblock

BusinessBy Brian Bateman July 12, 2018 Leave a comment

According to the State of the North American Supply Chain survey, truck capacity is the industry’s primary hurdle this year.

Warehousing
Your business is growing by leaps and bounds and now you need additional warehousing capabilities. When warehousing needs are more long-term and predictable, contract warehousing ensures that you receive guaranteed space whenever you want it at a reliable cost for the amount of time you specify. Dedicated services and specially-chosen resources are precisely designed to meet your needs.

First Logistics will perform the warehousing functions for you. Your contract warehousing agreement provides you with a one-stop integrated logistics solution that can be combined with cross docking, kitting, pick & pack, material handling services, and even freight brokerage. As a result, you can focus more fully on the strategic side of business development and at the same time, save substantially on operating costs.

If your products require special care, your volumes are predictable, your customers require system functionality that you don’t offer, or if your labor agreements discourage adding company head count, contract warehousing may be a smart choice for you.
Pick and Pack
As a key component of our standard services, we can pick and pack individual items into multi-pack cartons. This process of managing open case inventories requires hands-on experience, and First Logistics has long been a leader.

Our pick and pack expertise dates back to the mid 1990s when we launched the first large scale pick and pack operation in the Chicago area focused on Internet fulfillment. We quickly demonstrated our ability to pick hundreds of multi-part orders for rapid next-day delivery. Some of our biggest accounts went on to become household names.

Today First Logistics offers you a wide range of options that can be customized to any market. Whether you are producing infomercials or selling online, we can seamlessly manage the data, billing, and fulfillment to meet your needs.

In addition, we streamline transportation, ensuring undamaged delivery while simultaneously lowering costs and minimizing packaging materials.
Site Leasing
There is much more to warehousing leasing than negotiating the right amount of square footage at the best price. You need to ask yourself: is the location near a hub so that we can quickly ship directly to customers? Is it configured to get your products from racks to trucks and back? Is there temperature control for perishable items?

First Logistics can carve out any amount of space, structured as a basic lease and based on a per square foot rental. We work with each customer individually to determine the best warehouse space for the business’ special needs.
POP Display Fulfillment
Retail POP displays and accessories for multiple store locations can tax the existing space of even the largest companies. With more than 500,000 square feet of storage space, First Logistics can easily handle your largest displays, even for national rollout. We are experts at assembling, collating and shrink-wrapping even intricate POP displays.

And, our fulfillment capabilities are second to none. We understand that potential sales revenue is lost if your POP materials or brand promotional products do not reach your store locations on schedule. Count on us to make it happen. We are strategically located at America’s crossroads so that stores receive your displays quickly, no matter where they are located.