Blog - GlobeCon Freight

June 22

Preparing for Holiday Shipping in 2021

Amazon Prime Day, which kicked off June 21, gave the shipping industry a bit of a preview of the upcoming holiday season. The big takeaway: Everyone needs to do their homework and prepare.

Supply chain disruptions — including global shortages of labor, shipping containers, air freight capacity, and materials like semiconductors and plastic — as well as restrictions due to COVID-19 outbreaks in China’s Guangdong Province greatly limited the ability of many companies to participate in this year’s Amazon sale.

June 8

Comparing the Sustainability of Same-day and Next-day Delivery

Categories: BCO/Shipper.

Thanks to e-commerce giants like Amazon, lightning-fast fulfillment has become the standard in much of the U.S. and Europe. Free or low-cost next day and same day delivery options have shifted the window of customer expectations, putting pressure on competitors to employ an efficient and cost-effective delivery system in order to stay relevant. Speedy turnaround is the expectation now — not just an add-on.

While e-commerce continues to thrive and companies pour investment into last-mile to keep up, the hidden environmental costs of rapid delivery are becoming more apparent. As more businesses, activists, and government oversight agencies examine the entire supply chain for carbon efficiency, last mile sustainability increasingly faces scrutiny.

May 22

How Click and Collect Impacts Last Mile Logistics

Categories: BCO/Shipper.

Last mile delivery has long been one of the toughest challenges for ecommerce retailers. That hasn’t changed, but now that more buyers than ever are turning to online shopping channels to get the products they want consumer expectations for delivery speed and service are increasing rapidly. Even some of the biggest big box retailers are having difficulty keeping up with mounting demand.

Innovative retailers are coming up with creative hybrid ecommerce solutions to offer customers same-day service without managing a fleet of couriers. Click and collect last mile represents one such fulfillment option that is growing in popularity.

May 11

How Carriers Can Tackle The Truck Driver Shortage While Creating Efficiencies

Categories: Trucking.

A widespread truck driver shortage is one of the more impactful results of 2020 for supply chain companies. A full 71% of the total freight tonnage handled in the U.S. is moved on the highway system, and while recent investment into intermodal infrastructure has improved opportunities for rail transport, shortfalls in the trucking industry will lead to substantial impacts to overall outcomes.

Unlike other COVID-related impacts, labor shortages in trucking aren’t easily fixed. Carriers will need to accept that driver shortages will likely become a part of the “new normal” for a period, and prepare strategies to deal with this uncertain future.

That’s not to say there’s nothing carriers can do to mitigate the wider impact of shortages in the near term. Identifying efficiencies in shipping and finding technologies to improve turnaround can build a more agile infrastructure that produces long term benefits (and profits for forward-looking firms).

April 27

Speeding fulfillment efficiency during COVID-19 and beyond

Categories: Warehouse.

Maximizing fulfillment efficiency is an ongoing process and a major goal of every successful warehouse operation, particularly in a consumer landscape shaped by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consumers have increasingly turned to eCommerce for their purchasing needs, and understandably so, as they sought to avoid spaces where virus exposure was a risk. As such, the shift from shopping brick-and-mortar to digital has accelerated by almost five years – with both orders and returns experiencing a significant boom.

To keep pace with these changes, warehouse managers must identify opportunities for growth in both their fulfillment & reverse logistics processes and implement optimizations that achieve speed and efficiency. Let’s cover some basic ways that fulfillment efficiency can be maximized to meet consumer demand.

April 13

The Future Looks Bright for Sustainable Warehousing

Categories: Warehouse.

The shift toward sustainable warehousing is still accelerating despite the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19. External pressure on companies to adopt greener practices continues to rise alongside the need to balance costs and operational efficiencies. It’s anticipated the call for sustainable action will increase demand for strategic warehousing, automation, and eco-friendly packaging, among other currently unforeseeable needs. But sustainable warehousing can do more than help the environment – there are efficiency and cost gains to be had as well. In light of these environmental factors, we’ll discuss the ways in which the industry is inching toward a more sustainable future with greener warehousing solutions.

March 23

Why Supply Chain Companies Should Take Transportation Cybersecurity Seriously

Categories: Cyber Security.

Many of the biggest hazards facing companies in trucking and logistics aren’t found on the open road — they come from the web. Cybersecurity is a leading concern for businesses in the supply chain, as more cybercriminals than ever see shipping and fulfilment as a ripe target for attack.

March 9

3 Trucking Sustainability Trends to Watch in 2021

Categories: Trucking.

Trucking keeps our nation moving, and without it the U.S. economy would come to a standstill.

We’ve previously talked about how eCommerce continues to thrive despite the presence of a global recession, so it’s safe to say trucking won’t slow down anytime soon. It’s no wonder then that environmentally sustainable transportation of freight is on the minds of customers and companies alike.

February 23

2021 State of the Port of LA Highlights

Categories: Port Drayage.

2020 was a tumultuous year across the country and around the globe. No surprise that both uncertainty and the innovative spirit stood out as key themes at the Port of LA as well. But what is in store for the year to come?

Once a year, Executive Director of the Port of LA Gene Seroka shares his “State of the Port” presentation. This review of the exciting new developments at one of America’s largest and busiest ports is always one to watch, and this year was no different.

Here are some key highlights from the 2021 state of the Port of LA.

February 9

Looking for Warehouse Space? Here are 4 Things to Consider

Categories: Warehouse.

Online retail is thriving, and many ecommerce companies are scaling up their warehouse operations to meet increasing demand.

But that’s easier said than done.

Many factors impact the cost of warehouse space. Rents and real estate costs, labor costs, insurance, taxes…nearly all of them are pushing overhead up. Not to mention, your warehouse location will impact your whole fulfillment operation.

If you’re trying to decide your next warehousing move, here are four things to keep in mind.

GlobeCon Freight Blog