NMFC Changes effective January 4, 2020

NMFC Changes effective January 4, 2020

NMFC-Guide-BookPlease see the latest supplement to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC®) by the Commodity Classifications Standards Board (CCSB). These changes have an effective date of 1/4/2020. A few of the notable changes are listed below.

  • Drugs, Chemicals, Medicines and Other Articles Named — Item 60000, RVNX $3.35 per lb, class 70. Item 60000 is canceled with reference to the provisions that are otherwise applicable. The classes shown in these individual items will be applicable. The references to item 60000 are removed from the following NMFC items. 12540 12980 21420 21520 21540 21640 23420 42460 42470 42620 42647 42648 42740 42780 42790 42800 42850 42890 42920 42980 42990 43000 43140 43180 43200 43210 43230 43260 43490 43510 43540 43560 43580 43590 43610 43660 43680 43770 43850 43940 43950 43980 44040 44060 44070 44110 44170 44225 44230 44320 44380 44460 44480 44520 44550 44610 44650 44680 44690 44700 44720 44760 44810 44830 44855 44867 44900 44910 45000 45040 45050 45060 45090 45120 45260 45325 45380 45400 45410 45420 45465 45480 45680 45710 45750 45790 45800 45870 45880 45930 46000 46023 46040 46045 46060 46160 46170 46190 46200 46270 46290 46340 46350 46400 46480 46530 46580 46610 46620 46660 46720 46780 46820 46840 46920 46930 47010 47030 47040 47050 47070 47100 47110 47120 47130 47140 47150 47210 47370 47400 49983 50020 50023 50155 50175 56660 56996 57100 58520 58540 58542 58560 58610 58670 58710 58770 58820 58900 58920 58960 59040 59070 59080 59090 59100 59140 59200 59250 59260 59270 59300 59310 59380 59460 59480 60260 60280 63590 64400 72120 72620 72860 73200 74030 75480 75490 75550 90930 91140 91160 91180 91200 91220 91240 91260 91380 91400 91420 91440 91480 91500 91520 91540 91560 91780 99820 111180 135380 135530 136040 136140 138360 144640 144660 144700 144780 144940 162870 163030 169320 169340 171410 172180 172990 173740 178720 179960 196580 196600 196640 196720 196760 196860. Concurrently, Notes, items 60002 and 60004 are canceled with no further application.
  • Foodstuffs, other than frozen. Various foodstuffs are removed from item 73227 and reclassified. Item 72790 (Dips) is canceled with reference to new item 74700 (Sauces, Condiments, Dips or Spreads). New items are established as follows: 72030 (Baby Food), 72041 (Baking Powder), 72285 (Butters or Spreads, nut or seed, including Peanut Butter),74510 (Purees, fruit or vegetable, including applesauce) and 74737 (Shells, taco, or tortillas).
  • Ovens, Ranges or Stoves, cooking, indoor, and Related Cooking Equipment. Items 27320, 27430, 27440 and 27450 are canceled with reference to new item 26720 for “Ovens, Ranges or Stoves, cooking, and Related Cooking Equipment, electric or gas,” with classes based on a density break at 8 pcf. Item 26720 references new Note, item 26721, which requires articles weighing each greater than 110 pounds to be tendered in authorized packages secured on a lift truck skid, pallet or platform. Item 26710 is amended to restrict its application to “Ovens, NOI, other than cooking.” Item 27590 is canceled with reference to new item 26720 and, for commercial or institutional broilers, cookers or steamers, fryers (deep fryers) and griddles, to new item 25970, the latter with no change in packaging or classes. As modified, reference to indoor type in item 26720 applies only to stoves, stovetops, cooktops or grills, and the restrictive terminology, “other than cooking,” is added to item 27520 for gas stoves or ranges.
  • Posts or Poles, utility, including Lighting, Telephone or Electric Railway Posts or Poles, or Sections thereof. Items 161150, 161160, 161170, 161180, 161200, 161210, 161220 and 161240 are canceled with reference to new item 161145, naming “Posts or Poles, utility, including Lighting, Telephone or Electric Railway Posts or Poles, or Sections thereof,” with classes predicated on greatest dimension and density. New Notes 161146 and 161148 are established to clarify the application of the item and provide additional packaging requirements, respectively. Note 109704 is amended to reflect the new provisions accordingly.
  • Flashlights, Lanterns, Searchlights or Spotlights, electric, handheld — Items 109110 and 109800. Item 109110 is amended to provide class 150. As modified, item 109800 is amended to provide class 110 whether or not complement of batteries is included. Note 109112 is amended to use the word “that.” For uniformity, the term “handheld” is used in the descriptions of items 109110 and 109800.
  • Pans or Pots, cast aluminum. Item 52930 is canceled with reference to item 52895, which assigns class 125. Concurrently, the description of item 52895 is amended by removal of the restriction “other than cast.”
  • Oxygen, recreational, in handheld canisters or containers. New item 86070 is established for recreational oxygen, with classes based on whether or not the product is offered for transportation as a Hazard Class 2, Division 2.2 material and on density.  New Notes 86071 and 86072 are established to clarify the new item’s application.  Note 56911 is amended to direct the Classification user to the new item.
  • Heaters, gas, other than portable. Item 26460 is amended for simplification, and class 150 is assigned.
  • Heaters, electric, wall insert or baseboard type. Item 26500 is amended for clarification and simplification, and class 125 is assigned.
  • Virtual Reality Headsets (VR Headsets). New item 62190 is established, naming “Headsets, virtual reality (VR Headsets),” at class 150. Additionally, new Note 62191 is established limiting the new item to VR headsets with integrated screens or monitors.
  • Kilns — Items 123820, 123840 and 123860. Item 123820 is amended for clarification and simplification, to specify packaging “in boxes or crates,” and to provide classes predicated on a density break at 8 pcf. Item 123840 is amended to provide class 110. Item 123860 is canceled.
  • Fireplace Grates, Grate Baskets or Grate-Type Heaters. Items 69430, 69440 and 69457 are canceled with reference to the full-scale density provisions of item 69420. Concurrently, the “viz.” listing in item 69420 is amended to include “Grates, Grate Baskets or Grate Parts,” and “Heaters, Heat Exchangers or Extractors, fireplace grate type.”
  • Wood Moldings (Mouldings). Items 38030, 38040 and 38050 are canceled with reference to new item 38035, naming wood “Moldings (Mouldings), with or without coatings or coverings of other materials,” with classes predicated on greatest dimension and density. Note 38036 is established to clarify that item 38035 also applies on moldings made of wood particleboard or medium density fiberboard (MDF). Note 37612 is amended by removal of “house trim” for clarification.
  • Stairs, wooden, SU or in SU sections. Item 38176 is amended to read, “Stairs, SU or in SU sections,” and the superfluous modifier “wooden” is removed. Item 38180 is likewise amended to read, “Stairs, SU or in SU sections,” with “NOI” added to the description, and reference to Note, item 37504 removed. The item is further amended to provide classes predicated on greatest dimension and density and to specify packaging “in boxes or crates.”
  • Strapping, box or package, synthetic fiber or plastic. Item 179570 is amended to provide a single class 70. The packaging requirement “in boxes” is established, and the punctuation is amended in the interest of simplification.
  • Traps, bullet or target. Item 17670 is canceled and reestablished as new item 187130, not subject to the Athletic Goods Group, with classes predicated on density breaks at 10 and 15 pcf, and specifying packaging “in boxes or crates.”
  • Compounds, bleach assistant, NOI, and Cement, roofing, NOI. Items 50086 and 170060 are amended to remove the “bomb burst” symbol (*), add restrictive language, and refer to new attendant Notes 50087 and 170061, respectively, stating that the involved items do not apply on materials regulated by the DOT as hazardous and required to bear a Hazard Class or Hazard Division label. The Notes also direct the Classification user to other items for classes applicable to such hazardous materials.
  • Garage or Commercial or Industrial Building Doors or Door Sections or Grilles. Item 34290 is amended to specifically allow accompanying motors as well as hardware or fittings, regardless of whether they are in the same or a separate package. Concurrently, Note 34291 is canceled with no further application.
  • Obsolete Items or Provisions being cancelled and removed.
    • 60790   – Battery Boxes, Covers or Vents, NOI
    • 60810   – Battery Covers, Boxes or Vents, NOI
    • 60860   – Battery Jars or Battery Jar Parts
    • 60940   – Battery Sets
    • 60960   – Battery Sets
    • 60980   – Battery Zincs
    • 79469   – Furniture, one-half scale display replicas
    • 152220 – Box Straps or Strapping

 

600 MW Electric Converter Station System Project

600 MW Electric Converter Station System Project

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from the Logistics Plus global project cargo team! Here is a short video of a cool year-end “600 MW Electric Converter Station System Project” that was coordinated with Hareket. The project involved the safe movement of 5 transformers, each 219 metric tons; and 3 reactors, each 65 metric tons. 18 axle hydraulic lowbeds were used and the total route was 1121 kilometers. The rigging and assembly operation was executed with a crew of 24 and a 600 metric ton gantry system. #PassionForExcellenceLong-White-Spacer

LP Indonesia Completes Their Last Project of 2019

LP Indonesia Completes Their Last Project of 2019

Logistics Plus Indonesia successfully completed a project for an industry leading health care manufacturer to close out 2019. The Indonesia team was responsible for the warehousing, air suspension, trucking, and positioning of an MRI machine at the Budha Tsu Chi hospital in Jakarta.

This was the final week handling this project, as the two unit MRI machines needed to be positioned by December 24th. The machines were transported using an air-ride truck before they were lifted to the fifth floor of the hospital. Congratulations to all of the Logistics Plus Project Cargo teams on a successful 2019, with more to come in 2020!

You can view the pictures and short video from this project below.

indonesia project

 

Penn State Behrend Analytics Project for Logistics Plus

Penn State Behrend Analytics Project for Logistics Plus

A Penn State Behrend Supply Chain Analytics class had the opportunity to participate in a real life data-driven project with Logistics Plus this semester. This project served as a hands-on learning experience for students as they were challenged with a relevant business problem, attempting to find a solution. The students began the project by familiarizing themselves with the third-party logistics industry. They were then tasked with framing a business problem before utilizing data to provide value to an actual business (in this case Logistics Plus).

The project was a major success and the students were able to gain insight on the role analytics and data plays in the everyday business world. Dr. Varun Gupta, professor of Supply Chain Analytics added, “I am really grateful to Jeremy and Ryan for their support and patience in working with the students and we look forward to working on similar projects in the future.”

analytics project

 

Logistics Trends to Watch in 2020

Logistics Trends to Watch in 2020

logistics trendsTechnology, solutions, and services are constantly evolving in the logistics industry. As the decade comes to a close, it’s amazing to reflect on the ways our industry has changed the past ten years. Competition is heating up, demand is growing, and technology is advancing. Heading into 2020, expect things to be no different with technology and innovation leading the way. Here are just a few top logistics trends to watch in 2020.

Technology and Mobile Applications
We expect that 2020 will leave behind old-school “pen and paper” tactics.  Logistics companies will opt for mobile technology and platforms that speed up processes such as identifying inventory, booking and tracking shipments, storing invoices, and more. Simplicity and accessibility to mobile technology will continue to expand the industry.

Data and Analytics as a Service
The explosion of sophisticated data makes it hard to consume and use effectively. As a new decade begins, the logistics industry has already seen companies begin using artificial intelligence (AI) and business intelligence tools to create better decision making processes for customers. When complex data is normalized and consumable, supply chain efficiency is increased. Data as a service is one of the top logistics trends to keep an eye on for the foreseeable future.

Increased Collaboration Between Shippers and 3PLs
Third-party logistics companies will rely heavily on technology to connect with customers and carriers. The transition from EDI to API connections for transportation management systems (TMS) has made it easier than ever before to book shipments, create BOLs, view invoices, track shipments, and more. Collaboration between logistics providers and shippers is crucial in this technology-driven landscape.

Improved Last Mile Deliveries
Last mile deliveries have become a popular topic for logistics professionals due to the increased consumer demand for goods. Retailers and logistics companies should evaluate their current capabilities and make adjustments to accommodate these shifts. As consumer shopping habits switch from brick and mortar stores to e-commerce, you must have reliable last mile solutions that get your products exactly where they need to be, possibly even installed or setup, in a timely fashion.

Environmental Sustainability Practices
Sustainability and green practices have increased the past several years. By finding unique solutions and joining sustainability partnerships and organizations, logistics companies will do their part in finding sustainable solutions. Freight carriers are participating in this trend by purchasing equipment that lower emissions, fuel costs, and more. Look for this trend to continue well into the future.

2020-Vision-Outlook-Image1In 2020 and beyond, the future of logistics will be centered around increasing supply chain visibility and speed. Customers expect to have turnkey, out of the box solutions that will increase the efficiency of their business. Wherever the logistics industry goes, rest assured, Logistics Plus will be leading the way.

Are you heading into the new year with 2020 vision? Contact Logistics Plus for a check-up and let us know what logistics challenges you face in the years ahead!

Logistics-Challenge-Button

 

Logistics Plus Completes Difficult Project Cargo Mission

Logistics Plus Completes Difficult Project Cargo Mission

The Logistics Plus Project Cargo team completed the successful delivery of a liquid bio-gas storage tank from Turkey to job-site in Norway. The Logistics Plus Belgium and Turkey teams carefully collaborated, planned, and executed every single detail of this “recon” mission. In order to complete the delivery of this massive tank in poor weather conditions, our SPOT (Special Projects Operations & Tactics) team had to apply gravel to roads, remove gates, lift wires, and more.

The liquid bio-gas storage tank was 24m long, 5.4m wide, and 5.6m high, weighing 80 tons.

Watch the full video recap of this challenging project on the Logistics Plus YouTube Channel below.