Energy News from around the WorldToday Logistics Plus Turkey (aka, LP Turkey) sent its second issue of LP Turkey Energy News to customers and other interested parties throughout the region. The new issue is pictured below. Click here to read the online version.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Company has been providing transportation and logistics solutions since August 1996
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, August 24, 2015 – Logistics Plus Inc., a worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, will be celebrating the company’s 20th year of operations over the next twelve months. The company is planning a variety of customer promotions and employee events in the coming year in recognition of its forthcoming 20th anniversary in August 2016.
It all started in August 1996 when GE Transportation, a division of General Electric and a locomotive pioneer, gave Logistics Plus founder and CEO, Jim Berlin, a one-year, three-person purchase order to help manage the domestic transportation of parts from more than 1,000 U.S. suppliers. That relationship would grow into a worldwide global supply chain partnership taking the company to Mexico, India, China, Indonesia, and beyond. In 1999, Logistics Plus began growing and diversifying its customer base, adding additional clients within the U.S. and around the world.
As his business grew, Berlin needed to find a global headquarters that would be the right fit for the company’s expanding staff and international culture. The result was the $2 million purchase of the 100,000 square foot historic Union Station in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania in 2003. Following significant renovations, Berlin would hoist flags at the top of the building to signify the many countries and nationalities represented by his employees – a tradition that continues today.
In 2011, Logistics Plus made an important strategic acquisition when it purchased Horizon Logistics with offices located in Dallas, Texas; Lexington, North Carolina; and San Francisco, California. The acquisition would add additional talent, service capabilities, and warehousing space to its growing network. Additional warehousing capacity was recently acquired when the company purchased the old Skinner Engine building in downtown Erie in early 2014. Berlin has also created or invested in a number of other related companies, including NTL, a national truckload services company; LP Linguistic Solutions, a language translation company; and Lynx Fulfillment, a dedicated warehousing and fulfillment company.
Today, as the company enters its 20th year, Logistics Plus has $120 million in annual sales, more than 1,000 active customers, over 380 employees, and nearly 50 offices in 20 countries worldwide. The company was named to the Inc. 5000 list in 2014 for being one of the fastest-growing transportation and logistics companies in the country. This past year the company has received recognition as a top workplace by the DevelopErie economic development agency, a top 50 freight broker by Transport Topics magazine, and a great supply chain partner by SupplyChainBrain magazine.
To learn more about the company and its history, please visit www.logisticsplus.com/about-us
About Logistics Plus
Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, global logistics, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. Founded in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur Jim Berlin nearly 20 years ago, Logistics Plus has been repeatedly recognized as one of the fastest-growing transportation and logistics companies in the country. With a strong passion for excellence, its 350+ employees put the “Plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Fresno, CA; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Evansville, IN; Detroit, MI; Kansas City, MO; Charlotte, NC; Lexington, NC; Buffalo, NY; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; Greenville, SC; Nashville, TN; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Laredo, TX; Houston, TX; Australia; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Egypt; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Libya; Mexico; Poland; Saudi Arabia; Turkey; United Kingdom; and additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
Media Contact:
Scott G. Frederick
Vice President, Marketing
Logistics Plus Inc.
(814) 240-6881
scott.frederick@logisticsplus.com
Logistics Plus (LP) provides logistics services within and across all national borders and using all modes of transportation. Air freight forwarding and ocean freight forwarding services come into play more often than not on international shipments. On the LP International team, Emily Grein is our lead air freight specialist and Kristen Smith is our lead ocean freight specialist. We asked these two to square-off in order to better understanding the pros and cons of shipping air freight versus ocean freight. Although Emily, Kristen, and their teams are intimately immersed in either air or ocean transportation, their top priority is always to ensure the right mode is selected for the needs of each customer (which, in some cases, can include both ocean and air).
When considering the choice between air and ocean freight forwarding, the top three factors to consider are generally reliability, speed, and cost. Whether you ship via air or via ocean, each requires some level of expertise to understand how these three factors will be impacted; and each has a different set of rules, regulations, and best-practices practices.
RELIABILITY
Airfreight is more convenient and faster even though flights can get delayed by weather and other circumstances. There are usually daily air flights back and forth and between major cities around the world. Ocean carrier sailings, on the other hand, are generally weekly or every other week depending upon the trade lane. This means that if a cut-off time is missed at a seaport, there will be a longer delay. There is also the possibility of exposure to weather conditions and goods being damaged due to the wait at the ports of transfer. Lastly, the longer, more stringent schedule of ocean service may not always line up with business expectations.
SPEED
It should be no surprise that shipping by air is usually much faster than by ocean. Air shipments can take up to a few days while shipping by ocean can take anywhere from a few weeks to months to arrive; however, more efficient routes are being created and ships are getting faster, meaning shipments crossing the ocean are taking less time.
COST
For many businesses, cost can be a very crucial factor which can influence the decision to ship by air or ocean freight. Shipping your items by air is more expensive than ocean freight. Expect to pay between 5-6 times more to ship by air versus ocean transportation. With both air and ocean, costs are directly related to the cargo weight, dimensions, value, and distance being shipped. Generally, larger and heavier shipments are often cheaper to ship by ocean, while smaller more valuable shipments are better to ship by air.
The table below shows a few items to consider when deciding whether to ship via air or ocean:
No matter which mode you ship, customs regulations, duties, and fees will come into play on all international imports or exports. Working with a reliable freight forwarder that has in-house customs broker solutions will go a long way towards ensuring your shipment receives expedited customs clearance and that your import/export fees are minimized.
If you need help with air freight forwarding, ocean freight forwarding, imports/exports, or global trade compliance, work with Logistics Plus and enjoy the benefits of having an award-winning supply chain partner on your side.
Earlier this month, Logistics Management magazine unveiled the results of its 32nd Annual Quest for Quality Awards recognizing some of the highest-quality carriers in the industry. This year, its survey results yielded 125 providers of transportation and logistics services. To determine who wins the vote, Logistics Management readers evaluate companies in all modes and service disciplines, choosing the top performers in categories including motor carriers, railroad and intermodal services, ocean carriers, airlines, freight forwarders, ports, third-party/contract logistics services.
Logistics Plus, being a smaller-sized third-party logistics company, was not included on the survey ballot (but we’ll see if we can change that in the coming years). However, many of our core LTL freight carriers were on the ballot and many also won awards. So we’d like to congratulate the following Logistics Plus LTL freight carriers for winning Quest for Quality Awards this year:
Additionally, there were a number of truckload, expedited, ocean and air freight carriers that Logistics Plus has worked with in the past year that won Quest for Quality awards, including Miller Transporters, Ruan Transport, Prime, Landstar, and J.B. Hunt (truckload carriers); Panther Premium Logistics and FedEx Custom Critical (expedited motor carriers); Maersk Line, Hapag-Lloyd, Evergreen Line, OOCL, and COSCO (ocean carriers); and Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Emirates SkyCargo, and FedEx Express (airfreight carriers).
Reputable and quality carriers not already a part of the Logistics Plus network can click the button on the left below to start the process of becoming a carrier. Shippers looking for quality carriers through a third-party logistics partner can click the button on the right below to request a risk-free quote.
Businesses that ship less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipments would benefit from using a transportation management system (TMS). Most large companies with big freight expenditures are already using a TMS, either with or as a part of their enterprise systems. However, those same benefits are also available to smaller companies with lower freight spending. This is often done by working with a reliable third-party logistics (3PL) partner (such as Logistics Plus). Contrary to what many may believe, most transportation management systems today are web-based and can be inexpensively integrated with a company’s back office or order management system.
There are many benefits to using a TMS. The use of a TMS will help ensure your LTL freight loads are matched to the ideal carrier so that you can get the best rates without sacrificing the service you need. More specifically, here are five key benefits to using a TMS for LTL freight management:
As mentioned earlier, smaller companies that don’t have access to a TMS today should consider partnering with a reputable 3PL with a robust TMS. If you choose to partner with Logistics Plus, you’ll receive free access to our online eShipPlus™ TMS platform. Our eShipPlus platform is a proven TMS which customers have been using for nearly a decade. In addition to all of the LTL benefits described above, eShipPlus also provides shippers with access to truckload shipment quoting, booking, and reporting functionality.
If you’re new to Logistics Plus, become our customer, and we’ll provide you complimentary access to eShipPlus. If you’re interested in integrating eShipPlus with your ERP or order management system, please email nadops@logisticsplus.com for more information. If you have general questions about our LTL freight services or tools, please click the button below.
India is celebrating its 69th year of Independence this month. India became an independent nation on August 15, 1947. Independence Day in India is a day when Indian people pay homage to their leaders and those who fought for India’s freedom in the past. The period leading up to Independence Day is a time when major government buildings are illuminated with strings of lights and the tricolor flutters from homes and other buildings. In honor of this great holiday, the Logistics Plus (LP) employees in New Delhi, pictured below, joined in on the celebrations.
With six locations across India, Logistics Plus is fully committed to helping businesses with their transportation and logistics within, to and from India. We specialize in project cargo, air and ocean freight forwarding, warehousing, and ground or rail transportation. With our 4PL solutions, we can also help businesses manage their entire supply chain using dedicated resources and technology. Please click the button below to request more information about our India logistics solutions.
You can read more about India Independence Day on timeanddate.com or at independenceday.nic.in