by Scott Frederick | Jul 7, 2015 | News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Logistics Plus Named a ‘2015 Great Supply Chain Partner’
Logistics Plus will appear in the 2015 July/August issue of SupplyChainBrain magazine
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, July 7, 2015 – Logistics Plus Inc., a worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, is proud to announce that it has been selected as a ‘2015 Great Supply Chain Partner’ by SupplyChainBrain in its 13th annual awards to 100 Great Supply Chain Partners. Logistics Plus will appear in the 2015 July/August issue of SupplyChainBrain magazine as a celebrated member of this year’s 100 Great.
“Each year, our list of 100 Great Supply Chain Partners features a select group of companies whose customers are recognizing them for providing outstanding solutions and services,” said Brad Berger, president and publisher for SupplyChainBrain. “This year we received nominations for literally hundreds of solutions providers in every aspect of supply chain management, as a result of our six-month on-line poll: in which supply chain professionals were asked to nominate vendors and service providers whose solutions have made a significant impact on their company’s efficiency, customer service and overall supply chain performance. Logistics Plus fared extremely well given the large amount of quality nominations we received.”
“Being formally recognized as a great supply chain partner is an exciting honor for us,” said Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus. “As we like to tell people, the ‘plus’ in Logistics Plus means doing the big things properly, and the many little things needed to ensure our customers’ complete satisfaction and success. It’s very gratifying to know our efforts have not gone unnoticed.”
About SupplyChainBrain
SupplyChainBrain, the world’s most comprehensive supply chain management information resource, is accessed year round through a wide range of ever evolving multi-media formats by hundreds of thousands of senior level industry executives. In addition to addressing the fundamental principles of supply-chain management, SupplyChainBrain identifies emerging trends, technologies and best practices, forward thinking ideas and cutting-edge solutions ~ and continues to write and report about these as they evolve and mature. For more information, visit www.supplychainbrain.com
About Logistics Plus (LP)
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; 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
by Scott Frederick | Jun 30, 2015 | News
I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Patrick Randolph, the co-founder and managing partner for Lynx Fulfillment (see slide show below). There are some good things going on at Lynx Fulfillment, and much of its past and future successes are tied to Logistics Plus. If you didn’t know, Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus, is also a co-founder of Lynx Fulfillment. As such, Logistics Plus and Lynx Fulfillment are strategic partners in delivering very unique and compelling warehousing and fulfillment solution that is a great fit for small and medium-sized businesses that want to successfully sell and distribute their products in the United States. That’s probably why many customers using these services are based outside the U.S. – they needed a reliable partner and they found Lynx Fulfillment to be a perfect choice.
Founded in 2009, Lynx Fulfillment went through many of the growing pains that small businesses often experience: technology hiccups, customer defaults, property issues, and personnel challenges. However, thanks to Patrick’s experience and perseverance – and a little resource support from Logistics Plus – Lynx Fulfillment is now a thriving business. The Olean, NY operation currently occupies 40,000 square feet of warehouse space; but has the ability to expand its capacity if needed. Lynx Fulfillment is now the home to over 70,000 SKUs of products for a growing and diverse customer base that includes retailers and distributors of clothing, shoes, pottery, healthy foods, home decor merchandise, landscaping materials, hair and beauty products, books, DVDs, and much more! Lynx Fulfillment clients sell directly to their customers as well as through online merchants, such as Amazon and eBay. Patrick and his small team handle all aspects of the process to help its clients be successful, including inventory management, kitting and packaging, picking, packing, and shipping. Its LynxPro™ software will easily integrate with clients to provide instant, real-time order processing, inventory reporting and shipment tracking. They’ll even help with a marketing consultation and customer service support.
Lynx Fulfillment services are a great complement to the solutions that Logistics Plus already provides. On the sourcing side of things, Logistics Plus supports the importation and customs clearance of goods at any port in the United States. We can then arrange for temporary warehousing and final transportation to the Lynx Fulfillment warehouse. On the order fulfillment side of things, Logistics Plus provides Lynx Fulfillment with its best LTL and truckload freight rates for customers that need to ship large orders. The image below is an illustration of how the two companies work together to provide a complete, start-to-finish supply chain solution.
According to Patrick, “Lynx is focused on an overall solution that wraps around your business versus just putting through-put through the building. Our goal is to establish a fulfillment program that is going to be successful long-term … and Logistics Plus has been vital to our success.”
If you’d like to learn more about Logistics Plus and Lynx Fulfillment solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, check out the Logistics Plus Case Study page. There you can watch a video in which Patrick talks about the business, download a copy of the Logistics Plus/Lynx Fulfillment case study, and you can also request a copy of the Lynx Fulfillment white paper titled “The Benefits of Outsourced Fulfillment.” Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or if you’re ready to use any of these services.
by Scott Frederick | Jun 29, 2015 | News
Logistics Plus project manager, Frederik Geirnaert, reports that over the past 2 months Logistics Plus Belgium has organized the transport of 3 complete sets of wind power turbines to Rauma, Finland. The 3 sets of tower base frames, hubs, nacelles and generators (the latter weighing a solid 51.5mt) have been shipped from factory in the Netherlands to Finland by RORO vessel. The 9 blades, each 50 meter long, have traveled from factory in China by sea to Rauma.
Three pictures are included in the animated image below. This successfully completed cargo project can also be found on the Logistics Plus Project Cargo Portfolio page and case study document.
Need help managing the logistics for your project cargo? Click the button below to start the process.
by Scott Frederick | Jun 22, 2015 | News
Logistics Plus employees, representing both LP Mexico and LP International, are attending the Sino-Americas Regional Conference 2015 in Miami, Florida this week. Logistics Plus is also a sponsor for the event. The conference began on Sunday, June 21 and ends on Wednesday, June 23. Organized jointly by WCA ltd and China International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFA), this event promises to be the most important networking and business-generating opportunity for any freight forwarder or logistics company looking to establish or expand its volumes into or out of this region.
As the key logistics hub between South, Central and North America, Miami plays a crucial role in facilitating trade between the Americas and the rest of the world. By attending this 3-day Logistics Plus hopes to open up a whole range of new potential business partnerships and to build our presence as an expert logistics provider to and from this market. The conference is open to all independent freight forwarders and vendors to the logistics sector, such as airlines, shipping lines, ports, airports, IT providers and equipment suppliers.
by Scott Frederick | Jun 19, 2015 | News
Earlier this week, the Logistics Plus international project cargo team used their logistical expertise to coordinate an important move for a Fortune 500 customer. The move entailed picking up a large generator and related components at a warehouse in Wisconsin and delivering them to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was imperative that the shipment be picked up before June 15 to accommodate the necessary sailing and delivery schedule requirements. Unable to get the required pickup scheduled on their own, the customer called on Logistics Plus to make it happen.
Working with the Logistics Plus North American truckload solutions, and with the Wisconsin warehouse manager, our project cargo specialists were able to successfully schedule two trucks (a flatbed and a heavy hauler) to pick up the generator and the four crated pallets that would make up this load. The shipment (pictured below) is successfully in transit to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where Logistics Plus Middle East personnel will take over for final delivery arrangements.
If you need project forwarding help with your important or heavy-lift cargo – don’t work with just any logistics company. Work with Logistics Plus and you’ll get world-class service and peace-of-mind assurance knowing your shipment is in good hands with our project cargo logistics experts.
by Scott Frederick | Jun 17, 2015 | News
Logistics Plus recently issued an announcement that its Customs Broker Solutions division had obtained Remote Location Filing (RLF) status from the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) agency. RLF status allows Logistics Plus to file customs clearance information at all ports in the United States from a centralized location (i.e., from our global headquarters in Erie, PA). If you’re new to the world of importing and exporting, here’s a quick primer on what customs brokerage means and how Logistics Plus Customs Broker Solutions can help.
What is Customs Brokerage?
Customs brokerage is the process by which goods are cleared through customs barriers for imports or exporters. The people who facilitate customs clearance are typically called “customs brokers” and, in the United States, they must be licensed by the U.S. CBP to be able to assist with imported goods. Customs brokers analyze the commercial shipping documents for regulatory requirements prior to electronic submissions to customs. They also must classify the product correctly to determine the amount of accessed duties and taxes, and they facilitate communication between the importer and governmental authorities.
Customs brokers in the U.S. are third-party agents who process and submit documentation to notify or obtain clearance from government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and many others. Customs brokers are not government employees but rather a liaison between importers and the appropriate government customs agents. Licensed customs brokers are well versed with tariff schedules that outline duty rates set by the government for specific items and regulations governing imports. Knowing the requirements of each type of import can avoid costly delays, fines, seizure of merchandise, and other penalties.
How do Customs Brokers become licensed?
As mentioned earlier, customs brokers in the U.S. must be licensed by the U.S. CBP. There are approximately 11,000 active licensed customs brokers in the Unites States today. Freight forwarders and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) must have a broker license to transact customs business. Each business must have at least one individually licensed broker to qualify for the company’s overall license (Logistics Plus has two fully-licensed U.S. customs brokers on its corporate staff in Erie, PA). Failure to have a qualifying broker for more than 120 days will result in the revocation of the broker license.
To become a licensed customs broker one must be at least 21 years old, not be a current Federal Government employee, and must possess good moral character. After extensive training, the candidate must successfully pass the Customs Broker License Examination. A candidate will also undergo a multi-agency background investigation and review, and an application can take from 8 to 12 months to process.
Why use a Customs Broker?
Most companies do not have the people or financial resources to fully comprehend the complex regulatory and technological requirements of customs border control and homeland security. A customs broker’s job is to help companies move their shipments seamlessly across the border and reach their final destination on-time while adhering to customs laws and regulations. If there’s a problem, your customs broker will work to get it fixed so your shipment can be released from customs and back en-route to its final destination. It’s particularly important to use a customs broker if you are importing items over $2,000 in value, if you’re importing a regulated items such as pharmaceuticals or biological products, or when time is important and you think there is a possibility that CBP may delay delivery of your shipment.
The Logistics Plus Customs Broker Solutions staff has the expertise and experience to assist you with the entire U.S. customs clearance process – no matter which port of entry through which you may be shipping. We also have agents around the world that can help with customs solutions in foreign countries. We even provide training workshops and company-specific training sessions to help companies better understand all aspects of global trade compliance. Simply put – we make importing easy.
Contact us if you’re interested in learning more about Logistics Plus Customs Broker Solutions or if you have any international shipments you’d like us to quote for you.
