Industry Updates - Supply Chain Solutions Inc

Aug 12

Centralized transportation and freight management

The Hidden Costs of Decentralized Transportation Management

Most companies don't realize their freight operation is decentralized until it costs them money. Multiple plants, warehouses, or distribution centers? Each managing their own shipments. Different carriers. Different processes. Different systems. No one has full visibility into what's actually happening. It feels normal because it evolved that way. But it's... read more →

Aug 05

Six Signs It’s Time to Re-Evaluate Your Freight Strategy

Your freight strategy probably made sense when you implemented it. But markets change. Your business grows. Carrier strategies shift. And what worked two years ago might be quietly costing you. Here are six signs it's time for a serious re-evaluation. 1. Your Cost Per Unit is Stagnant (or Rising) You... read more →

Jul 29

How to Develop a Continuous Improvement Mindset in Freight

Most companies manage freight reactively: negotiate rates, book shipments, fix problems as they arise. The companies winning are different. They improve continuously. They ask every month: where are we losing efficiency? Where are we overpaying? What can we change? Continuous improvement isn't a project. It's a mindset. Here's what it... read more →

Jul 22

What to Look for in a Transportation Management System (TMS)

Not all Transportation Management Systems are created equal. Some are tracking platforms. Some are quoting tools. Some are dashboards that show you data you already have scattered across emails and spreadsheets. A good TMS should be more than that. It should be a centralized command center for managing your entire... read more →

Jul 15

Managed Transportation Isn’t What Most Shippers Think It Is

Most shippers have a working definition of Managed Transportation. It usually sounds something like this: "We outsource our freight to a 3PL, and they handle the trucking." That's not wrong. But it's incomplete in ways that cost money, expose risk, and leave significant value on the table. Managed Transportation is... read more →

Jul 08

Inbound Freight Optimization Best Practices

The Inbound Freight Opportunity Most Manufacturers are Missing

Your procurement team spent months negotiating supplier contracts. Rates locked in. Terms agreed. Shipment schedules set. What they didn't negotiate: how those materials get to your facility. That's the inbound freight opportunity. And it's probably your biggest untapped cost savings. Here's the truth: many manufacturers spend years optimizing outbound freight.... read more →

Jul 01

Spot Rates Are Up 31%. Here’s What Shippers Need to Understand About Why.

The recent U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index, produced quarterly with DAT Freight & Analytics, delivered a number that should get every shipper's attention: dry van spot rates rose 31.29% year-over-year and 9.74% in a single month. Contract rates climbed too, up 9.00% year-over-year. Here's the part that should really get... read more →

Jun 23

Best Practices for Preventing Cargo Theft: Rules to Follow Before Releasing Freight

A warehouse manager from 1995 would barely recognize today’s freight release process. Back then, getting a load out the door took three steps: the driver arrived, someone signed the bill of lading, and the freight was loaded. It was simple, fast, and for its time, adequate. Today, many logistics operations... read more →

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