PARCEL July/August 2017

JULY-AUGUST 2017

PARCELindustry.com

MANAGING RISING SHIPPING COSTS. P.60

IS YOUR WAREHOUSE

READY FOR PEAK SEASON? P.62

PREPARE FOR THE 2018 GRI… NOW. P.64

OUR ANNUAL

COMPANIES

ISSUE! PROFILES STARTING ON PAGE 14

2 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTENTS /// Volume 24 | Issue 4

View on Website

14 60 64 66 70 06 EDITOR’S NOTE Preparing for Peak Season

By Amanda Armendariz

62 PREPARING YOUR WAREHOUSE FOR PEAK SEASON

View on Website

08 SHIP RIGHT View on Website

Five Guidelines for Choosing the Best Office Shipping Technology

By Aaron Videtto

10 OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES View on Website

Finding Good People

By Susan Rider

12 SPEND PERSPECTIVES View on Website

14 HOT COMPANIES: A Special Advertising Section

60 PARCEL IS KING View on Website

64 IT’S GRI ANNOUNCEMENT SEASON: NOW’S THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR 2018

View on Website

An Oversized Headache

By John Haber

13 TO SUM UP

For price-conscious shoppers, here are seven tips to manage shipping costs

By Rafael Zimberoff

4 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

Are you ready to meet your customers’ needs once the holidays hit?

By Broc Pittsford, Mike Krabbe, and Bo Hicks

Estimate the effect of carrier general rate increases now so you’re not surprised later.

By Andrew Brueckner

66 REDEFINING THE FINAL MILE OF DELIVERY View on Website

How is the explosive growth of e-commerce affecting shippers and carriers alike?

By Andrea Obston

68 ADDING USPS SHIPPING SERVICES TO YOUR PARCEL CARRIER MIX

View on Website

Don’t make the mistake of only focusing on the Big Two; sometimes the USPS is a costeffective option for your shipments.

By Gordon Glazer

70 UNDERSTANDING OUR INVOICE View on Website

What is FBAP, and why are my costs higher without it?

By Brittany Beecroft

72 PARCEL COUNSEL View on Website

Back to Basics, Again: The Sixth Rule of Contracting Revisited

By Brent Wm. Primus, J.D.

73 WRAP UP View on Website

The Secret Is Out

By Michael J. Ryan

PUBLISHING PRESIDENT CHAD GRIEPENTROG PUBLISHER KEN WADDELL EDITORIAL EDITOR AMANDA ARMENDARIZ [ amanda.c@rbpub.com ]

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR ALLISON LLOYD [ allison.l@rbpub.com ]

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER RACHEL CHAPMAN [ rachel@rbpub.com ]

CREATIVE DIRECTOR KELLI COOKE ADVERTISING KEN WADDELL (o) 608.442.5064 (m) 608.235.2212 [ ken.w@rbpub.com ]

PARCEL PARCEL (ISSN 1081-4035) is published 6 times a year by RB Publishing Inc. All material in this magazine is copyrighted 2017 © by RB Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Any correspondence sent to PARCEL, RB Publishing Inc. or its staff becomes the property of RB Publishing, Inc. The articles in this magazine represent the views of the authors and not those of RB Publishing Inc. or PARCEL. RB Publishing Inc. and/or PARCEL expressly disclaim any liability for the products or services sold or otherwise endorsed by advertisers or authors included in this magazine.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Free to qualified recipients: $12 per year to all others in the United States. Subscription rate for Canada or Mexico is $35 for one year and for elsewhere outside of the United States is $55. Back-issue rate is $5.

Send subscriptions or change of address to: PARCEL, P.O. Box 259098 Madison WI 53725-9098 Allow six weeks for new subscriptions or address changes.

REPRINTS: For high-quality reprints, please contact our exclusive reprint provider, ReprintPros, 949.702.5390, www.ReprintPros.com.

P.O. Box 259098 Madison WI 53725-9098 p: 608.241.8777 f: 608.241.8666 PARCELindustry.com

EDITOR’SNOTE

PREPARING FOR PEAK SEASON

By Amanda Armendariz

I

t’s the middle of summer, which means that camping season is in full swing. Now, granted, I’m not so much for camping (much to my family’s disappointment), but I do remember one thing from the camping trips in my youth: the motto is, be prepared. I find that motto holds true for much of life, whether it’s something recreational or something professional, like your small-parcel operation. That’s why this issue is packed with preparedness trips guaranteed to make sure that the rest of 2017 and the beginning of 2018 flows smoothly. It’s hard to believe, but now is the time to be preparing for peak season. I know, I know; when we’re in the midst of our summer vacations, it’s hard to imagine the upcoming holiday season. But the

6 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

holidays will be here before we know it — not to mention the onslaught of packages that come with it. So it’s important to make sure you are proactive, rather than reactive, when it comes to handling this increase in volume. From preparing your warehouse for peak season to anticipating the effects of the GRI even before the new rates are released, we’ve got the virtual checklist of goals to accomplish before peak season hits.

And, since this is our annual HOT COMPANIES issue, I’d be in the wrong if I didn’t point out all the potential partners listed within these pages. If the upcoming peak season has you a little worried, there is a good bet that you can find the perfect partner for your parcel operation within this special advertising section. So take a moment to flip through and see if something catches your eye; if it does, feel free to reach out to them!

Another great resource that is coming up before we know it is the PARCEL Forum, which will be held this year in Nashville, September 18-20.

Talk about the perfect way to network with other logistics professionals and discuss how you handle the uptick in volume in November and December. If you haven’t registered already, check out www.PARCELForum.com. I hope to see you there!

As always, thanks for reading PARCEL.

EDITOR’S PICK

Here are some of the most-read articles on our site in recent weeks. If you haven’t already checked them out, you might want to — there is some great information in there!

An Analysis of the UPS Peak Season Surcharge

By Glenn Gooding

Don’t Let Your Carrier Handcuff You

By Baris Tasdelen

Stemming the Rising Tide of Inbound Parcel Receiving

By Tom Hazel

SHIPRIGHT

FIVE GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING THE BEST OFFICE SHIPPING TECHNOLOGY

By Aaron Videtto

T

he shipping game is a deceptively techdriven one. It’s easy for the word “shipping” to bring to mind images of packages, boxes, delivery trucks; they are pretty well-ingrained stereotypes. But the truth is that in 2017, managing a cost-efficient and productive shipping and receiving operation at any business requires a certain degree of technology-rich software that keeps everything from carrier management to delivery tracking as streamlined as possible.

Whether it’s time for a modest update or a complete overhaul for how your organization processes incoming and outgoing shipments, here are five considerations to keep in mind that will guide you to the best possible shipping and receiving software solutions.

8 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

1. It seamlessly integrates with existing systems You’ve already invested a significant amount of time, money, and labor into your current back office systems.

While you may be looking to streamline how these systems work together or plug some holes in their capabilities with a new solution, you also don’t want to overthink the problem and come away with the wrong ideas about what’s working and what isn’t. Find a solution that integrates with what you already have rather than something that overly disrupts your current ecosystem and causes further headaches.

2. It evolves with your business As Samantha Drake highlights in her Entrepreneur column, businesses typically just specialize in the product they’re selling, not the shipping process that gets that product to the customer.

Shipping can all too easily become an afterthought for business owners; once they’ve installed their first office shipping and receiving software, they may settle with that as the only solution they’ll ever need. Consequently, they may not consider how, as their business grows, that software solution might not able to keep up with the needs of a growing company.

And, as their company grows both financially and physically (e.g. expanding from a single-location shop

to a sprawling enterprise with several locations), shipping and receiving processes that may fall far short of your new requirements — and weren’t being given the attention they needed before — can now develop into real logistical problems.

For instance, what if that software doesn’t allow for a single portal to be used across multiple locations, forcing you to install different sets of software at each individual mail center, each utilizing their own separate portal for cataloging and tracking shipments? That’s an enormous waste of time and money, and when you consider that shipping costs have risen 60% in the past decade, your shipping and receiving software should be working to save you money, not lose it.

More than that, though, is that software that can’t keep up with the demands of your business can also needlessly complicate what should be simple procedures. When things get that convoluted, it opens up several potential problems, including packages that are improperly processed (or not processed at all), conflicting tracking procedures, and total confusion when your customer needs clarity. Your software should be futureproofed for any growth your business undergoes so that it’s always a support, not a hindrance, to that growth. Selecting shipping and receiving software that is able to scale with your business is key to taking back control of how you manage both outbound and inbound packages.

3. It offers unparalleled data security Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are becoming an increasingly prominent tool for hackers to disrupt users and businesses online. In these cases, the perpetrators deploy an array of servers and endpoints to flood your network with an overwhelming amount of communications, disrupting your connection to the internet and effectively taking you offline for a short time.

These, among other cyberattacks and data breaches, have businesses and customers alike on edge about data security – and deservedly so. Becoming the victim of a cyberattack can impede your ability to collect or utilize sensitive information, from customer addresses to package tracking data, not to mention your own reputation.

Your shipping and receiving software should consistently offer you peace of mind on this front.

4. It ensures compliance Whether shipping domestically or internationally, or receiving valuable goods or hazardous materials, staying up to date on today’s rules and regulations can be a full-time job. Make sure to align with a provider that can ensure your software is always complying with the

necessary rules and regulations so that your shipping and receiving processes are consistently up to speed and you’re never in danger of running into any penalties.

5. You’ve evaluated the provider Shipping and receiving software is only as good as the provider behind it. Ask yourself, what is that provider’s track record? Do they have a reputation for stable and efficient software suites, with reliable customer service (or, for that matter, any reputation at all)? How flexible are their software solutions? Do they provide on-premise and SaaS options (or both)? What have others said of their software services — are they reliable,

consistent, and helpful?

These are all fundamental questions you should keep top of mind. The wrong software provider can end up derailing your tech upgrade before it even begins. The right provider, though, will guide you appropriately and provide your organization with the technology you need.

Aaron Videtto is Director, Pitney Bowes Office Shipping Solutions.

He has a proven track record of designing, building, and delivering user-friendly, enterprise-class products for mobile and SaaS applications, based on usercentered design, market research, and stakeholder analysis.

n you sign up for your FREE subscription, if you haven’t already, remind your colleagues to do the same! This is an industry resource you and your peers can’t afford to be without.

THE LEADING RESOURCE FOR PARCELindustry.com/subscribe

PARCEL

OPERATIONALEFFICIENCIES

FINDING GOOD PEOPLE

By Susan Rider

C

ompanies are finding it hard to replace good people retiring from supply chain positions and fill the spots of supervisor and managers within the distribution center. Some may argue that developing the right culture to ensure less turnover may be the most important step in developing your supply chain.

The first step in finding good people is flexibility. Do you have a program to hire long-term, part-time people? There might be some people that only want to work weekends or some that only want to work four hours a day. They would be good associates but are not the norm. In rural areas, there is increased absenteeism during hunting season, crop harvesting, etc. Instead of letting these people go because of their absenteeism, why not develop a program

10 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

that can be a win/win for both? Many of these workers are hard workers and can be difficult to replace. In many areas of the country, they have found good, dependable associates in the form of stayat-home mothers who come in after the children go to school and leave when school is out.

Developing flexibility in your traditional hourly associate will require partnering with the HR department and having some creativity.

Secondly, curb your complaints, especially those that focus on the young millennials and their attitude about working. The smart managers realize complaining is useless and acknowledge the need to understand and work with the young people.

After you have sifted through the bad applicants and have hired a new group of millennials, it’s good to communicate your desires as a manager and the focus of the rule. For millennials, two-way communication is imperative; they do not respond well to barking or demands. Young millennials want to feel that they are a part of something and they want to understand the what, why, and how of doing things. They also want input in suggesting better ways to improve or accomplish a task.

Camaraderie is very important to the young staff.

When you find a good team, don’t rest on your laurels because as a good leader, you must constantly be aware that the market is searching for such people and if one becomes disillusioned, there

are other companies willing to pick that person up. Here’s how to keep and retain your A team.

1. Communication Do not lead in a vacuum. Make sure your team has buy-in to the goals you are trying to accomplish and listen for their input. They are out on the floor, and they observe and see many things that will improve performance.

Also, communicate with them individually, understanding where they are in their personal life goals and what they want to accomplish personally. Teams will walk through fire for a good leader that shows interest and cares about them as individuals.

2. Tools Make sure your team has the tools they need to perform their jobs to optimum performance. All too often, associates have to work around a broken printer, scanner, horrible dunnage, lack of totes, etc. Unfortunately, many times no one addresses these simple issues.

3. Invest in your best supervisor’s education and career. Send him or her to seminars or conferences to improve their knowledge and expertise. If you ship parcels, the PARCEL Forum is a great way to learn the best options for working with shippers, saving money on parcel shipping, streamlining your processes and learning the latest tips on tricks to save money on parcel shipping cost.

Susan Rider, Supply Chain Consultant, Executive/Life Coach can be reached at susanrider@msn.com.

SPENDPERSPECTIVES

AN OVERSIZE HEADACHE

By John Haber

D

id you celebrate the beginning of summer by ordering patio furniture online? Chances are, someone had to pay heavy surcharges on top of the regular delivery charge as more consumers order large items online.

For small parcel providers such as FedEx and UPS, these larger items are a headache, particularly as they move through each provider’s ground networks. Bigger boxes may not fit through automated sorters or be easily read by hightech package scanners, and those bulky odd-shaped boxes take up more space on trucks. In fact, oversized packages contributed to a 36% increase in FedEx Ground’s operating expenses in its second fiscal quarter of 2015.

As a result, FedEx and UPS have implemented oversize fees to recoup their costs. Meanwhile, both providers are

12 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

reconfiguring their networks to improve delivery density and revenue per stop. For oversized items such as mattresses, sports equipment, and patio furniture, FedEx has added temporary facilities dedicated to the sortation of oversized packages.

During one of its quarterly earning calls, FedEx commented that it was looking at new technology and other initiatives to further improve efficiency within its overall network. UPS is also in the process of rolling out its Heavy Goods Network (HGN) as a solution to mitigate capacity concerns.

During the 2015 holiday season, UPS negotiated with major retail shippers to try to eliminate discounts for large parcels. While the results are unknown, it appears UPS did not experience as large of a percentage increase in operating expenses as FedEx. For retailers looking for alternative delivery options for large items, there are choices. More logistics providers, truckload, and less-than-truckload providers are introducing last-mile solutions. For example, trucking companies Werner, Schneider and Estes and logistics provider XPO Logistics have introduced solutions to solve this problem.

XPO Logistics recently doubled the size of its last-mile “market delivery center” in Illinois to 100,000 square feet.

In order to achieve a seamless experience, there are challenges such as investments in specialized equipment, development of customer-facing IT systems, and assurance

that the delivery provider can realize decent financial returns from businesses that offer free shipping. For shipments that weigh more than 150 pounds and meet certain size requirements, FedEx and UPS utilize their less-than-truckload divisions.

Shippers will need to be mindful of the options that are available and compare costs, service levels, and tracking and transparency capabilities.

In addition to oversize fees, a newly introduced fee called the “peak surcharge” has been introduced by UPS. At the time of publication, FedEx has not introduced a comparable surcharge but will likely follow suit. This new charge will be effective during selected weeks in November and December 2017 for US Residential, UPS SurePost, Large Packages, and packages over maximum limits.

We’ve expected this additional charge as UPS continues to struggle with profitability for residential delivery as well as with Oversize items. To alleviate their headaches, both FedEx and UPS are in the process of setting up new networks to move the oversize volume out of the regular networks and into customized Oversize solutions.

In the meantime, new entrants including trucking firms and logistics providers are offering last-mile delivery services to offset rising delivery costs.

Shippers will need to consider their options as peak season approaches.

John Haber is the Founder and CEO of Spend Management Experts. Contact John at solutions@ spendmgmt.com.

TO SUM UP

It’s worth remembering — and this is very important — that GRI is an average percentage across all service types and accessorial categories. If a business uses every service type and is charged every fee or surcharge at equal rates, sure, you’re likely to be affected by the increase at, or close to, the announced GRI rate.

Most small business shippers know the basics for saving money, like using the smallest, lightest packaging, using USPS First Class Package for everything up to a pound, negotiating rates with carriers, and using an advanced postage system. However, when profit margins continue to narrow, it is more important than ever to watch your bottom line and make the most of all the shipping options available to meet your customer’s budget and delivery needs.

— RAFAEL ZIMBEROFF

— ANDREW BRUECKNER

It must also be kept in mind that in the absence of a properly written, individually negotiated contract, the bills of lading issued by the carrier become the “contract for carriage.” Accordingly, copies of the bills of lading and related documents, e.g., delivery receipts, payment invoices, evidence of payment, should be retained and readily available.

THE SHIPPING GAME IS A DECEPTIVELY TECH-DRIVEN ONE. IT’S EASY FOR THE WORD “SHIPPING” TO BRING TO MIND IMAGES OF PACKAGES, BOXES, DELIVERY TRUCKS; THEY ARE PRETTY WELLINGRAINED STEREOTYPES. BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT IN 2017, MANAGING A COST-EFFICIENT AND PRODUCTIVE SHIPPING AND RECEIVING OPERATION AT ANY BUSINESS REQUIRES A CERTAIN DEGREE OF TECHNOLOGYRICH SOFTWARE THAT KEEPS EVERYTHING FROM CARRIER MANAGEMENT TO DELIVERY TRACKING AS STREAMLINED AS POSSIBLE.

Freight charges can represent up to 10% of a company’s total costs. Fuel surcharges and fees drive that cost even higher, and we trust that what our contract says is what our invoice hears.

In the world of transportation cost management, auditing invoices can become a clerical routine that gets pushed to the “to-do” pile. But Freight Audit and Pay (FBAP) is a key part of a company’s supply chain and should be seen as intelligence, not inconvenience.

— BRENT WM. PRIMUS, JD

— AARON VIDETTO

— BRITTANY BEECROFT

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

14 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

27

38

49

28

39

50

29

40

51

30

41

52

31

42

53

32

43

54

33

44

55

34

45

56

35

46

57 SEE. SAVE. CONTROL.

36

47

58

37

48

59

JULY-AUGUST 2016 | PARCELindustry.com

15

THE

2017-18

H O T

AFS Logistics is a long term partner in the transportation industry that understands your most complex shipping challenges. Our team of experts quickly assess your business needs and provides customized end-to-end transportation solutions.

Network Optimization AFS designs and delivers the most cost effective solution for clients after extensive study of the entire supply chain network. Our impact analysis provides actionable results, allowing you to make more informed business decisions. Network Optimization services include: } Mode Optimization } Warehouse/Distribution Center Optimization } Vendor Management } Carrier Selection Optimization } Shipment Consolidation } Inventory Management Contract Optimization With years of experience and industry expertise, AFS has the ability to negotiate effectively with all carriers and mitigate rate increases. We consistently leverage industry benchmarks to ensure best-in-class pricing and secure maximum savings for our clients.

Freight Audit and Payment At AFS, we have industry-leading freight audit and payment services. We ensure contract compliance between carriers and shippers to wipe out erroneous charges and improve your company’s efficiencies. Freight Payment service allows your company to reallocate staff to focus on your business core competencies.

On-Demand Analytics Our team provides an in-depth transportation analysis to provide vital insight into every aspect of your supply chain. In addition to advanced analytics and reporting, we offer ondemand data and Business Intelligence. We customize dashboards tailored to suite the specific business needs and all end users. Our dedicated implementation and account management team ensures your team’s success and empowers them to start making smarter data driven business decision.

AFS Transportation Management System AFS TMS is an industry-leading multi-mode rater, providing clients with a one-stop shop to access the lowest rates in LTL, Truckload and Parcel. Our proprietary TMS bridges the gap between various business units, regions, modes and functions for a more efficient supply chain. Managing your logistics from one portal leads to a competitive advantage with both cost savings and visibility.

COMPANIES

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: AFS Logistics

PHONE:

877.242.3383

WEBSITE: www.afs.net

EMAIL:

moreinfo@afs.net

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES

BluJay Solutions delivers supply chain software and services to the world’s most progressive retailers, distributors, freight forwarders, manufacturers, and logistics service providers. We are transforming the logistics of supply chain with the BluJay Global Trade Network, and a demonstrated commitment to customer success.

UNLOCK THE POWER OF THE NETWORK, with access to more than 40,000 universally connected partners. Supply chain management becomes a strategic competitive asset.

TRANSFORM YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN ECONOMICS for disruptive advantage in global trade. Fuel the top line and improve the bottom line.

ACHIEVE GREATER VELOCITY of global trade. Operate at the speed of business, even in the face of dynamic market forces and fluctuations in customer demand.

SEE BEYOND THE HORIZON to optimize your future in the global economy, with true end-to-end collaborative visibility to know how, when, and why your world is changing.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: BluJay Solutions

PHONE:

866.584.7280

WEBSITE:

www.blujaysolutions.com

The BluJay Global Trade Network is a fundamentally new model that goes beyond automation to harness the full power of the global supply chain ecosystem. At the heart of this powerful network is BluJay’s comprehensive and integrated portfolio of logistics applications, analytics, and services, all delivered through a scalable, single instance multi-tenant cloud.

With rich domain expertise in all areas vital to global trade — transportation, parcel, freight forwarding, warehouse, customs and compliance — along with four decades of experience, BluJay is the trusted choice of over 7,500 customers in more than 100 countries. Customer success is the standard by which BluJay measures success. Over 1,000 motivated employees worldwide are committed to delivering on this promise.

EMAIL:

info@blujaysolutions.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Who We Are: Cabrella Shipping Insurance is part of an insurance group with more than 25 years of experience insuring high value goods with a focus on jewelry and art. Our expertise uniquely positions us as the shipping insurance broker of choice for high value goods of any kind.

Whether it is jewelry, gold, coins, memorabilia, musical instruments, industrial/automotive, high tech, medical/pharmaceutical — essentially anything of value, you are protected.

How We Help: Our licensed professionals understand the variety of options the shipping industry offers.

High value. Cargo. Delicate materials. Our extensive knowledge of insurance options and risk management is always available to advise our clients on key shipping decisions.

Our Advantage: Cabrella provides insurance solutions to businesses at a fraction of the rate of the common carriers including UPS™, Fed Ex™, USPS™, and DHL™. We design shipping insurance solutions that help organizations sell more product by shipping safely at rates that make good business sense. } Higher limits: Up to $150,000 coverage per package } Customization: We work directly with the underwriters to create a plan specific to your needs. Do you have a unique insurance request? Give a call and see what we can create for you. } Few international restrictions: We insure shipments to countries the common carriers won’t } Great rates: Save 70 — 90% off the published rates of the common carriers } Actionable information: Cabrella’s proprietary technology provides a wealth of management data. Track when you insured, how you insured, and where you insured to.

Information such as claim status, delivery status, and insurance history for each customer is at your fingertips on your personal dashboard.

Carriers ship a package from Point A to Point B. Cabrella Shipping Insurance manages risk for everything in between. Ship with the shipping experts; leave the protection to the insurance professionals.

CADOI Insurance LIC NO 0B86528

18 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Cabrella Shipping Insurance Intelligence

PHONE:

844.422.2735

WEBSITE:

www.ecabrella.com

EMAIL:

info@ecabrella.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

GROWTH IN LOOSE CARGO As e-commerce continues to grow, retailers and distributors need to expedite larger volumes of loose-loaded cargo. Delivery expectations mean the speed of the process is under pressure too. If parcels are dispatched from the store replenishment inventory, there is the additional challenge of handling loose-cargo in a facility designed for pallets.

COMPANIES

As specialists within loading/unloading, Caljan Rite-Hite can help you make sure promised service commitments are achieved.

INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY If trucks and trailers are loaded/unloaded manually today, installing a Caljan Telescopic Conveyor at the door will double capacity. Performance is enhanced and the process becomes more efficient. Unloading is easier too, so productivity can be maintained.

Caljan Telescopic Conveyors can move any parcel the operator can lift. The working height of Caljan Performer can be adjusted, so all vehicle sizes, including transit vans, can be loaded/unloaded at the same door. Bi-directional belt movement means the same door can be used to both load and unload.

If Telescopic Conveyors are already in use, do they match the future needs of your business?

FUTURE-PROOF YOUR PROCESS When calculating lifecycle cost, it’s important that the equipment continues to match the needs of your business as they develop. Caljan Performer can be modified or upgraded via a unique, universal connector — even if the change takes place years after the equipment was originally installed. Operator platforms, lighting, heating, articulating conveyors, lifting aids etc. can all be added on-site, at any point during the conveyor lifetime.

Caljan Telescopic Conveyors are built to last — each unit has a 5-year structural warranty.

PALLETS AND LOOSE CARGO Caljan Performer can be placed behind a leveler and still reach the full length of a 53ft container. When not in use, the small footprint allows comfortable forklift access to the door. Caljan Telescopic Conveyors can be mobilized, serving multiple doors or gliding away from the door when not in use.

YOUR LOCAL PARTNER Whether you are in the early exploration stage, or in need of service, Caljan Rite-Hite is able to meet your needs. Together we consider possibilities and find the right solution, supporting you at every step, including installation, preventive maintenance and replacement parts.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Caljan Rite-Hite Inc.

PHONE:

800.338.1751

WEBSITE: caljan.com

EMAIL:

parcel@caljan.com

THE

2017-18 The parcel industry is constantly adapting as e-commerce and the omni-channel marketplace continues to impact the supply chain industry. In order to meet consumer demands and expectations, parcel carriers are continually adjusting their rate calculations, packaging options, and delivery methods as companies are reevaluating their product offerings, shipping requirements, and transportation spend as the need for parcel optimization becomes crucial to business operations.

Chainalytics’ Parcel Spend Optimization service combines Chainalytics’ transportation market intelligence and proven methodologies to ensure our clients maintain their competitive advantage in an increasingly complex, volatile and global transportation environment.

We help companies forecast their budget through an in-depth analysis of carrier agreements across ground, domestic air and international air parcel spend. Furthermore, we assist organizations with the creation and execution of a comprehensive spend management strategy that optimizes rates and terms to reduce costs and refreshes carrier mix or consolidates carriers and agreements for volume and/or route leverage, administrative efficiency and consistency.

Additionally, Chainalytics delivers monthly parcel spend analytics to ensure your carriers are in compliance with the client agreement, and schedules periodic follow up to explore additional savings opportunities based on mode optimization results, time-in-transit studies and inbound or packaging analytics.

H O T

COMPANIES

While transportation budgets are a major component of parcel spend, Chainalytics also helps companies alleviate the rising costs of parcel management with our packaging optimization services. Our packaging engineers use a holistic approach to assess how your current packaging affects your supply chain. We consider the entire packaging value chain to identify cost savings and sustainable improvement opportunities that lead to increased customer satisfaction.

Our proven packaging engineering methods rapidly identify solutions that minimize your upfront investment and provide you with desired results. We are passionate about designing packaging that is engineered to provide sufficient protection at optimal costs.

Our experienced team of packaging engineers delivers value to our clients through our core capabilities that include innovative packaging design and development, breakthrough value engineering, impactful damage and waste reduction, and strategic packaging transformations.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Chainalytics

PHONE:

770.433.1566

WEBSITE:

EXECUTIVE STATEMENT

Jim Haller is a Senior Manager of Transportation at Chainalytics with 30+ years of experience in the parcel and supply chain industry. Throughout his tenure, Jim has seen the parcel industry transform into its current state and continues to monitor parcel’s evolution and how it is impacted through globalization, technology disruption, eCommerce, government regulation, workforce challenges, fuel, packaging and freight audit challenges, lack of competition on the carrier side, and in the near future, vendor/distribution side. This year, Jim will be speaking at the 2017 PARCEL Forum at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville September 18th-20. Join Jim as he covers what is occurring in the parcel world, what is being discussed, and what the future holds.

20 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

www.chainalytics.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES The e-commerce and parcel shipping industries are experiencing higher volumes at a faster pace than ever before. Companies looking to stay competitive in today’s market require innovative solutions for supply chain visibility, transportation management, and savings. ClearView has developed a unique transportation management system to provide real-time parcel data and analytics. These cutting-edge solutions deliver control tower supply chain visibility the industry has long called for, but never seen. Combining ClearView’s in-depth parcel data and analytics with superior parcel auditing solutions ensures efficiency and affordability across the entirety of the supply chain.

ClearView Audit collects data on parcel shipping rates, shipments, carrier performance, and more to find solutions to optimize supply chains and uncover savings opportunities.

After selecting the optimal parcel carrier with the optimal route provided by ClearView’s original TMS, the technology provides real-time tracking of the shipment from pickup to delivery and through billing. Visibility occurs before every shipment goes through the rigorous parcel auditing to retrieve all unnecessarily lost expenses. Every line of each parcel invoice is meticulously reviewed by ClearView’s expert operations staff to find incorrect accessorial charges, ensure carrier service compliance, damage claims, and file disputes to recover the overcharges.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: ClearView Audit

PHONE:

855.737.3444

ClearView provides advanced shipping software capable of providing analytics that lead to real change in parcel shipping strategies, and parcel auditing services that can help you save money on parcel shipping. These are precisely the tools necessary to thrive in a competitive e-commerce market. Between ClearView’s proprietary, cutting-edge shipping software, intensive parcel invoice auditing, unrivaled supply chain visibility solutions, and dedicated staff who knows parcel industry best practices inside and out, ClearView can eliminate inefficiencies and uncover savings better than any of the legacy systems available on the market.

ClearView’s TMS technology helps shippers to obtain control tower visibility over their supply chain in real-time which makes it easier to analyze your supply chain operations and identify potential problems with a comprehensive understanding of shipments across all modes of transportation. ClearView Audit is changing the freight & parcel industry as many companies are waking up to their need for a one-stop shop for software and services to optimize supply chain efficiency and best practices.

WEBSITE:

http://clearviewaudit.com

EMAIL:

info@clearviewaudit.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES PARCEL AUDITS Reduce parcel costs and save money with the industry’s most advanced and comprehensive package audit program. CTrak’s proven benefits include a completely automated, Global audit system that delivers maximized savings.

Customized Accounting Services: CTrak provides automation for general ledger account code allocations for every shipment and visibility of details at the shipment level. Complete automation ensures all pricing conditions & costs are rated including: optional bundled pricing rates, for all countries, for all currencies, including hundred weight pricing and third-party shipments.

Reporting: CT’s Cognos Business Intelligent Reports, Graphs and Dashboards produce effective and efficient management insight into your total freight spend.

CONFIDENCE 94 years of experience allows us to create a full range of freight management solutions. CT will work with you, creating customized solutions so that you can focus on your firm/s core competencies — ensuring a quality, efficient, effective and robust supply chain management system for your global needs.

TRUST Firms of all sizes, including Fortune 100 corporations around the globe, rely on CT Logistics to assist them in making solid, informed decisions regarding their freight audit, payment and business intelligence needs. Our team of professionals has been instrumental in assisting our clients in leveraging expertise, technology and best-in-class processes to maximize return on the client's investment. SOC II and ISO 9001:2008 certified.

LEADERSHIP With FreitRater™, the industry's first choice for freight management software, AuditPay™, TranSaver™ and CT’s TMS software, our customized solutions for your global freight payment systems and solutions will exceed your expectations.

CONFIDENCE, TRUST AND LEADERSHIP... TRADITIONS SINCE 1923 These attributes are woven into our corporate philosophy, the foundation and tradition that our clients have relied on for 94 years. Our evolving services and software will enable you to better manage and reduce supply chain costs while adding more visibility and control to your organization, positively impacting your bottom line; that's our commitment to you.

22 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: CT Logistics

PHONE:

216.267.2000

WEBSITE: ctlogistics.com

EMAIL:

sales@ctlogistics.com

BRAND INNOVATION

THE

2017-18

H O T

When it comes to cubing and dimensioning, we pioneered the industry. For over 30 years, Cubiscan has led the way in dimensioning quality, innovation and accuracy.

We’re not done yet. As we focus on the future, our brand needs some innovating. In the coming months, look for branding changes to our website, marketing materials and products. As the industry evolves and changes over the next 30 years, we’re prepared to lead the way. At Cubiscan, our experience is our guide.

We have seen many dimensioning companies come and go over the years, but we have remained. We listened to our customers, learned by working in their environments and innovated as their needs grew. Our software, technology and staff were all developed to make our customers more efficient and more profitable. When we work with our clients, our experience is our guide. Give us a call today to learn how our experience in dimensioning and weighing solutions can optimize warehouse space and minimize shipping costs.

COMPANIES

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Cubiscan

PHONE:

801.451.7000

WEBSITE:

www.cubiscan.com

EMAIL:

info@cubiscan.com



THE

PowerScan PM9300 Industrial handheld scanner for sorting solutions



AV7000 The AV7000 camera system delivers 360-degree high speed package intelligence for any material handling system.

2017-18



Machine Vision Solutions Leading edge machine vision technologies for object recognition and pattern sorting solutions.

H O T

COMPANIES A Global Leader in Transportation & Logistics Solutions Datalogic is a global leader in the automatic data capture and process automation markets, specialized in the designing and production of bar code readers, mobile computers, sensors for detection, measurement and safety, RFID, vision and laser marking systems.

Datalogic solutions help to increase the efficiency and quality of processes in the Retail, Transportation & Logistics, Manufacturing and Healthcare industries.

Today’s supply chains demand end to end visibility and real time tracking. Datalogic sensors and vision systems track parcels and shipments as they move through the warehouse and onto the carrier. Datalogic mobile computers, fixed image readers and handheld scanners ensure visibility at shipping, receiving, through last mile activities such as delivery confirmation and signature capture. Dimensioning solutions also support exact cargo and baggage loading.

We have a long history of successful integrations across hundreds of systems utilized by the world’s leading retailers and courier companies. Datalogic manufactures the widest range of high-performance products and solutions in the industry. Our flexible and robust identification solutions offer companies the latest in parcel sort solutions including: } Hazmat label detection — properly sort hazardous materials to ensure employee safety and decrease fines. } Identify and sort different size packages on high speed systems } Dimension weigh scan systems provide a complete solution for certified parcel profiles.

Solutions that increase throughput, decrease costs and achieve optimum efficiency for the complete supply chain.

For more information, please visit: Datalogic USA 511 School House Road Telford, PA 18969 www.datalogic.com 1-800-BARCODE 24 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Datalogic USA

PHONE:

1.800.BARCODE

WEBSITE:

www.datalogic.com

THE

2017-18

EAM-Mosca Corporation is a high-performance strapping systems provider that has built an impressive product and market base in the parcel and distribution markets. The company’s product range spans solutions from operator cycled to fully automatic systems that strap cartons of varying sizes and configurations at high speed with minimal operator intervention.

H O T

COMPANIES

High Performance and Productivity Goals EAM-Mosca has placed over 25,000 machines in the Americas in industries as diverse as mailing, logistics, corrugated, protein, agriculture and more. EAM’s German parent company Mosca GmbH has been providing strapping solutions since 1966. The company’s objective is to build reliable, innovative strapping systems that perform reliably for millions of cycles over many years. EAM-Mosca also supplies strapping materials manufactured to maximize machine performance; technical support programs help customers meet performance and productivity goals.

Significant Cost Savings Possible The high cycle efficiency of Mosca systems along with more secure seals often result in the ability to reduce strap sizes — cutting costs and contributing to improved sustainability. The high reliability of Mosca systems also means reduced downtime and improved deliverability. Utilizing strapping technology to unitize multiple cartons shipped to the same address can quickly contribute substantial cost savings.

Range of System Sizes and Automation Options In addition to the entry-level Fusion walk-up model, EAM-Mosca offers the ROMP-6 Evolution operator cycled, walk-up strapper for hand-pick and off-line applications; and its inline, automated belt or roller conveyor top models for high-speed automated operations.

Its compact footprint, high reliability and Mosca’s heat seal or proprietary ultra-sonic, tamper-evident seal make it a good fit for many applications. The Evolution product line offers a range of arch sizes, and can apply economical polypropylene strapping at speeds of up to 52 cycles per minute. The ROMP-6 Evolution is equipped with either a thermostatically controlled heat seal or Mosca's patented Sonixs technology, a smokeless ultrasonic welding process. The Evolution design includes a compact cabinet, side or front coil loading for convenient changeover, push-button strap threading, and a fully enclosed strap feed track for exceptionally reliable feeding.

New, TR-6 models with sophisticated control options feature the innovative Standard-6 precision Strap Path and direct drive sealer with sealed bearing construction. The control program can be tailored to meet individual needs and accessories are available to make it the best solution for high-volume, performance intensive applications. Consistent with Industry 4.0 technology, the TR-6 Series are capable of receiving instructions, being monitored and even serviced remotely via network.

The company offers no-cost demo programs and plant analysis for prospective customers.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

EAM-Mosca Corporation

PHONE:

800.456.3420

WEBSITE:

www.eammosca.com

EMAIL:

info@eammosca.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Engineering Innovation, Inc. (Eii) is dedicated to providing cutting-edge solutions that offer rapid parcel processing, maximum postage savings, excellent service and support, and the best of class technology and engineering to our customers. Eii has more than 30 years of combined postal and parcel automation design experience to develop solutions that work for any size fulfilment and shipping operation.

Eii’s EZ-WorkDesk offers elegant simplicity to your parcel processing, providing quick parcel induction capabilities. The EZ-WorkDesk integrates data conversion tools to capture information from multiple platforms and warehouse management system environments to generate shipping labels on demand.

In 2017 Eii introduced the Chameleon Parcel-Processing Solution that provides custom off-the-shelf options to perfectly fit your needs, including barcode and OCR reading, weighing, dimensioning, RFID, label application, labeling and sorting. The Chameleon comes in a variety of speed ranges to meet the end users’ needs and budget and the modular design customizes to fit the needs of your operation. The Chameleon is ideal for Outbound Processing, Data Capture, Parcel Induct, and Logistics companies.

Also new from Eii, the LightSort sort-to-light or pick-to-light design is a low cost way to quickly improve accuracy, productivity, and data tracking. Minimal training means operators are up to speed in no time. Quickly sort or fill orders using our hands-free Bluetooth ring scanner. The LightSort was winner of the USPS Mailing Innovation and Digital Award for the Great Lakes Area presented at the 2017 National Postal Forum.

In line with Eii’s commitment to provide the industry with cost effective solutions for maximizing postage savings, these systems open up new savings/revenue opportunities for fulfillment, consolidation, returns package processing, mailers, and shippers. We compliment these great products by providing hardware and software service after the sale, designed to ensure our customer’s success.

Eii has been providing innovative and cost effective automated parcel solutions for more than 10 years, growing from a start-up of three guys in 2006 to a diverse and skilled team of more than 60 employees today. We look forward to many years of continued growth as we keep pace with the dynamic letter and parcel industry.

26 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Engineering Innovation, Inc.

PHONE:

800.350.6450

WEBSITE:

www.eii-online.com

EMAIL:

sales@eii-online.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

We uncover opportunities within your data that traditional tools can’t see.

COMPANIES

Enveyo is a cloud-based enterprise technology platform focused on data-driven shipping analytics, optimization, and automation. Our solutions enable you to drive your business in a more intelligent and scientific way.

Customers expect better and faster service — 2nd day and even Next Day delivery services are rapidly becoming the new standard. In this environment, maintaining an optimal customer brand experience without sacrificing profitability requires a strategy that incorporates both analysis and execution. Our technology solutions help you maintain this delicate balance.

Our Solutions: Insights – Business Intelligence through a logistics lens - Our best in class reporting interface provides a view into high level trends while also facilitating deep dive analysis.

We empower our customers by turning data into actionable insights.

CONTACT INFO:

Modeling – Our powerful modeling engine helps customers ask and answer questions — weighing the downstream impact prior to execution. “What-if”/Predictive analysis, benchmarks, forecasting growth scenarios, rate increases, and carrier proposal comparisons don’t have to be capital projects. Easily apply modeling scenarios against your actual shipping data. Let the data tell the story — and more importantly, determine the appropriate course of action.

COMPANY:

Cloudroute – Our sophisticated decisioning engine removes human error from the equation. Intelligent shipping through the application of refined business rule-sets that drive significant savings without impacting your end-customer’s experience.

Additionally, API access allows seamless integration with your Order Management, ERP, WMS, and other systems.

Audit - Our comprehensive programmatic audit compares shipments against our customers’ contracted carrier rates, services and associated delivery commitments to discover discrepancies and recover revenue.

As data scientists with years of experience solving complex business challenges for some of the largest companies/brands in the world, we provide unique perspective and solutions that position our customers for success.

Enveyo

PHONE:

801.948.0727

EMAIL:

info@enveyo.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Optimize your global transportation strategy with enVista. enVista delivers leading transportation spend management services that reduce cost and improve visibility for clients worldwide. enVista’s experienced team of transportation management professionals and former carrier pricing managers bring significant expertise reducing transportation spend and optimizing transportation operations.

Services & Solutions: } Global Freight Audit & Payment } Proprietary audit, rating and GL allocation platform } Carrier Contract Analysis & Negotiation } Managed Operations } Transportation Consulting } Business Intelligence } Capacity Procurement Solutions

CONTACT INFO:

Expertise: } 1,000+ clients across multiple industries } Robust methodology } Comprehensive multi-lingual, multi-currency implementation capability } Highly experienced team of transportation experts } Inc. 500|5000 fasted growing transportation & logistics company (five consecutive years)

COMPANY:

Client Testimonial: “enVista has provided significant value to Vera Bradley by identifying service failures and other invalid changes by working with our carrier to retrieve the appropriate credits.

In addition, enVista has given us the visibility to cost savings opportunities and has helped up reduce our annual transportation spend by renegotiating our parcel contract.”

— VP Operations, Vera Bradley

EMAIL:

Improve profitability. Reduce waste. Enhance customer service.

28 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

enVista

PHONE:

877.684.7700

WEBSITE:

www.envistacorp.com info@envistacorp.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

The Small Parcel Leader. Expak Logistics is a leader in low cost, flexible, customercentric solutions for fixed route and dedicated fleet parcel and small package distribution and delivery. Expak’s roots began in 1966 in Dallas, Texas in pharmaceutical distribution and by 2003 had a physical footprint of 67 terminals serving all areas west of the Mississippi. Today, Expak’s supply chain network and transportation providers cover the entire United States serving clients across a variety of industries including pharmaceutical, government, retail, financial services and more.

Solution-Oriented Culture. Expak’s embedded culture and resulting operating network is predicated on a best-practices, solution-oriented approach to stream-line our customers’ supply chain operations. All of our team-members believe and carry out the following embedded principles in the execution of their daily activities: } No shortcuts; } Automatic recurring processes; } Analytics; } Continuous improvement.

Customer-Centric. Expak Logistics has the experience, knowledge and infrastructure to deliver custom solutions that meet your unique logistics requirements. No matter how complex your specifications may be, we focus on delivering a simplified, cost effective and flexible solution for Same-Day, Next-Day, dedicated fleet, warehousing and fulfillment, or any other delivery and supply chain need.

Technology. Expak’s in-house development team has the knowledge and flexibility to leverage a broad set of tools, including proprietary and off-the-shelf systems, to deliver technology solutions to our customers that improve service levels while minimizing or eliminating the need for our customers to change established and/or preferred processes. The result is better workflow visibility, reduction or elimination of errors and, most importantly, freedom and peace of mind for our clients to focus their efforts on their core business.

Customer Service. Expak Logistics’ 24/7 dedicated account personnel ensure we are always available to address your needs as they may arise. We pride ourselves on availability and transparency to make certain that your priorities are met. Each customer service representative is trained for the unique requirements of every customer and has all the necessary tools and data to ensure that all customer service issues are handled effectively and efficiently.

Expak Logistics sets the standard for expedited, recurring small package delivery.

CONTACT US TODAY!

COMPANIES

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Expak Logistics

PHONE:

424.320.5300

WEBSITE:

www.expaklogistics.com

EMAIL:

sales@expaklogistics.com

THE

2017-18 First Flight Solutions, a 5-time Inc. 5000 company, specializes in providing maximum supply chain cost reduction. FFS helps companies reduce freight and parcel costs through small package and freight negotiation, parcel post audit, freight audit and freight pay services; and provides customers with a state-of-the-art, user-friendly transportation management system.

Keith Byrd and Travis Burt, both senior-level managers at UPS, saw a niche market and decided to leave the world’s largest shipping company to start their own business. In the back of a small surf shop storage room in eastern North Carolina, the duo, alongside Managing Partner Doug Starcke, began to bring light to their idea. Since its inception, the organization’s goal has been to provide clients with the most competitive small package agreements in the country.

Nine years later, FFS has certainly outgrown the back of that storage room and recently moved into its new corporate office in Emerald Isle, N.C., which is home to 35 of its 60+ employees. As the office space increased, so has the number of services First Flight Solutions now offers.

H O T

COMPANIES

With over 300 years of combined carrier experience, First Flight Solutions is an asset to some of the nation’s top shipping directors. Although the company is continuously ranked among the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., First Flight Solutions has managed to remain humble by embracing its core values of integrity, passion, professionalism, perfection, and work ethic.

Doug Starcke has been Managing Partner of First Flight Solutions since 2009. Prior to this, Doug was ranked among the top sales executives of UPS which allowed him to gain experience in the negotiation of small package rate agreements, as well as analyzing his client’s business processes.

EXECUTIVE STATEMENT

In his role at First Flight Solutions, Doug’s confident vision, leadership, entrepreneurship and operational development experience are utilized daily to assist companies with ensuring maximum supply chain cost reduction via the best small parcel and freight agreements in the industry.

Doug holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

30 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

First Flight Solutions

PHONE:

252.764.2886

WEBSITE:

www.firstflightsolutions.com

EMAIL:

info@firstflightsolutions.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Parcel Spend Management solution Green Mountain Technology (GMT) partners with the world’s largest parcel shippers to plan, execute and monitor high volume parcel networks. Our Parcel Spend Management (PSM) solution simplifies network complexity, drives increased profitability, and enhances the customer shipping experience through a suite of tech-enabled services. It starts with our best in class parcel audit and invoice automation, then leverages that, and other customer data, for advanced analytics, optimization, and ongoing network improvement and contract management projects. Our customers represent more than $4 billion in parcel spend and typically experience 5-10X return, net of our fees. Our outcomes are proven by numerous customer honors including QVC's Supply Chain Partner of the Year and Office Depot's Partnership Award.

Deep Parcel Expertise GMT specializes in parcel — in fact, it’s all we do. With parcel volumes and associated costs steadily increasing, to remain competitive, companies are required to take a deeper dive into their parcel networks. Most shippers don’t have the time or resources for this, and for many it remains a costly missed opportunity.

GMT extends our customers’ technology, resource bandwidth, and expertise so they can move from macro to micro management of their parcel networks. GMT establishes an ongoing partnership with our customers. Their goals and objectives become our shared accomplishments. Their success is our priority. We’ve engineered a business process and proprietary technology to give you every resource needed to plan, execute and monitor your parcel network at the highest level.

Why the Largest Parcel Shippers are Choosing GMT GMT’s solution addresses the greatest needs and challenges of high volume shippers.

Our solution exponentially expands your resources and bandwidth by providing a big data platform, parcel expertise and a unique market view which results in improved outcomes. No other company possesses the superior, foundational technology needed for deep analysis or the unique business model enabling a strategic engagement with dedicated parcel experts. Because we work exclusively with the largest parcel shippers in the U.S., we are able to identify patterns and trends to keep you on the cutting edge of best in class parcel network execution.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Green Mountain Technology

PHONE:

877.397.2834

WEBSITE:

GreenMountainTechnology.com

EMAIL:

contact@gmcps.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

GSO is a leading regional delivery provider offering Ground parcel and LTL service across California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. For over twenty years, our focus on a specific geographic footprint has enabled us to provide shippers with the flexibility, convenience, cost savings, and customer service that other carriers cannot match.

COMPANIES

GSO Ground Shippers can achieve next-day delivery over a much larger geography than the worldwide carriers at comparable published ground rates, and areas which require 3-4 days with the worldwide carriers can be reduced by at least a day.

GSO Freight We simplify LTL shipments with our straightforward per-pallet pricing model and reduced transit times, while eliminating the complicated shipping routines that come with using a traditional freight vendor.

GSO Priority Since 1995, we’ve provided shippers with Priority Overnight service for shipments needing 8:00am or 10:30am delivery with later pickup times, fewer accessorial fees, Saturday delivery, and significant costs savings when compared to the global carriers.

With 48 depots, a strategically located linehaul transfer facility, and multiple interregional hubs, we are able to ensure 1-2 day delivery across a vast geographical footprint while providing a high level of service to our customers. To meet the technological needs of shippers, GSO continuously invests in innovative technology that allows for integration with enterprise and third-party systems, real-time tracking, POD capture, and robust reporting capabilities.

Key benefits of using GSO for your West Coast shipments: } Reduced transit times with next-day service across a vast geographical footprint } Per-pallet rates and simplified labeling for LTL shipments } Priority overnight delivery at nearly 40% less cost than the worldwide carriers } Innovative technology for more accountability } Fewer and lower accessorial fees } ETAs, email and text notifications } Later pickup times and earlier arrivals } Employee-based delivery model The GSO team wants to hear about your shipping needs. Contact us today!

32 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: GSO

PHONE:

888.744.7476

WEBSITE: www.gso.com

EMAIL:

sales@gso.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Intelligent Audit (IA) is recognized as the leader in economic supply chain advisory. Our areas of expertise include audit and recovery, freight payment, contract negotiation/ management, and business intelligence. Our propriety i360a solution analyzes and recovers transportation costs on behalf of nearly 3,000 clients across all industry sectors — tracking all modes including domestic and international parcel, LTL, TL, intermodal, ocean, air, and rail.

IA provides clients with an unparalleled mix of advisory services, analytics, and reporting to help support their supply chain strategies. Features include: } Audit and Recovery Services Identify and recover the highest value of entitled refunds, perform the data analysis necessary for additional shipping optimization, and provide administrative and analytic services to maximize your supply chain using audit and recovery system tools and functionality. } Freight Payment Automate transportation invoice processing, accruals, and reconciliation for carrier payments and internal GL coding — saving time and system costs. } Contract Management and Negotiations Analyze your current shipping contracts, determine cost reduction opportunities, and identify areas for improvement within your existing freight transportation contracts with the help and guidance of IA’s contract negotiation advisors. } Business Intelligence and Analytics Improve order fulfillment from a cost, time, and transit perspective, effectively manage your return processes, and take advantage of predictive analytics — such as identifying trends and locations for optimal future distribution centers.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Intelligent Audit

PHONE:

866.744.7765

WEBSITE:

www.intelligentaudit.com

EMAIL:

info@intelligentaudit.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Warehouse Management Solutions (WMS) Warehouse-LINK® Warehouse Management Solutions (WMS) from Interlink Technologies utilizes bar code and mobile computing technology to provide web-based access and real-time information to get control of inventory, boost productivity, and increase profits.

Warehouse-LINK® Features Warehouse-LINK® is a business system designed to support all distribution activities.

Multiple receiving, putaway, picking and shipping options allow flexibility, scalability, auditing and tracking for complete management of warehouse operations. Functionality, such as cross dock, speeds up order processing and eliminates putaway so that product is shipped immediately from receiving or manufacturing. Shuttle transfer provides movement between facilities without creating an order while still generating BOL. Warehouse-LINK® also provides yard management for scheduling inbound/outbound shipments, and managing dock and yard locations as well as storage containers. Order changes are real-time, easy and verified before shipping.

Value Add Warehouse-LINK® WMS includes management for kitting, lot/batch/serial numbers, environmental requirements, hazmat, seasonal products, QC, and cycle counting. Warehouse-LINK® operates in any warehouse environment, including 3PL, Pharmaceutical, Food, Healthcare, Retail, Automotive, Electronics, Manufacturing, and Distribution.

Warehouse-LINK® is a multi-building, multi-company, multi-location system that allows you to manage independently or dependently. Interlink provides compliance labeling and integration with FedEx, conveyers, scales, pick-to-light systems, CubiScan, automated scanners and ERP/accounting systems.

Other Benefits Warehouse-LINK® provides the opportunity to utilize space more efficiently, incorporate JIT processes and accommodate growth without adding additional real-estate. Using cycle counting with Warehouse-LINK® eliminates physical inventory counts. Interlink provides a turn-key solution: Warehouse-LINK® Software, Hardware, Project Management, System Integration, Training, and Support. If your warehouse deserves a WMS with powerful performance and a professional partner to help you achieve your goals — Think Interlink!

34 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Interlink Technologies

PHONE:

800.655.5465 or 419.893.9011

WEBSITE:

www.thinkinterlink.com

EMAIL:

info@thinkinterlink.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES When you choose Janam, you win - with highest quality, wildly affordable mobile computers that are designed to exacting standards, from a company that thrives on saying YES to customers.

DIFFERENTIATORS: Janam is a leading provider of rugged mobile computers that scan barcodes and communicate wirelessly. Janam combines deep industry knowledge with advanced technologies to deliver products with the right features and the right price. Purpose-built for extended use in demanding environments, Janam’s rugged mobile computers are enabling companies worldwide to increase productivity, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction. } Purpose-built products/superior design — Janam’s products are smaller, lighter, faster and built to serve application/market needs. } Customer advocacy — Janam’s business is structured to serve customers. Its products, ordering system, fulfillment process and part numbering scheme are all designed to support customer demands. We pay careful attention to what customers need and maintain a culture of saying ‘yes’. } Competitive pricing — Janam’s lean operating model and low margin requirements allow us to aggressively compete on pricing. } Focus — Janam maintains a laser-like focus on rugged mobile computing, and unlike other companies in the industry, Janam is unencumbered by competing resources and internal politics.

ADVANTAGES: } Expertise — Janam’s purpose-built products are the result of management’s deep industry knowledge. The company has the ability to efficiently integrate technologies and the insight and application expertise needed to design products specifically to meet the demands of today’s mobile workers. } Efficiency — Smaller, lighter, faster, smarter – describes Janam’s products and business approach. Janam is committed to providing value by being the first mobile computing provider to balance performance and price. } Service — Janam is dedicated to customer satisfaction. The business is structured to be responsive to the needs of customers. Dedicated support, fast response and follow-through are company hallmarks.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Janam Technologies

PHONE:

877.JANAM.99

WEBSITE:

www.Janam.com

EMAIL:

inquiries@janam.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

There’s no doubt about it: fast and free shipping is imperative to the success of online retailers. Recent studies have shown that high shipping costs and long delivery times are among the top reasons shoppers would cancel an order, and that many shoppers browse products online based on the available shipping methods.

COMPANIES

To make matters more complicated, it doesn’t help that the last mile is often the most complex. Pair rising consumer expectations with the complexities of the last-mile, and you can either have a recipe for e-commerce disaster, or you can achieve a competitive advantage.

The most successful retailers are leveraging partnerships with several delivery partners who have the right infrastructure and technology in place — including regional carriers like LaserShip.

LaserShip was founded in 1986 and is a leading and trusted provider of same-day, next-day, and Sunday delivery solutions for e-retailers, including five of the ten largest shippers in the U.S. Unlike national carriers, LaserShip is able to reduce transit times and increase flexibility within the supply chain.

LaserShip has 1,600 employees and partners with over 5,000 independent contractors with a passion for providing outstanding customer service. Together, we understand the unique challenges that come with delivering in densely populated cities, and the importance of speed as a key differentiator. That’s why for 31 years, LaserShip has been building a network of facilities strategically located within the largest and fastest growing metro areas in the Eastern U.S. With 60 operational facilities and four sorting hubs, LaserShip is able to deliver packages to over 100 million consumers throughout 20 states.

LaserShip is continuously evolving in order to satisfy increasing consumer expectations and the growth of its e-commerce partners. This year, we launched our rebranded website, which will enable a customer service chat feature and option for consumers to receive tracking updates later this year. LaserShip will also complete relocating 14 of its facilities into larger locations this year to help increase throughput and meet the increasing number of residential e-commerce deliveries.

LaserShip’s continued growth is done with one thing in mind: to be there where and when our customers need us.

36 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Lasership, Inc.

WEBSITE:

www.lasership.com

EMAIL:

solutions@lasership.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Global Intelligence for Smarter Parcel Management In today’s interconnected and rapidly shrinking world, customers expect service and delivery that is slick and seamless.

But, shipping can be a headache. You have to deal with lost packages, hidden fees, and complex processes and paperwork. There’s a lot that can go wrong — especially when you go global.

Melissa Global Intelligence can help mailers and shippers tackle some of the problems associated with international fulfilment and delivery.

Global Address Verification and Autocomplete Our global address Cloud APIs and plugins for popular platforms like Salesforce.com®, Microsoft Dynamics® CRM, Magento®, Shopware® and more help you get the perfect address in real-time as an order is placed. We support addresses in 240+ countries and territories and non-Latin character sets and writing systems including Hebrew, Arabic, Kanji, Simplified Chinese, Hangul, Thai, Hellenic, and Cyrillic. Our address autocompletion solution is easy to integrate into forms, CRM, and ERP systems to decrease cart abandonment, decrease data entry time, and ensure addresses are entered quickly and accurately. Having an accurate billing and shipping address helps reduce address correction fees, delayed shipments – and most of all, customer dissatisfaction with late deliveries.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Melissa

PHONE:

800.Melissa (635.4772)

WEBSITE:

www.melissa.com

Shipping Rates Management Customers expect straightforward and competitive shipping costs and delivery times – or you risk a high percentage of abandoned carts. Melissa’s Decimal shipping calculator helps you provide customers with the best rate and delivery options, while managing shipping and cost margins to reduce expenses by 20% or more. Provide real-time calculations using USPS®, UPS®, FedEx®, DHL®, and other carriers, manage in-cart box predictions, increase warehouse efficiency, and facilitate batch shipping with minimum human interaction. It’s a win-win for you and your customers.

Simplifying the Complex Don’t let operational challenges keep you from reaching potential customers in global markets. Partnering with an experienced data quality provider can help you handle the complexities of international shipping and help ensure a successful move into the international market. Are you ready? www.melissa.com

EMAIL:

info@melissa.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES NPI is proud to introduce Xstream, our high-speed, automated flats mail and parcel sorting solution. With throughputs up to 30,000 articles per hour, a modular design that facilitates future expansion, and an ergonomic footprint, Xstream makes flat and parcel automation faster and more efficient.

Xstream processes both Incoming and Outgoing articles with ease, including bagged, polywrapped, and otherwise non-machinable flats with ease. Xstream sorts a wide variety of articles weighting up to 70 lbs having dimensions up to 24” long, 17” wide, and 12” thick.

Xstream features two independent feed stations that easily accommodate plant rolling stock or may be alternately integrated with existing conveyor systems to expedite the presentation of articles into the process stream.

Xstream features state-of-the-art Barcode Reading (BCR) processes operating in a userfriendly Microsoft Windows based software environment. In addition, Xstream may be configured with a Weigh-On-Fly scale that supports Manifest Mailings.

After weighing the articles (if equipped), reading the address blocks, or decoding the barcodes, articles are quickly and accurately sorted to output destinations according to he currently loaded sort plan.

In its basic, dual-sided configuration, Xstream features up to 120 sort destinations.

Articles are transported by grooved conveyor belts until one or more carbon fiber blocks known as “shoes” move across the conveyor belt and gently push an article into the destination handling unit or takeaway conveyor. Handling units include but are not limited to tubs, sacks, gondolas, or gaylords.

Xstream is supported by time-tested software applications and utilities for system control and diagnostics, barcode processing, sort plan and report generation.

Xstream is the perfect solution for any processing environment, including but not limited to the following: • Magazine Publishers 2013 • Postal Organizations • Courier Companies

• E-Commerce Distributors • Basic Material Handling Companies, and…

• You!

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: NPI

PHONE:

888.821.SORT

WEBSITE:

www.NPISorters.com

EMAIL:

michelle@npisorters.com

THE

2017-18

“The industry’s leading provider of affordable UPS® and FedEx® benchmarking services“ Saving with UPS® and FedEx® Odds are you pay too much for small parcel shipping. The worst part is, you probably didn't even know it. Now, consider a world where you could see just how much you overpay with UPS® and FedEx®, along with an achievable plan to implement more sensible, and fair, small parcel contracts. That time has come, thanks to ParcelLogix. Prepare to reduce your pricing, unlock value, and smile at the weight gain to your bottom line.

H O T

COMPANIES

ParcelLogix is the industry leading, small parcel benchmarking firm. They leverage experience and technology to provide the visibility needed to help organizations attain best-in-class small parcel shipping contracts. Year over year ParcelLogix saves their clients millions through affordable small parcel price benchmarking and cost reduction initiatives with UPS® and FedEx®.

Whether the ParcelLogix client is a household name, Fortune 500 or the $100,000 shipper next door, ParcelLogix's provides shippers of all sizes an opportunity to drastically lower their small parcel shipping spend at a mere fraction of their shipping costs.

In fact, the vast majority of ParcelLogix's clients retain more than 98% of the savings ParcelLogix helps them achieve.

Technology and Experience The secret to ParcelLogix's success is two-fold. For starters, members of their benchmarking team come from the global carriers, and with them bring decades of small parcel carrier pricing and costing experience. The second ingredient is technology. ParcelLogix uses their proprietary benchmarking software to identify best-in-class pricing for every shipment profile. It measures your data against not only the Carriers’ key costdrivers, but also hundreds of other shipment profiles to determine attainable, best-inclass pricing for your organization. This allows ParcelLogix and their clients to see what the carriers see when making pricing decisions.

ParcelLogix helps level the playing field, allowing their clients to stop negotiating blindly with their carriers. Stop having one sided negotiations with your carriers. Let ParcelLogix show you exactly what you should pay and then let them help you get your new pricing in place.

If you want to find out how much your organization is overpaying for small parcel shipping, contact ParcelLogix for your FREE analysis.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: ParcelLogix

PHONE:

800.471.2310

WEBSITE:

www.parcellogix.com

EMAIL:

support@parcellogix.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

Why do thousands of shippers, developers and logistics service providers trust Pierbridge technology to process over 500 million parcel shipments every year? Because no one knows parcel shipping like we do. Our customers and partners count on Pierbridge’s expertise, technology and unwavering support to roll out powerful shipping solutions across their supply chains.

COMPANIES

It’s no wonder Transtream has helped our technology partners achieve the highest FedEx, UPS, and USPS certification levels. We deliver.

What makes us different?

Experience: Pierbridge’s executive team has led the parcel software industry for over 25 years, introducing innovation after innovation that have transformed the way businesses ship. We have a passion for helping customers and partners turn complex problems into simple solutions.

Enterprise Class: Our enterprise shipping platform, Transtream, is built on a service oriented architecture (SOA) that provides IT professionals with the controls and analytics they need to manage and monitor user permissions, security, and connections to hundreds of parcel and freight services worldwide. Whether you are a retailer onboarding thousands of users across hundreds of warehouse, office and store locations globally, a multi-national financial services company managing tens of thousands of desktops, or a 3PL supporting a shipper community, Transtream gives you the visibility and tools you need to succeed.

Scalability: Transtream is the only platform that can be deployed on-premise, accessed from our cloud, or implemented in a hybrid environment. Our APIs enable developers to augment their solutions with cartonization, rating, shipping, tracking, returns, and other transportation execution capabilities with sub-second response times. Transtream is resilient and redundant, ensuring high availability.

Flexibility: Our Composer UI design studio tools enable administrators to modify and adapt Transtream apps to role-specific processes across the enterprise. Configure business rules to control processes by location, user or user group. Then modify or create new apps as business requirements change.

Connectivity: Transtream’s unique Internet of Things (IoT) tool, HubCapp, makes it easy to securely connect in real time to on-premise data sources and devices (such as scales, thermal label printers, conveyors and cameras) from the cloud. Developers can also use HubCapp to quickly embed interactive plug and play rating, shipping, tracking and returns “widgets” within their websites or apps.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Pierbridge, Inc.

PHONE:

508.630.1220

WEBSITE:

www.pierbridge.com

EMAIL:

sales@pierbridge.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES

Quality insurance at a reasonable price If your company is currently using declared value or insurance purchased through your shipping carrier, you are paying the same rate as someone who walks in off the street with a fragile tea set packed in a recycled box. Parcel Insurance Plan knows that your warehouse packs better, uses label software with address verification, and has comprehensive manifest reports. You deserve a lower rate for your lower risk.

Parcel Insurance Plan has been in business since 1966, specializing exclusively in small parcel shipping insurance. All policies are underwritten by A+ rated Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (formerly branded as Fireman’s Fund). We offer savings of 50% or more off of the carrier’s declared value charges. We provide a simple way to reduce shipping costs while keeping your peace of mind knowing we are there for you if your package is lost or damaged.

PIP’s dedicated claims team has over 20 years of experience handling small parcel shipping claims. We cover your packages for being lost or damaged while in transit.

Shipping to international destinations? PIP’s policy has no country exclusions. If the carrier will deliver there, we will insure it. Shipping palletized freight? No problem. PIP insures most small parcel, LTL, freight and other regional or local carriers.

PIP insures thousands of customers across the United States in hundreds of industries including apparel, automotive parts, medical and dental equipment, industrial equipment and parts, even jewelry, furs, and consumer electronics!

Request a quote through our website or contact us with questions. Our experienced team is ready to show you how much you can save.

Ship with the carrier. Insure with Parcel Insurance Plan.

®

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Parcel Insurance Plan

PHONE:

800.325.7390

WEBSITE:

www.pipinsure.com

EMAIL:

office@pipinsure.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES

The Carrier Landscape is Changing. Ship Smarter with Pitney Bowes If your business depends on shipping, you already know that rates and volumes – both inbound and outbound — are going up. You already know that the expanding choice of viable carriers is making it harder to determine which carrier — or mix of carriers — offers the optimal combination of costs and services for your business. And, you already know there are new solutions that can help simplify your shipping and receiving.

Pitney Bowes offers powerful yet scalable solutions that enable shippers of all sizes to ship smarter. These solutions not only deliver better control, visibility and flexibility, they can simplify your entire shipping and receiving operation.

Pitney Bowes SendSuite® Live is designed to guide simple to complex shipping operations to the next level in cost management, process efficiency and compliance. This robust, cloud-enabled solution utilizes a single platform to manage all transportation-related activities. It optimizes, integrates and automates shipping processes while providing the highest degree of real-time visibility and control of your operation. Whether you’re managing parcels from the mail center, documents from the desktop or freight from the warehouse, SendSuite® Live offers the user interface and scalability to satisfy your shipping environment and requirements.

SendSuite® Tracking Online is a package receiving and tracking cloud-based solution designed to provide accurate status and chain of custody of your inbound packages.

With SendSuite® Tracking, time-wasting searches are eliminated. Plus, you’ll increase customer satisfaction.

For smaller office shippers, Pitney Bowes SendPro® brings together enterprise-caliber postal and multicarrier shipping capabilities to take the guesswork out of selecting the right service level and carrier for each piece.

Let Pitney Bowes help you ship smarter. #ShipSmarter

42 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Pitney Bowes

PHONE:

877.727.3887

WEBSITE:

www.pitneybowes.com/us/shipping

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES PITT OHIO is a service organization dedicated to providing high-value transportation and supply chain solutions to our customers. PITT OHIO is “Customer Driven, People Driven and Quality Driven.” As an organization we remain committed to innovating in every area of our company with our SUPPLY CHAIN, GROUND, LTL and TRUCKLOAD services. We strive to take it to the next level by providing diverse transportation solutions that help optimize your supply chain.

At PITT OHIO we understand that when it comes to small package shipping, one size does not fit all. We provide a more flexible alternative to your small package shipping and we are able to deliver a GROUND service that is customizable, reliable and more cost effective.

Our GROUND service is able to extend your range of service based on volume to offer a competitive GROUND solution. We also specialize in handling non-conveyable products that you may have claims issues with today such as paint, liquids or rakes.

CONTACT INFO:

Our on-time performance for our GROUND service exceeds 97% and we have few damages with a shipment integrity that is better than the competition with 1 in 4000 packages experiencing a claim. For a seamless transition, complete integration services are ossible with our ShipStation shipping software and our dedicated customer service is available to provide you with quick resolution with any issue.

COMPANY:

PITT OHIO’s customer-centric mindset has allowed us to give more customers what they want and need to be more competitive in the marketplace. This customer-centric mindset is evident with our participation in The Reliance Network (TRNET) an alliance consisting of ourselves and six other regional LTL carriers who provide service throughout North America.

www.pittohio.com

PITT OHIO continually strives to provide the most reliable service and is committed to our customers, our employees, and our community; We’re Always There For You!

PITT OHIO

PHONE:

800.366.7488

WEBSITE: EMAIL:

GroundShip@pittohio.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES

Precision Software, a division of QAD Inc., provides industry-leading multi-carrier shipping, global trade management and supply chain management software to global enterprises. The PRECISION suite is designed on a single, integrated platform to enable easy integration with most enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions, warehouse management systems (WMS) and other existing solutions. We help enterprises manage costs, connect to a truly global carrier network, compare carriers and track shipments.

Each year, our customers rely on our 27 support locations across the globe to leverage more than 500 carriers and manage 9 billion compliance checks for over 3 billion shipments. An ISO-certified company, we are a proven choice to avoid delays at border crossings and mitigate the risks associated with dynamic trading environments. Precision Software services global business leaders in a variety of industries, including life sciences, banking and finance, retail, consumer-packaged goods, high tech, industrial products, food and beverage and third-party logistics providers.

44 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Precision Software

PHONE:

+1 312 239 1630

WEBSITE:

www.precisionsoftware.com

EMAIL:

information@precisionsoftware.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

QubeVu is the fastest growing brand of dimensioning solutions. Our patented technologies yield highly intelligent, reliable, small footprint systems that outperform others while offering incomparable value.

COMPANIES

We maintain our own USA-based R&D facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the heart of one of the greatest innovation centers in the world. We have also have sales and support offices in Washington DC, London and Singapore.

The leader in dimensioning QubeVu offers the world's fastest dimensioning, certified accuracy on any shape, and class-leading simplicity. QubeVu can scan any package in any orientation, and even takes a photo of every item for tracking and claim protection. With QubeVu's quick setup, compact footprint and XML-based API integration — plus plug-and-play compatibility with popular shipping software — you'll be up and running in no time. No wonder we are the 2017 Parcel Forum Game Changer of the Year dimensioning solution.

Faster than lightning (really!)

QubeVu blows other dimensioners away. Faster than a bolt of lightning, it grabs certifiedaccurate dimensions from cubes, tubes, bags and bundles — you name it. Just toss an item under the QubeVu head — no special placement or alignment needed. Instantly, automatically, dimensions are recorded. No grid to line up with, no buttons to push, and of course no waiting.

Not your father's dimensioner Completely unlike "dim-osaurs" of the past, QubeVu is quick, smart, and small. Our solid state technology means zero maintenance and no moving parts. Need barcodes and OCR data? No problem — Qubevu can grab them, along with a photo and dimensions, in a single instant scan.

QubeVu even offers Cloud connectivity, supports centralized fleet management and automated firmware updating, and enables load balancing across lines, so your systems are always as productive as possible. No other solution comes close to the potential QubeVu offers for efficient management and cost containment.

An incredible value Even with all its capabilities, QubeVu costs less. And now QubeVu is available with a no-money-down lease, from $185/month! Visit qubevu.com or call us 888-257-3879 to learn more about how QubeVu is already bringing big benefits to companies like yours.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: QubeVu

PHONE:

888.257.3879

WEBSITE: qubevu.com

EMAIL:

sales@qubevu.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Solve your logistics problems without internal IT resources with RateLinx, a thoughtleader in customized logistics management software and consulting. We help shippers procure, process and pay less for freight. The RateLinx solution standardizes carrier invoice, track & trace, shipment and order data into one dataset within 24 hours.

Leveraging big data and providing analytics for increased visibility, you can solve freight management problems with Integrated Shipping IntelligenceSM. With RateLinx, you can begin to manage logistics in 3D — Diagnose, Develop, and Deploy.

Diagnose problems easily with standardized data.

RateLinx is the only logistics software provider to create clean actionable data with no IT required. We automate the known decisions and then collaborate with you on the unknown to determine where action needs to be taken.

First, we diagnose your current situation. Starting with clean, standardized data from Intelligent Invoice ManagementSM (IIM), we use analytics to create actionable data to identify where decisions need to be made and actions taken. Strategy and execution can be fine-tuned to save millions of dollars.

Develop strategies and gain visibility with actionable data.

Guided by IIM’s standardized data, the Predictive Modeling & Analytics engine helps you develop strategies to address the underlying problems and reduce costs. Strategies are tested in the modeling environment to ensure positive outcomes and reveal any unintended consequences before changes are made.

Deploy strategies to become a shipper of choice.

Expand beyond what you are doing today and deploy strategies that will create competitive advantage. As you manage logistics in 3D—Diagnose, Develop and Deploy.

In real time, IIM provides clean, standardized data for transparency while the ShipLinx analytics engine provides insights on each shipment to measure and monitor the success and compliance of the deployed strategy. Integrate these insights into your logistics management for smarter results. That’s why we call it Integrated Shipping IntelligenceSM. ShipLinx modules can augment your current environment or can be deployed as a full TMS for greater efficiency and savings.

Learn more about RateLinx’ customized and integrated software tools and logistics consulting services at ratelinx.com.

46 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: RateLinx

PHONE:

262.565.6150

WEBSITE: Ratelinx.com

EMAIL:

Shannon.Vaillancourt@ratelinx.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES When it comes to business decisions, intelligence matters. At Reveel™, we give you comprehensive, localized intelligence so you can make the smartest business decisions possible. We lift the veil on the rates your shipping carriers are offering, giving you benchmarks for not just your industry, but your region as well. We help you clearly identify opportunities for measurable savings, and provide practical advice that levels the playing field.

Since 2006, Reveel has been dedicated to empowering our clients with unmatched industry insight. Comprised of former sales executives from DHL, FedEx, and UPS, Reveel’s leaders are each passionate about the organization’s vision: a world where every business can leverage the power of Shipping Intelligence. Over the past decade-plus, our zero-risk services have saved our clients millions of dollars.

Our dedicated team of local experts gives you unrivaled local knowledge with complete transparency and exceptional service. We’ll help you identify measureable savings with invoice auditing and real-time reporting & analytics.

The best part is that all of this comes at zero cost to you. If we don’t save you money, we don’t get paid.

At Reveel, we empower companies with intelligent insights and advocate for transparency throughout the shipping industry. We offer more than just wide-ranging data and local knowledge, however. At Reveel, we give you Shipping Intelligence.

Contract Analysis & Negotiation Are you getting the best pricing on your carrier contracts? Our expert team of former FedEx, UPS, and DHL pricing analysts and account executives will review your current contract and give you localized insights that will help you negotiate savings of 15 to 20%.

Invoice Auditing Every year, billions of dollars in shipping refunds go unclaimed. This is because few companies have the time and know-how to inspect complex carrier invoices for errors.

Our 45-point process makes sure you’re not leaving money on the table.

Reporting & Analytics The key to successfully managing your transportation spend is data. Our reporting & analytics give you real-time insights that enable you to manage trends, maximize efficiencies, and identify valuable opportunities for savings.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Reveel

PHONE:

877.421.4994

WEBSITE:

www.reveelgroup.com

EMAIL:

info@reveelgroup.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Rice Lake Weighing Systems is a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of weight-related products and process-control equipment, including solutions for the logistics industry. Within this ISO 9001 registered company, progressive new technologies merge with the wisdom of 70 years industry experience to create the future of weighing through cutting-edge research and design. With headquarters in Rice Lake, Wisconsin and sales and service throughout the world, Rice Lake delivers high-quality products, exceptional customer service and custom solutions for virtually any application.

From small businesses and mail counters to large operations and warehouses, parcel and package shipment is a daily occurrence. Many of these facilities routinely use large shipping carriers, such as FedEx®, UPS® and DHL®. In order to more accurately reflect billable weight, these large carriers are now determining shipment pricing based on either dimensional weight or actual weight — whichever is greater. Dimensional weight, often referred to as dim weight, reflects the package’s density — the amount of space the package utilizes in relation to its weight. To determine dim weight, a package’s length, width and height are multiplied, resulting in its cubic size, and then divided by 166 for domestic or 139 for international shipments.

To better maximize carrier capacity and efficiency, dim weight policies prompt shippers to more efficiently package their items with less wasted space and to maintain a higher regard for the importance of package density. Companies who ship packages without properly calculating dim weight will pay increased shipping costs from miscalculated dimensions or due to freight compliance issues. iDimension™ is Rice Lake’s comprehensive dimensional solution. This 3D imaging system is ideal for packages ranging from tabletop flats and polybags to boxes, tubes and LTL multi-piece pallets. Using a high-resolution camera and workplace-safe sensing technology, iDimension converts packages and irregular shapes into accurate, cubed dimensions. Unlike other dimensioning systems on the market, iDimension systems are designed for busy warehouses and shipping departments by requiring virtually no timeconsuming special parcel handling or alignment.

To learn more about Rice Lake’s iDimension Series of dimensional solutions, please visit www.ricelake.com/iDimension.

48 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Rice Lake Weighing Systems

PHONE:

800.472.6703

WEBSITE:

www.ricelake.com

EMAIL:

prodinfo@ricelake.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES

In eCommerce, shipping can be inefficient, but it doesn't have to be. ShipStation makes it simple to import, manage, and ship your online orders fast. With no installation required (we're cloud-based), you’ll be up and running in minutes. Now you can spend less time shipping and more time growing your business.

WHEREVER YOU SELL Integrate seamlessly with all major shopping carts and eCommerce marketplaces. Connect to Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, and over 60 more selling channels. All of your orders, in one place.

HOWEVER YOU SHIP Manage all your shipping carriers and fulfillment providers in one place. Add USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, and over 36 shipping providers in the US, Canada, Australia and United Kingdom. Get the best rates from your favorite carriers.

EXCEPTIONALLY EFFICIENT Customize our interface to your specific workflow needs.

Automate every single eCommerce fulfillment task and shipping decision to save time.

Create hundreds of labels at once with batch processing.

INTEGRATION TOOLS Establish direct connections to your eCommerce, accounting, CRM, and inventory tools. Integrate with Quickbooks, Zapier, Stitch Labs, ChannelAdvisor, MailChimp, and many more.

FLEXIBLE WORKFLOW Access ShipStation anywhere you can connect to the internet.

When you're on-the-go, a computer is not always around. Download the ShipStation Mobile app to bring our web-based software wherever work (or life) takes you.

CUSTOMIZABLE FEATURES ShipStation gives your business all the tools you need to find Shipping Nirvana . Build your own API connections, track inventory, or create return labels. Brand your packing slips, pick lists, confirmation emails, tracking page, and returns portal. Give the entire order experience your personal touch.

Get started today with your free 30-day trial at ShipStation.com!

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: ShipStation

PHONE:

512.485.4282

WEBSITE:

www.shipstation.com

EMAIL:

sales@shipstation.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Shorr Packaging is an industry-leading, award-winning distributor of packaging products, equipment and services. We represent the best-known packaging product manufacturers and brands in the industry and are one of the largest independent packaging distributors in the nation.

With nine decades of industry experience, our extensive portfolio of packaging products and nationwide network of well-stocked warehouses makes us uniquely equipped to accommodate your product needs in a quick, efficient manner. Our customers enjoy the benefits of a dedicated customer service representative and access to our easy-to-use ecommerce catalog and ordering system.

As an employee owned and operated packaging company, we personally understand the costs that come with running your own company — and the pains you take to make sure everything you send out represents the high quality of your business. We have comprehensive programs, solutions and experts that will transform your packaging operation.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Our Products • Corrugated • Tapes & Adhesive • Stretch & Shrink Film • Protective Packaging • Labels & Mailroom • Poly Bags & Mailers

Our Equipment • Bagging Systems • Case Sealers & Erectors • Cubing & Weighing • Workstations • Stretch & Shrink Wrappers • Parts & Services

Our Services • National Programs • Kitting & Assembly • Application Analysis • Managed Solutions • Sustainability Solutions • Packaging Design

Shorr Packaging has a solid reputation of representing the best in packaging equipment and automation. We are experts in serving the following industries: manufacturing, internet fulfillment, distribution, 3PL, food packaging, medical packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, and printing.

For more information, contact us today.

50 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

Shorr Packaging Corp.

PHONE:

888.885.0055

WEBSITE: www.shorr.com

EMAIL:

info@shorr.com

THE

2017-18 With transportation, distribution and fulfillment costs soaring due to a rapidly changing business environment, even the most sophisticated supply chain operations are frequently overpaying. Achieving a competitive advantage in a dynamic global marketplace requires efficient supply chain operations.

Spend Management Experts can help you optimize your spend across the supply chain, reducing transportation, distribution and fulfillment costs by 20 percent or more. Our finance backgrounds and extensive experience analyzing costs relative to vendor profitability enables us to develop effective supply chain optimization strategies.

Our approach is non-invasive to daily supply chain operations. We leverage cutting-edge proprietary models and unparalleled market intelligence to identify savings opportunities. We then build negotiation strategies based on that data and meaningful business cases. Our value proposition is often based on a pay-for –performance fee model.

We offer three categories of service to help you effectively manage spend across all modes: Contract Optimization: Carrier Sourcing, Cost and Profitability Modeling and Market Intelligence.

H O T

COMPANIES

Strategic Supply Chain Planning: Distribution Network Analysis, Outsourcing Impact Analysis, Spend Forecasting & Budgeting.

Audit Technology: Audit & Recovery, Dynamic Reporting, Freight Payment.

The benefits are undeniable; reduced transportation costs, increased operational efficiencies, dynamic reporting and data normalization, greater budgeting and forecasting accuracy and optimized supply chain planning.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

EXECUTIVE STATEMENT

“At Spend Management Experts, we strive to be the leading global provider of transportation, distribution and fulfillment spend management services, all while providing strategic guidance and market intelligence that helps companies optimize costs across the supply chain. Our core services enable us to address the needs of virtually every type of company in any sector. Our team of best-inclass analysts use proprietary cost modeling technology to evaluate client profiles and help them maximize their contracts, resulting in real savings that can be strategically reinvested in their company.

SME will continue to serve with transparency, act with integrity, value client relationships and engage with our community, so we can continue to provide the insights and opportunities that our clients are seeking from us.”

John Haber — Founder & CEO, Spend Management Experts

Spend Management Experts

PHONE:

404.902.5390

WEBSITE:

www.spendmgmt.com

EMAIL:

solutions@spendmgmt.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES WHO ARE WE? Tension Packaging & Automation designs and builds modular and scalable automated packaging, weighing, manifesting and sorting systems for direct-to-the-consumer order fulfillment distribution centers, AND mail order and central fill pharmacies. If you are hand picking and packing items into corrugated boxes, polybags or padded envelopes, then one of Tension’s automated packaging and sorting solutions could be a very cost effective option for you. Using both proprietary equipment and field-proven automation provided by our key partners Tension provides a one-stop solution for your automated packaging and sorting needs.

EQUIPMENT Automated Packaging Systems: From small Sharp SX Tabletop bagging systems, to our unique HPC Horizontal Polybagging system and now our new BoxSizer that cuts down the size of your carton to save big money on void fill and DIM upcharges, Tension can handle almost any packaging need.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Tension Packaging & Automation

Sorters: The G4 is a pop-up roller based system that handles cartons up to 50 lbs. The Z1 is a raised belt based system that handles small light weight polybags up to 10 lbs.

These sort modules can be integrated into and combined with existing equipment used for sorting, weighing, scanning and labeling.

PHONE:

ABOUT OUR COMPANY Tension Packaging & Automation is a division of Tension Corporation. Headquartered in Kansas City, MO., we have domestic design, manufacturing and sales operations as well as a global footprint that extends throughout Asia and Europe. The Company has leveraged its long-time expertise in machinery, paper, and systems coordination into Tension Packaging & Automation by becoming a leading provider of automated order fulfillment packaging and sorting solutions.

EMAIL:

WHY CHOOSE US Tension Packaging brings a totally integrated automated packaging and sorting solution to the pre-pack and direct-to-the-consumer order fulfillment market. Given that we are responsible for all facets of the solution… including concept design, machine, software, consumables, training and support… we remain committed throughout the installation and operation process to make sure your automated pre-pack and order fulfillment solution project goes smoothly and meets all your expectations. We understand the demand to control costs, increase productivity and grow your organization.

855.763.7275 x 4103

WEBSITE:

tensionautomation.com info@tension.com

THE

2017-18 Transportation Impact, a 5-time Inc. 5000 company, helps companies that annually spend a net minimum of $200,000 on FedEx and/or UPS parcel shipping services or at least $500,000 on less-than-truckload and truckload reduce those costs through small package and freight negotiation, parcel post audit, freight audit and freight pay services in addition to our state-of-the-art, user-friendly transportation management system.

The company comes from humble beginnings. In 2008, Keith Byrd and Travis Burt, both then senior-level managers at UPS, left the world’s largest shipping company after nearly two decades, respectively, to launch their own start-up with the mission of providing clients with the most competitive small package contracts in the country.

Then, TI’s headquarters was nothing more than a table and chairs in the 10×20 storage closet of an Emerald Isle, N.C., surf shop Byrd co-owned. The founding partners leveraged their experience to grow the company door-to-door and, eventually, the word began to spread about the spend management firm based in a coastal vacation town along the southernmost part of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

As the company grew, its team expanded to include other former senior managers from various carriers, all of whom brought their own experience from a variety of parcel, and later freight, shipping backgrounds. Through their extensive carrier experience and the development of an effective negotiation process, Transportation Impact has achieved sustained growth by driving measurable results to its clients’ bottom-lines. Today, the company employs a team of more than 60, with more than 300 years of combined carrier experience, leveraging its industry savvy to drive down clients’ net annual parcel, LTL and TL spends by an average of more than 20 percent.

H O T

COMPANIES

By staying true to its core values of work ethic, professionalism, perfection, integrity and passion, Transportation Impact has developed a strong presence in its community and is among the fastest-growing businesses in the country.

The company strives to uphold civic integrity through charitable contributions and public service. Since its inception, the company has donated more than $1 million towards funding scholarships and various community projects and helping families in need.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Transportation Impact

Keith Byrd, Co-Founder Byrd began his 25-year career in the parcel industry with UPS, where he held a variety of positions. Before leaving UPS in 2008, he served as a senior sales manager, covering North and South Carolina. In 1995, Byrd was assigned to the UPS corporate office in Atlanta, Ga. Having earned numerous accolades while with the world’s largest shipping company, Keith envisioned starting a company that could leverage his industry experience to help companies minimize operating costs.

EXECUTIVE STATEMENT

The company has developed strategic partnerships throughout the United States to help clients find additional avenues in which they can reduce their respective supply chain costs.

Byrd served in the United States Marine Corps from 1981-1984 before becoming a member of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol from 1986-1987.

PHONE:

252.764.2885

WEBSITE:

www.transportationimpact.com

EMAIL:

info@transimpact.com

THE

2017-18

In an era of digital supply chain transformation, more companies are turning to an emerging industry asset — an Enterprise Logistics partner specialized in e-commerce with technology-enabled, parcel-centric, multi-modal solutions. Transportation Insight, recognized as a SmartWay® Excellence Awardee for helping clients achieve supply chain efficiency, leverages advanced analytics and deep domain expertise to design strategic solutions that significantly improve parcel shipping programs.

H O T

COMPANIES

Transportation Insight’s robust Insight Parcel™ platform combines Audit, Network Engineering and Advanced Analytics to implement a diagnose first and prescribe later approach that optimizes network efficiencies and maximizes service to end customers.

With decades-deep, operational industry expertise and parcel technology backed by an annual SOC 1 Type II third-party compliance audit, Transportation Insight’s Parcel Audit uses a scientific approach to ensure clients get the desired service at the contracted terms. } Invoice audits: rates, manifested not shipped, address corrections, residential adjustment, duplicate charges } Service audits: guaranteed service, Saturday pick-up/delivery, invalid pickup, lost and damaged packages, early morning } Compliance audits: third-party compliance, improper account usage, inbound monitoring, routing compliance, large package/over maximum limits Transportation Insight’s Parcel Engineering achieves logistics optimization through a three-phase process that better aligns client strategies with the carrier network. } Solutions Assessment: Learn current state, identify goals, service needs and logistics requirements } Program Analysis and Design: Combine deep industry knowledge and proprietary technology for parcel program analysis } Implementation: Help manage RFPs and optimize the small package platform to best meet customer needs Insight Parcel Advanced Analytics further supplements shippers’ parcel programs with powerful data visualization. Transportation Insight collaborates with clients to analyze KPIs such as customer service goals; evaluate trends and expense drivers like fuel, accessorials, zones and weight classes; and improve operational efficiency by enhancing costs, productivity, inventory placement and DC alignment.

As digital business and e-commerce disrupt the global supply chain, Transportation Insight partners with clients to transform their supply chain, reinvent their processes, accelerate performance and create long-term Enterprise value. In a new era of insight, we help our clients evolve to evaluate, innovate and dominate their markets.

54 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

Transportation Insight

PHONE:

877.226.9950

WEBSITE:

transportationinsight.com

EMAIL:

info@transportationinight.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES U.S Cargo a Regional Small Package Transportation Company Specializing In Providing Flexible and Customized Solutions.

U.S Cargo is a specialized regional courier and package delivery company providing consistent, cost-effective, and reliable ground, premium, and customized services. We offer diversified ground services to our customers and provide them with high-value, lowcost solutions. At U.S. Cargo, we identify, design, and deliver innovative, flexible, and service-sensitive transportation solutions encompassing dedicated courier, final mile, pool distribution, parcel, and lightweight LTL. Our solutions create sustainable, longterm value for our customers, business partners, and employees.

U.S. Cargo differentiates itself by offering a personalized approach and commitment to meeting and exceeding our customer’s transportation and logistical needs, whether their requirements are standard or unique. If you need your freight delivered earlier than a standard delivery time, our Premium Delivery Services are available upon request.

We specialize in being flexible when it comes to your shipping of parcels and small packages. The ability to offer customized solutions distinguishes our company from the others. We are able to handle inventory pick/pack and distribution, management of dedicated transportation systems, and white glove delivery services including assembly and installation. And these are just a few of the solutions U.S. Cargo can provide! We work with you on the solution that best fits your supply chain.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: U.S. Cargo

PHONE:

614.552.2746

WEBSITE:

www.us-cargo.com

EMAIL:

inquiries@us-cargo.com

Since 1972, we have provided superior on-time service and optimal package handling. We believe in having a hands-on approach to package sorting, and we offer better shipment integrity than our competition. Only 1 in 6,000 packages in our system experience a claim.

U.S. Cargo’s comprehensive website puts visibility at your fingertips, providing you with full tracking and tracing capability in real time as well as enabling you to conveniently print your shipping labels.

At U.S. Cargo, customers are not just a number. We have a dedicated Customer Service team at both the corporate and the local service station levels in order to ensure that you receive prompt and professional response and follow-up. We pride ourselves in being a strong regional carrier who delivers consistent, cost-effective, and reliable service and solutions to accommodate our customers.

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES

Delivering E-Commerce In today’s direct economy, businesses face greater logistical challenges as consumer patterns keep evolving and online shopping keeps growing exponentially. The United States Postal Service plays a large part in this $1.4 trillion mailing industry — as we make more e-commerce deliveries to homes than anyone else in the country.

Priority: You® Focused on meeting the needs of today’s shippers and tomorrow’s businesses, USPS is consolidating and expanding key advantages like limited DIM weight pricing, no residential delivery and no holiday peak package surcharges, to name a few. All adding to the reliability of USPS: customers and businesses know they will receive their package.

Constant Innovation The Postal Service is constantly pursuing innovations to help businesses better connect with their customers. To meet the shipping needs of online shoppers, USPS introduced Sunday and Same-Day package delivery in certain markets. We also started testing electronic parcel lockers that provide customers with an automated, secured, self-service package delivery solution at no additional cost.

These are some of the reasons why the United States Postal Service continues to deliver for today’s businesses — delivering over 150 billion mailpieces and packages every year to more than 150 million addresses in the country.

ADVERTISEMENT

56 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: United States Postal Service

WEBSITE: USPS.com

EMAIL:

Solutions@usps.gov

THE

2017-18

H O T

SEE. SAVE. CONTROL.

COMPANIES

Veraction is a global leader in Transportation Spend Management solutions. Combining industry-leading, cloud-based applications with best-in-class services, Veraction helps shippers realize savings, visibility and control of their transportation spend across all transportation modes. With a global footprint and range of solutions — from freight and parcel audit to spend analytics and beyond — Veraction delivers transportation spend management solutions that enable companies to manage their critical and significant transportation spend effectively.

Transportation Spend Management At Veraction our Total TSMsm solution is purpose-built as a closed loop spend management solution for transportation; combining and leveraging a best-in-class set of data management and audit capabilities with a rich set of spend intelligence solutions or Transportation Spend Intelligence (TSI). Total TSM represents the next generation of freight and parcel audit and we intend to drive the industry toward comprehensive transportation spend management to finally deliver the capabilities shippers require to better manage and control their transportation costs.

Transportation Spend Intelligence Best-in-class analytics can transform transportation cost data into an advantage for any shipper. Analytics can eliminate the pain involved with managing raw transportation data and converting it into actionable intelligence — reducing the time required to take action.

Veraction delivers transportation spend intelligence through our TSI solution suite, enabling shippers to analyze their transportation spending and answer key questions like “What happened?”, “Why did it happen?”, and “What can I do about it?”. Whether it’s our TSI Insights solution, which captures all spending and KPIs in a best-in-class business intelligence solution or our patent pending TSI Variance Analysis, which quickly lets you measure the changes in your spending and identify the root causes of those changes, TSI gives you control.

Why Veraction Veraction delivers solutions that move beyond traditional freight and parcel audit and enable shippers of all sizes to quickly gain the benefit of transportation spend management — enabling you to better manage and control one of your most significant and complex spend categories.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: Veraction

PHONE:

800.755.0110

WEBSITE:

www.Veraction.com

EMAIL:

Sales@Veraction.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES 10 Truths of Parcel Shipping } Parcel Intelligence goes beyond parcel auditing. } Carriers are thriving while your parcel costs increase. } Upwards of 25% of shipping costs are surcharges and accessorial fees. } Businesses often fail to fully account for shipping as a percentage of the total cost of their goods. } When designing a parcel spend strategy, data and key performance indicators (KPIs) tell the story. } Relying on your gut — or solely a consultant’s personal experience – is leaving money on the table. } Peer and historical benchmarking through billions of data points removes the guesswork of contract negotiation. } Now – before the traditional peak season and 2018 rate increases take effect – is the time to connect with your carrier. } When you understand your shipping profile, everything in your carrier agreement is negotiable. } Smarter shipping is within reach. It starts with VeriShip.

VeriShip is the leader in parcel shipping intelligence, delivering data-driven satisfaction to more than 3,300 businesses through cost savings, fulfillment of parcel carrier promises, and happier customers — quickly, conveniently, and risk-free.

VeriShip's Parcel Intelligence Platform and Carrier Contract Engineering empower businesses with a 3D Approach — data, diagnosis, and design — to parcel shipping optimization that starts with the audit, then goes beyond. Actionable data insights drive intelligent decision making, while on-demand monitoring of key performance indicators ensures 360-degree visibility and parcel accountability.

Get started at VeriShip.com

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY: VeriShip

PHONE:

900.903.3073

WEBSITE: veriship.com

EMAIL:

info@veriship.com

THE

2017-18

H O T

COMPANIES Logistics companies have high demands on the degree of automation for their processes. No matter which application — sorting, incoming and out-going inspection, material flow, storage, order picking or optimal utilization of transport capacities: The basis for optimizing logistical processes is the automated capture and processing of product-, package-, and customer-related data — easily, efficiently and transparently.

VITRONIC Auto-ID systems capture and analyze all relevant information such as bar codes, 2D-codes, customer-specific codes and plain text (OCR) — even several different code types in one image — on up to six sides of different packages. The orientation of the package makes no difference, text and codes are captured even behind foil. Parallel, the volume and weight of the consignment is captured.

Flexible operation according to your needs.

Depending on individual requirements, data on packaging can be captured in a variety of camera-based methods and then utilized efficiently for downstream processes } Manual data capture — camera to goods } Semi-automatic data capture — goods to camera } Fully automatic data capture — inline VITRONIC Auto-ID systems can be installed at any position along the entire process chain — including volume measurement, recognition of deformations and weighing — and guarantee maximum read rates.

CONTACT INFO: COMPANY:

VITRONIC Machine Vision Ltd.

PHONE:

+1 502 266 2699 101

WEBSITE:

www.vitronic.com

EMAIL:

sales.us@vitronic.com

In the past years, VITRONIC successfully implemented numerous systems at well-respected and internationally renown customer’s sites. The systems are used by courier, express and parcel delivery companies, mail order companies, companies from warehousing and distribution as well as in the manufacturing industry for data collection along the entire process chain.

Besides the camera-based systems for the logistics division, the systems are also in operation for industrial automation and traffic technology. VITRONIC, head office in Wiesbaden, was founded in 1984 and is one of the worlds’ leading industrial machine vision companies. VITRONIC has a workforce of more than 800 people on four continents with subsidiaries in Louisville/Kentucky, Melbourne, Dubai, Shanghai and Kędzierzyn-Koźle (Poland). The global network is completed by a number of service centers and partner companies worldwide. Our products are currently in use in 60 countries.

By Rafael Zimberoff

PARCEL IS KING For price-conscious shoppers, here are seven tips to manage shipping costs

L

ately, talking about the future of shipping feels like peering into an old 1950s sci-fi movie complete with flying robots and self-driving vehicles or a steampunk dream featuring blimps and parachutes.

Many of these new innovations strive to offer solutions that will lower shipping costs and address the increasing number of last-mile deliveries driven by ecommerce. Same-day grocery delivery by Amazon and Walmart recently launched, using car services like Lyft or Uber as the last-mile delivery option. However, mainstream use of drones and many

60 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

other innovations are still years away.

In addition, a 2016 McKinsey study found that, despite increasing availability of same-day and instant delivery, only 20-25% of consumers would pay significant premiums to receive their items instantly. More than 50% of ecommerce buyers still choose the lowest priced option, while another 20% prefer the cheapest available home delivery.

This means that regular parcel delivery (delivered several days after the order) should continue to play a major role in your e-commerce strategy.

Most small business shippers know the basics for saving money, like using

the smallest, lightest packaging, using USPS First Class Package for everything up to a pound, negotiating rates with carriers, and using an advanced postage system. However, when profit margins continue to narrow, it is more important than ever to watch your bottom line and make the most of all the shipping options available to meet your customer’s budget and delivery needs.

SEVEN TIPS FOR MANAGING YOUR SHIPPING COSTS 1. Use a Cloud-Based Shipping Solution An online app gives you a central place to compare shipping rates, print shipping

is expanding into the small- to mediumsized business (SMB) market.

3. Choose the Right Pricing Model a. Free Shipping: This is often used to avoid abandoned carts but, depending on your margins, free shipping can cut into your profits. Free shipping works best for high-margin items and low-shipping cost items.

A minimum sale to qualify for free shipping helps balance out shipping costs with higher profits. b. Flat-Rate Shipping: This is best option for companies shipping commodity items of a similar size and shape. Base prices on the average cost of a package. Pricing can reflect either order totals or weight ranges. With the right formula, merchants can get close to covering their actual shipping cost, or you can try it for a week.

You know what your average actual cost is. Try setting your store to that shipping amount store-wide for a week and then evaluate. labels, send customer confirmations, and track shipments. Cloud-based shipping services work like you work: from anywhere, any time. Another benefit of a paid third-party application is that more information is handled automatically and most offer discounted carrier rates, if you haven’t negotiated your own.

2. Rate Shop Every Shipment Shipping rates and surcharges are unpredictable. Save money by comparing rates and delivery times for every shipment. Do this interactively (one order at a time) or in bulk (using automation rules in the shipping system). The key is to actually see all your services and rates for each actual shipment. There are too many variables to simply say “3 lb., zone 4, goes ground.” You need to know the right service to use for each shipment.

There has always been proprietary rate shopping for high-end warehouse applications, but rate shopping capabilities with real-time pricing transparency

c. Exact Shipping Costs: Shopping carts make it possible to set up real-time shipping quotes. Customers can pay your actual expected cost, sale by sale. This is a good option to use for heavy or oversized shipments.

4. Remember, Most Customers Still Value Cost vs. Speed As stated above, there are products and industries where up to 25% of customers are willing to pay a premium for speedy delivery using a car delivery service, including groceries, small electronics, and automotive parts. For most shipments, however, customers are not willing to pay enough of a premium to justify instant delivery. Do your research, know your business numbers, find out how your competitors are handling shipping, and offer shipping options in alignment with your industry and margins.

5. Consider Hybrid Last-Mile Delivery If speed is not a factor, hybrid services like SurePost by UPS and SmartPost by

FedEx can cost a lot less than standard UPS and FedEx delivery options if you meet size and dimension requirements.

These services pick up packages at your business and ship them by UPS or FedEx to the post office closest to the destination. The local mail then makes the final delivery.

6. For Oversized and Bulk Shipments, Less Than Truckload (LTL) Freight Might Be an Option It is important to use the most costeffective service to meet your customer’s budget and delivery needs. Again, if speed is not an issue, looking into LTL freight for shipments too big or expensive for parcel shipping could save over 50% as compared to parcel shipping costs.

7. Streamline Your Shipping Operations with Automation Rules If you ship dozens of packages a week, using a best-in-class shipping service lets you pre-program all your shipment options in automation rules. This saves you time and ensures the smartest (or cheapest!) shipment every time.

For example, a company could rate shop three carriers and ship using the cheapest service that gets the package there within three days.

Drones, self-driving cars, or parachute deliveries may be the future of shipping.

These innovations could someday help lower shipping costs and become a regular part of your fulfillment tool box. But for now, automate, evaluate all fulfillment options, listen to your customer’s budget and delivery needs, and continue to use parcel to help manage your shipping costs.

Rafael Zimberoff is the founder of ShipRush, recently acquired by Descartes Systems Group, the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, performance, and security of logistics-intensive businesses. ShipRush is a Seattle-based software company that specializes in serving small- and medium-sized businesses with shipping solutions. Visit www.shiprush.com.

JULY-AUGUST 2017  PARCELindustry.com 61

PREPARING YOUR WAREHOUSE FOR PEAK SEASON Are you ready to meet your customers’ needs once the holidays hit?

M

any retailers are starting to plan now for the 2017 holiday shopping season — some even began planning immediately after last season’s rush. Not everyone needs large strategic transformations to prepare their supply chains for peak season. Most oftentimes, there are a handful of small, and sometimes simple, adjustments that can be made to increase throughput, boost system performance, and maximize the effectiveness of your labor force.

Check out these four best practices that can transform your holiday readiness strategy into a well-oiled machine.

SYSTEM TUNING Many organizations have system “jobs” that must finish prior to productive work being started or that require downtime from operations such as pick waves, shipment confirmation, or batch order load. As volume increases, typically waves take longer to run, which cannibalizes operational activity time. There are actions that can be taken to minimize

62 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

or neutralize this impact and extend outbound processing hours such as: Reducing the amount of active data through a purge and archive strategy Boosting platform horsepower either permanently or temporarily during the holiday season Reviewing and enhancing processing jobs to increase efficiency and speed Creating multi-threaded jobs where single-threaded exist TRAINING AND ONBOARDING Most retailers increase their workforce leading up to and through the holidays with variable capacity contract labor to absorb increased volume. To maximize their effectiveness while minimizing total cost, it is critical to establish a highly operative onboarding/training program to get them up to speed as fast and efficiently as possible. A company’s traditional training program should be enhanced to create real world, hands on, situational education for its temporary workforce. Extra investment in this incredibly important variable in holiday preparedness will have guaranteed ROI.

Companies should carve out areas of their warehouse and create simulation areas that mimic the actual work activities as close as possible. The more advanced the training is, the faster the holiday workforce will come up to speed and become productive.

PROCESS STREAMLINING There are simple process changes that can be made through system configuration or physical layout optimization that will make significant performance and throughput improvements. Small performance gains, multiplied by hundreds or thousands of instances a day, add up to serious improvements, especially during the heightened volume holiday season.

Areas of common gain are: If picking with paper or labels, there is often time required at the beginning to sort or burst these into groups or by task to facilitate picking. This process can be laborious and time consuming. Many times, there are small amounts of information that can be easily added to these documents that will

By Broc Pittsford, Mike Krabbe, and Bo Hicks

significantly reduce the amount of up-front, non-value-added time and get the picking started earlier. Many distribution centers have suboptimal picking paths implemented, or the physical layout may have changed since initially implemented.

For example, moving from a “U” pick path that travels down one side of an aisle and back the other side to a “Z” pick where you take one path down the aisle toward the shipping area can save 20-30% of overall travel time. You can relocate supporting materials necessary during operations such as pallets, corrugated boxes, and value added services areas. By optimizing the layout of these materials, you reduce wasted time and unnecessary travel by 15-25%. During times of higher volume, the focus is on getting the right product into shipping containers and out the door. Consider creating some additional packing areas to handle the increased volume. If you pick into temporary cartons or totes, consider picking to the final shipping container and bypass the

whole packing step altogether. Your material flow throughout the DC can be analyzed and changed to produce a leaner path. You can also review each process flow and identify which steps are non-value add and take steps to drive those and the associated waste out the door.

Small gains realized on high volume processed add up to big wins.

DUST OFF THAT LM MODULE Did you purchase a labor management module with your WMS but haven’t used it yet? Someone once said that the best time to plant an oak tree is 30 years ago. The second-best time is right now.

If you haven’t gotten this off the ground yet, getting the full benefit that a labor management system and program can generate by the holiday season (15-30% productivity gains) will be tough. However, you can get good visibility into your workforce’s productivity, set some reasonable performance expectations, and measure the temporary holiday workforce.

Broc Pittsford is a Director in enVista’s Supply Chain Solutions practice. Broc brings more than 17 years of experience to enVista’s supply chain consulting division. As a Director, he oversees supply chain execution projects on the iSeries and Windows platforms and is involved in project and program management engagements as well as IT strategy for the company.

Mike Krabbe is a Director in enVista’s Supply Chain Solutions practice. Mike has over 16 years of experience in supply chain technology systems implementation. Mike has assisted multiple clients by improving their warehousing operational performance through optimizing slotting strategies, designing warehouse layouts, and developing scalable warehouse processes.

Bo Hicks, Senior Sales Director at enVista, brings over 13 years of Supply Chain and Manufacturing expertise as well as solutions implementation experience. His responsibilities at enVista are focused on client delivery in supply chain strategy, network analysis, technology implementations (TMS, LMS, WMS, OMS) and facility design & build services both domestically and internationally.

JULY-AUGUST 2017  PARCELindustry.com 63

IT’S GRI ANNOUNCEMENT SEASON: NOW’S THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR 2018 Estimate the effect of carrier general rate increases now so you’re not surprised later.

By Andrew Brueckner

I

If UPS and FedEx follow their 2017 timelines, general rate increase (GRI) announcements for 2018 are on the horizon.

No matter when they are announced, it’s important not to wait for New Year's Day to prepare for their effects (or April, when you review your first quarter parcel spend and panic at the sticker shock).

In fact, it's never too early to answer the fundamental GRI question: Do I know what to expect and how to adjust for next year?

Anticipating what's to come will provide you the intel to make data-driven decisions for 2018 and re-engage with your carrier reps to ensure your parcel costs are within your control. As we dive into how parcel shippers should plan for — and mitigate — these inevitable increases, let’s look back at recent history to find our jumping-off point.

RATE HISTORY IS INSTRUCTIONAL By examining recent trends in GRI, we

64 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

announcements are an indication, the percentages may be even lower than those 10-year averages. Since 2014, yearly rate increases have decreased: FedEx air has averaged 4.4% and UPS a smidge under five percent. For both, ground has been consistently 4.9%.  Carriers are more creative with surcharges and other fees. A more generous GRI will be more than offset by surcharge changes. Just look at what’s happened recently: revised DIM thresholds, peak season surcharges, increased minimum charge floors, and more frequent fuel surcharge calculations, to name a few.  Carriers will continue making it hard to “comparison shop.” After the carriers broke from their longtime alignment by diverging in base pricing last year, it seems unlikely they come back together this year.

can get a better sense of what to expect from 2018 announcements and identify tangible impacts on parcel spend for various shipping profiles. Last Year: For 2017, average rate increases by UPS were 4.9% for ground and air service types. FedEx, meanwhile, also increased ground by the 4.9% average, while air jumped 3.9% on average. Last Decade: Since 2008, average rate increases for ground have consistently been between 4.9% and 5.9%, while air has been fickler across carriers, with a low of 3.9% and a high of 6.9%.

With this knowledge, we can make a few assumptions when trying to predict GRI impacts for 2018: Air and ground increases are unlikely to deviate from the post-2008 mean.

For UPS, that's a 6.1% average increase for air versus a 5.5% increase for FedEx. Ground rates have been 5.3% for both carriers.  In fact, if the past four GRI

GRI IMPACTS ON PARCEL SPEND: A CASE STUDY It's worth remembering — and this is very important — that GRI is an average percentage across all service types and accessorial categories. If a business uses every service type and is charged every fee or surcharge at equal rates, sure, you're likely to be affected by the increase at, or close to, the announced GRI rate.

Truth is, no shipper operates that way, which means no shipper is seeing flat 4.9% or better increases across their package volume.

To make this more concrete, let's look at the pre-negotiation shipping profiles of two companies I work with. Company A, a supplier of construction materials, had about $800,000 in small parcel shipping volume in 2016 — more than 99% via ground, which increased by 4.9% for 2017. But the rate increases for its most common accessorials were more burdensome: 8.2% for its most assessed surcharge. All told, Company A's average GRI was 5.2% and projected to add more than $41,000 to its shipping spend year-over-year.

Business B is a multichannel retailer shipping close to $5 million annually — almost half via ground, another 35% 2-day, and a sizeable percentage via home delivery. The average GRI for those service types was 6.7%. Across the board, Business B saw an average GRI of 6.4% and projected parcel spend increases of $315,000 in a single year.

The lesson: don't assume that 4.9% will apply to you by default.

NEXT STEPS FOR PARCEL SHIPPERS Once GRIs are official, and before the busy holiday season, contact your carrier rep and ask, “How will this affect me?”

Remember, they have the data.  Like you would with car repair estimates or medical diagnoses, always get a second opinion. Connect with your parcel auditing and contract negotiation partner and ask the same question you ask your carrier rep. You'll receive a more objective perspective and, if they’re thorough, they'll also have data — yours, plus billions of data points collected over years to establish benchmarks that align with you shipper profile. If you don’t have a parcel intelligence company working on your behalf, now’s the time to find one.  In ongoing discussions with your carrier rep, work toward mitigating potential impacts for 2018 and beyond.  Model what your budget should look like for 2018 and plan accordingly, including opportunities to make operational changes to offset rate increases. When rates go into effect around the new year, monitor, monitor, monitor.

While UPS or FedEx make big fall GRI announcements, don't assume they won't continue to tweak to their advantage. You still have negotiating power if costs don't mesh with projections.

Andrew Brueckner is the Vice President of Business Solutions at VeriShip, the leader in parcel intelligence. Backed by a team of data scientists and 10+ years of benchmarking data, Andy and his team work with shippers to understand and optimize their carrier contracts. He can be reached at andrew. brueckner@veriship.com or 913.933.3519.

JULY-AUGUST 2017  PARCELindustry.com 65

REDEFINING THE FINAL MILE OF DELIVERY How is the explosive growth of e-commerce affecting shippers and carriers alike?

By Andrea Obston

F

ree, fast, and all-inclusive.

Those words sum up the challenges for those in the final-mile space. Shifts in shipper and consumer expectations have changed the whole landscape for carriers in this sector. “The expectations of shippers, consumers, and even carriers are all connected,” points out OnTrac executive Rick Chase, a board member of the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA).

The biggest impact on those expectations is fueled by e-commerce. “Expectations have changed with the evolution of e-commerce,” says the president of Relay Express, Jim Bernecker. “As the e-commerce behemoth lumbered along, consumer expectations escalated. Before e-commerce, you would order something from a catalog company and you were happy if you saw it within two weeks.

Then, along came e-commerce and all of sudden, shippers were promising five- to seven-day deliveries. Then, next-day and same-day. Today, we’re seeing even great-

66 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

er refinement of service expectations. As shippers look for competitive advantages, they are exploring four and even two-hour delivery windows.”

Those escalating expectations have been good news for the customized logistics and delivery providers. “The ‘I need it now’ push from e-commerce has grown the last mile. That’s good news for the members of our industry who are particularly well-suited to meet those demands.

As e-commerce drives more parcels into residential delivery, that’s had a very positive effect on what we do,” says Chase.

But there’s another side to consumers’ increased demands in e-commerce. Not only do they want it now, but they expect free delivery. “The public sees free shipping in every ad. That’s their expectation,” points out Bernecker. “But there’s no such thing as ‘free shipping.’ Someone has to pay for it. And the big shippers don’t want those costs to cut into their profits. The price points they expect from carriers and the volume they promise don’t support what it costs us to make those deliveries.

That’s the biggest challenge that’s hit our industry. Right now, the rate structure the shippers want doesn’t allow for us to do all that’s expected from the final mile. The chasm between what shippers expect and what they are willing to pay is greater than ever.”

Changing Expectations in White Glove As e-commerce expands into larger items, like sofas and big screen TVs, the expectations for residential white glove deliveries are also evolving. “I think of it as different shades of white glove delivery,” says Bernecker. “White glove deliveries can go from ‘egg shell white’ to ‘wedding white.’ Is ‘white’ curbside delivery? Does it include debris removal? Or the set-up of a dishwasher and removing the old one?

White glove can go from simple delivery to set-up, installation, and plumbing.”

For example, Bernecker’s company does white glove deliveries of dialysis machines. White glove here means delivering the machine, setting it up, showing the patient how to use it, picking up the older

machine, and even bringing the unused dialysis fluids back to the shipper.

It’s no secret that residential white glove is especially demanding, and it’s getting more so. “There’s more and more residential interaction than ever before in the last-mile space,” points out Bernecker. “But that doesn’t mean the price points have come up. And the pressure from some shippers to cut costs can be challenging. I’m concerned about the increased demand for what we see as unsafe deliveries. These are two-man deliveries, but shippers don’t want to pay for a two-person crew. So, they claim these are one-man jobs. For example, we’ll be told to deliver patio furniture. The sticker on the box says, ‘Team lift required or warranty may be voided.’ But the shipper wants it to be a one-man delivery. ‘Just slide it out of the truck,’ they tell us. So what do we do? If you send one man and it’s damaged in delivery, that’s going to be on us. If you send two men, the shipper won’t pay for both of them. It’s a real problem.”

Big Shippers as Change Agents It’s no secret that the big players in the shipping space are driving change and raising consumer expectations. “There are many large shippers in the e-commerce space, but clearly Amazon has been the major change agent among them for years,” says Chase. “They changed the customer experience and carriers have had to adjust their services to meet those expectations.”

And it’s not just carriers that have had to respond to Amazon’s influence.

Chase points out that some of the biggest retailers like Walmart have had to step up their game to compete. For example, Walmart responded to Amazon’s recent push into grocery delivery by filling grocery orders in their stores and partnering with Uber and Lyft to deliver them. And they have added a feature that allows customers to order groceries and other items online and pick them up on their way home from work and avoid any delivery expense. Distribution centers are not set up for that kind

of customer experience, so it will be interesting to see if this plays out as an advantage for the more traditional brick and mortar retailers.

Both of these industry experts believe that regional and local carriers have the experience and flexibility to adapt to the increased challenges developing in the final-mile sector. “We’re fast and we’re nimble,” concludes Chase. “We need to be open to change and to seize the new opportunities it presents us. That’s how we’ll profit from the on-going changes in the final-mile sector.”

Andrea Obston is Director of Public Relations for the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA). The CLDA is a non-profit professional association that leads the time-critical logistics and delivery industries.

The association promotes advocates, educates and provides networking and business opportunities for those involved with the time-critical customized delivery community.

JULY-AUGUST 2017  PARCELindustry.com 67

ADDING USPS SHIPPING SERVICES TO YOUR PARCEL CARRIER MIX Don’t make the mistake of only focusing on the Big Two; sometimes the USPS is a cost-effective option for your shipments.

H

ave you been considering adding USPS shipping services to your parcel carrier mix but are unsure what the savings might be? Perhaps you are unclear about the various service options, unsure if your shipping systems can process this change efficiently, or uncertain how a change may affect your client’s customer service experience?

Not Your Father’s Postal Service Many companies continue to ship exclusively via UPS and FedEx. Some

68 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

have reported feeling like a “rat in a wheel,” pushing all available volume to satisfy volume- or revenue-based incentives, or simply because it is how they have always done it. Perhaps you are not aware of the many improvements to package tracking, or that Priority Mail (PM) now has a defined delivery time with free insurance. Many shippers have dipped their toes in the water and use USPS services, via a manual process, for PO Boxes, APO, FPO, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and other US Territories, but have yet been willing to jump in by automating USPS as a choice for “best way” routing.

USPS dominates Residential Delivery: In 2016, USPS delivered 62% of all residential deliveries, according to an industry update from Stifel. While the USPS struggles to get Congressional reforms and relief from the poorly constructed 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA), its market share continues to grow with the explosion of e-commerce shipping.

With free Saturday pickup and delivery, shipper-friendly dimensional pricing, and no hidden surcharges, there are many opportunities where the USPS offers a better value over the national private carriers.

By Gordon Glazer

SWEET SPOT While there are several ways to add the USPS into your carrier mix, let’s focus on the most popular.

Reverse Logistics (Returns): The longest component in (C to B) reverse logistics is how long the return package spends riding in the trunk looking for a UPS/FedEx drop-off location. Consumers like the convenience of a free home pickup offered by the Postal Service.

Moreover, convenience is a critical piece of the customer experience. Consider the fact that the Postal Service has the country’s largest retail network. In fact, it’s larger than McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Walmart combined.

Outbound and Returns, Less Than a Pound: First Class Package Services (FCPS) is flat rate (no zones), ouncebased program that beats every option out there except for Parcel Select Lightweight (PSL). FCPS is a premium service with two- to four-day delivery to every address in the country. It does not require special packaging and, like First

Class Mail, travels by air to the outer zones and is delivered six days a week at no additional charge. PSL packages are picked up by consolidators and inducted deep into the postal network for last mile delivery. Consolidators include UPS, FedEx, Newgistics, DHL, and OSM Worldwide. These services are a viable alternative when lower costs trump the need for faster speed.

Recommendation: Make sure you record these transactions as ouncebased FCPS or PSL, since many systems default to the more expensive PM or Parcel Select (PS) that use pricing that is based on one-pound increments, which is more expensive, especially for longer distances.

Outbound and Returns, Greater Than a Pound: Here is where the lines begin to blur, so it depends on which service you choose and how the price compares to your existing carrier negotiated rates.

The only way to know is to do a study; start by accumulating a six-week data set that includes all accessorial charges and consolidate costs by tracking number for each service level, billed weight, and zone combination (lane).

Compare these landed costs to USPS PM and PS by lane to identify savings opportunities.

Flat Rate Upside: Besides direct comparisons using the weight and zone, a more difficult comparison integrates dimensional charges and service options. Many shippers are still coming to grips with UPS and FedEx increases relating to package dimensions instituted over the last couple of years. The USPS has not changed its Dim policies, and these are more favorable (no dimensional rating under one cubic foot threshold, balloon rating for Zones 1-4, and 194 dimensional divisor for Zones 5-8). In addition, they offer Priority Mail Flat Rate, Priority Mail Regional Flat Rate, and Priority Mail Cubic options that can potentially provide upside to your weight/zone savings assessment.

Best Practices: List shopping cart shipping options by desired delivery date rather than specific shipping method, and capture the destination ZIP Code early in the process to offer

service and pricing options based upon transit times. Use best way routing logic in the background to create delivery options. Make sure all accessorials charges, dimensional charges, minimum weight, and other charges are included.

A similar process at time of shipping will open all best way opportunities to save money while satisfying the client’s expectations.

Make sure your shipping system captures dimensions, choose the smallest size packaging to protect contents, consider polybags to minimize dimensional impact, and configure routing rules to consider USPS PM Cubic.

International: There are many choices when it comes to international shipping.

One of the biggest differentiators is how the carriers handle brokerage fees and the collection of duties (if any). The USPS acts as its own broker so brokerage is always included. However, if any duties are owed, the recipient must pay at time of delivery. This may have the undesired effect of the recipient refusing delivery, so plan accordingly. The USPS offers six different ways to ship International. One of the most competitive service offerings is the USPS First Class Package International Service (FCPIS), which is ounce-based up to 64 ounces (four pounds) and includes basic tracking to most countries.

There are many ways to add the USPS to your carrier mix. The timing is right, the USPS is a viable willing partner with competitive offerings, and is ready to deliver for you. Jump in, the water is fine!

Gordon Glazer, CMDSM, CMDSS, MDP, MDC is a Senior Consultant, USPS Specialist at Shipware LLC, an innovative parcel audit and consulting firm that helps volume parcel shippers reduce shipping costs 10%-30%.

Gordon is a postal industry veteran with over 30 years’ experience and is a sought-after speaker and industry thought leader. He welcomes your questions and comments, and can be reached at 858.879.2020 Ext 108 or gordon@shipware.com.

JULY-AUGUST 2017  PARCELindustry.com 69

UNDERSTANDING OUR INVOICE What is FBAP, and why are my costs higher without it?

F

reight charges can represent up to 10% of a company's total costs. Fuel surcharges and fees drive that cost even higher, and we trust that what our contract says is what our invoice hears.

In the world of transportation cost management, auditing invoices can become a clerical routine that gets pushed to the “to-do” pile. But Freight Bill Audit and Pay (FBAP) is a key part of a company’s supply chain and should be seen as intelligence, not inconvenience. Some companies opt to manage FBAP internally — others outsource freight payment. Is one way better than the next? How do we outsource a process so inherently internal?

70 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

BY BRITTANY BEECROFT

The process is actually quite simple.

The freight payment company receives the freight bills directly from the client’s carrier(s). The bills transmit via paper or EDI (electronic data interchange) and enter into the freight company’s system — seamless and instant visibility (albeit paper is as instant as manual entry allows). EDI opens up many online reports — carriers provide us business intelligence; we just need to know where to look to find our negotiating leverage.

As the data enters the system, the audit begins. What does an auditor review? The general assumption is late packages, which is true but very shortsighted. We want our outside

partner to pre- and post-audit. Generally, the auditor is also experienced as your negotiator. But we don’t want someone touching our agreement who hasn’t performed due diligence in understanding our account to date. We want the pre-audit done to ensure linkages are complete, revenue trends are consistent, and tariffs are correct. We want our post-audit to verify any changes made to the invoice or agreement are effective, including a change in rates.

Auditors are also looking for errors in mileage, fees, fuel, duplicate payments (did you generate a label and not use it? You may have been charged for that label even though it didn’t leave the dock.) Once the data is reconciled, the invoice is paid. Who pays depends on the service you selected. Freight Audit companies generally don’t pay the bills

— they verify the charges. The responsibility of paying the invoice is with your company. FBAP includes paying on your behalf. If payment is important, you’ll want to confirm with the company prior to signing a contract (as well as verify if they audit globally as well).

So where is the business intelligence part of this service? We want to know the ROI if we agree to outsource something that seems like pennies in savings.

Let’s do some quick math. The cost for a company to internally process and pay invoices is about $12. Shifting that expense to a consultant will reduce that $12 by seven to 10%. Reduce by another two to four percent for the actual audit — the pennies quickly add up to dollars. This is your money being recovered. Most clients see audit savings between three and five percent on their total freight spend. And, unlike negotiations where the shipper does a bit of the heavy lifting to earn the savings, with the audit, once the consultant has access to the data, the savings — not busywork — become routine.

The intelligence has always been there — we just may not know the where and what of our data. This is what the auditor provides. It's no secret engaging with an outside auditor will come with its own cost, generally in gain share or transaction based agreements. So, we want to feel good any risk is generously outweighed by reward — and you should.

Consultants aren’t just capturing your data, churning numbers, and sending a bill. They are trending, analyzing, and forecasting. Auditors create numerous

standard and ad hoc transportation reports for review. They can look at high-level country statistics and just as easily drill down to a specific shipment moving in a specific city in a specific weight break.

Auditors can manipulate this data by mode (parcel versus LTL/LTL versus rail) to verify you are using the most cost effective carrier, rate guide, and lane. Using this often-untapped intelligence, shippers can make better business decisions — from just a mundane audit.

We understand the potential rewards of outsourcing. What are the potential risks of not? Internal processing requires a certain level of expertise. Quite simply, you have to know what you likely do not know. You need the resources to adequately capture data. If you process bills manually, your team must be familiar with every item on the invoice and be able to marry it up with the data — and be able to effectively recognize inconsistencies to perform a clean audit.

You need the staff to support all these functions. And you need the finances to support all the staff. If you can’t recoup adequate audit savings, you run the risk of not covering the expense of processing in house.

Regardless of volume or mode, companies need to consolidate freight invoices. Ideally, you should be electronic.

Paper invoices not only run the risk of being lost — especially if you do not consolidate — but also you lose your ability to manipulate and analyze bills and data, unless you have someone manually enter all the metrics, which is a guaranteed time (and money) killer. Get everything

on one invoice for review to streamline Accounting’s workflow… and sanity.

Watch the GRI. Billing errors can, and will, occur at any time of the year. But the Christmas gift we get in the form of a rate increase potentially inflates the likelihood of overages. The ‘norm’ is to charge the increased rate on the effective date, which for many is expected.

But if you have any caps, freezes, or adjustments to your base rate (on freight, fees, or fuel), you will want to keep a close eye on your bills. The base rate is the foundation of your net rate. If you’re starting out of the gate wrong, the errors will only multiply point forward.

Watch the time frame to file errors as well. The statute of limitation to recover overages and errors may not be evergreen. If you haven’t had an account review with your carrier sales representative in the past year, or if you aren’t familiar with your current agreement and amendments (perhaps you stepped into a new role and inherited shipping in your wheel house), take the time to confirm the expiration period on billing adjustments and reimbursements.

Why outsource FBAP? To create a penny protecting partnership. How great would it feel to recognize through outsourced data mining and rate auditing every invoice could be reduced 15%? Never assume if the invoice is correct the freight isn’t overcharged.

Brittany Beecroft is Regional Sales Vice President as AFMS. She can be reached at 304.374.4739 or brittany.beecroft@afms.com.

Freight Bill Audit and Pay (FBAP) is a key part of a company’s supply chain and should be seen as intelligence, not inconvenience.

JULY-AUGUST 2017  PARCELindustry.com 71

PARCELCOUNSEL

BACK TO BASICS, AGAIN: THE SIXTH RULE OF CONTRACTING REVISITED

By Brent Wm. Primus, J.D.

I

n the November-December 2016 issue of PARCEL, we took another look at the first rule of contracting: know with whom you are dealing. In this installment of PARCEL Counsel, we will revisit my sixth rule for contracting: keep a copy. At this point, you may be saying to yourself, “thanks for pointing out the obvious;” however, let me explain.

At a point in time when transportation contracting, as opposed to simply being governed by the carriers’ own tariffs, was in its infancy, the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) issued a decision that set the stage for modern contracting.

This was a very significant decision and was subsequently appealed and upheld by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In its decision, the ICC was addressing the validity of a contract between a large shipper and a motor carrier.

72 PARCELindustry.com  JULY-AUGUST 2017

The shipper introduced into evidence an original contract, an addendum No. 1, and an addendum No. 3. Addendum No. 2 could not be located and, indeed, no one was sure if it ever existed. The shipper prevailed; however, in a slightly different scenario, the missing addendum could have been a fatal error leading to an unfavorable outcome.

A more recent example is when I asked a client to send over a copy of its current contract with a particular motor carrier. While I thought that this would be a simple request, it wasn’t. As you may be aware, transportation contracts will usually consist of a primary contract document… and separate schedules relating to rates and charges, and so forth. In this instance, gathering the contract was not at all easy.

It turns out that the body of the contract was stored on one person’s computer and the various schedules were stored on the computers for the various business persons most affected by the schedules. Eventually, all of the parts and pieces of the contract were rounded up, but this is certainly not the best practice.

I realize that this may at first seem to be much ado about nothing and just more paperwork to attend to.

However, it must be kept in mind that one of the primary purposes of a transportation contract is to address

and minimize legal risks in the shipper-carrier relationship with the goal of avoiding litigation in the future.

However, when litigation does occur, someone must be able to take the stand as a witness and testify under oath that a certain document represents the contract, in its entirety, that was in effect on a certain date or for a certain period of time.

It must also be kept in mind that in the absence of a properly written, individually negotiated contract, the bills of lading issued by the carrier become the “contract for carriage.” Accordingly, copies of the bills of lading and related documents, e.g., delivery receipts, payment invoices, evidence of payment, should be retained and readily available. I am not unaware of the fact that the carriers are subject to federal regulations governing the retention of these records; however, when a dispute arises, a shipper does not want to have to be in the position where they must go to the carrier to get copies of the contract documents… whether it be bills of lading or individually negotiated contracts.

All for now!

Brent Wm. Primus, J.D., is the CEO of Primus Law Office, P.A. and the Senior Editor of transportlawtexts, inc. Previous columns, including those of William J. Augello, may be found on the PARCEL website at http://parcelindustry. com/by-author-1130-1.html. Your questions are welcome at brent@ primuslawoffice.com.

WRAPUP

THE SECRET IS OUT! Michael J. Ryan

party negotiator (3PN) could help, but most 3PNs are not interested in any shipping volume under $1 million. This means the shipper needs to be creative in their approach.

Let’s take a look at the drivers in this process: 1. Volume: Most SMBs ship fewer than 200 shipments per day. This volume is under the threshold for most shippers to get a good discount from the USPS or private carriers, especially for the parcel select service.

I

f you are a small- or medium-size business (SMB), do you feel like you are spending too much on shipping? Most likely, you are. Many large shippers carry enough clout to negotiate with the large carriers, but SMBs do not have that luxury. The big carriers call the SMBs “LVHM” (low-volume, high-margin accounts), pronounced “love ‘em.” This is driven by the notion of higher discounts for higher volumes. This is a very practical pricing tactic. However, the e-commerce world is getting rattled by Amazon. From free shipping to next-day delivery, the smaller merchants need to find more effective and creative ways to compete. The most logical solution would be to negotiate a new agreement, but the two big carriers tend to “bucketize” SMBs based on volume to protect their margins. However, maybe a third-

2. Mode/Weight: With more shipments going to residential addresses, it is critical to optimize the service type for each shipment. It is no longer an option to just send it via ground. This will make you less competitive with Amazon in a nanosecond. FedEx and UPS offer “Parcel Select” services but at a much higher price point.

3. Technology: Most of the big carriers offer their proprietary shipping platforms for free.

This may look enticing but could lock you into one supplier at a higher cost.

There are many multi-carrier shipping platforms that can allow for parcel optimization.

They may charge a monthly fee, but it will be recovered very quickly.

One of the big concerns in

looking at moving away from one of the two big carriers is that you have a change in your rate discounts or incentives. It is important to understand your incentive bands and what the impact would be if you moved volume from a current carrier. A very effective strategy would be to make these changes at the same time. It is critical to do the analytics on your business before making a change.

There are many organizations that can provide a financial impact analysis.

This all sounds great, but how do I execute this strategy? There are many 3PLs and e-commerce fulfillment companies that have this leverage with multiple carriers… you just need to find them. As Amazon continues to be disruptive in the e-tail industry, it is imperative for merchants to find the most cost-effective way of shipping their products to consumers. The consumer experience (CX) will drive the growth or decline of all merchants.

The secret is out… now you need to act on it.

Michael J. Ryan is the Executive Vice President at Preferred Parcel Solutions and has over 25 years of experience in the parcel industry. He can be reached at 708.224.1498 or michael.ryan@ preferredship.com.

JULY-AUGUST 2017  PARCELindustry.com 73