EFT’s Annual 3PL Selection and Contracting Report

Logistics Customer Satisfaction Drops, Shippers and 3PLs on Different Wavelengths – EFT Report

March 24, 2015, London, UK - EFT’s Annual 3PL Selection and Contracting Report breaks-down many of the key components in the dynamic between the Lead Service Provider (LSP) and the shipper relationship. In summary it provides insights on the critical topics shippers and LSPs are tackling to achieve success in their respective industries and in collaborate together.

This report represents a thorough analysis of the selection and contracting process of contract logistics from perspective of both logistics service providers and their customers – namely manufacturers and retailers. The report also asks some critical questions on future technology, and the impact this is going to have on the relationship between LSPs and their customers.
 
Some of Key findings this year include:

·         40%+ of manufacturers and retailers expect their logistics providers to have some understanding of driverless vehicles
·         19.2% of Manufacturers and Retails are already using 3D printing in their businesses
·         94% of industry executives think drone delivery is inevitable
·         43% of industry executives think the Internet of Things will have a huge impact on supply chain and logistics.
·         4% increase in customer dissatisfaction
·         China remains a primary target for growth for 3PLs and Customers alike

Click here to view the infographic now and download the report.

MBLX Inc. Announcement

Transportation veteran brings 30 years of experience to growing company

NEW ORLEANS, LA– MBLX Inc., a division of Livingston International, today announced the appointment of Mike Edwards to the newly created position of Director of Business Development.  Mr. Edwards will be responsible for generating new service options for customers while expanding MBLX into markets that utilize rail and truck transport as extensions of the river network.

“Mike is a highly qualified logistics and supply chain professional. His diverse experiences from 30 years in logistics as both a shipper and carrier offer a unique perspective that will enable us to develop innovative service offerings for our customers,” said David Schulingkamp, President of MBLX and Vice President, U.S. Freight for Livingston. “We’ve had an excellent professional relationship with Mike for many years and are glad to now have him on our team.”

Prior to joining MBLX, Edwards managed the transportation functions for Nucor’s Gallatin steel mill at Ghent, KY.  Previous roles include Sales Director for American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) where he oversaw the movement of steel, steel-related commodities and various bulk products.  As Transportation Manager for the David J. Joseph Company, he was responsible for barge, truck and rail movements of ferrous scrap for America’s largest scrap trading company.

Edwards earned a Bachelor of Science from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business where he majored in transportation management.  He is an associate member of the American Society of Transportation and Logistics.


About MBLX (www.mblx.com)
Founded in 1983, MBLX has excelled at barging cargo throughout America’s inland waterways while providing customized shipping solutions both on and off the river for a variety of commodities and cargoes -bulk, breakbulk, project and over-dimensional. MBLX was acquired by Livingston International in 2013.

About Livingston (www.livingstonintl.com)
North America’s number one company focused on customs brokerage and trade compliance, Livingston International also offers trade consulting, global trade management and freight forwarding.  Livingston employs over 3,200 staff at 125 key border points, sea ports, airports and other strategic locations across North America, Europe and Asia.

TMSA Announces Details of Logistics Marketing & Sales Leadership Conference

Minneapolis, March 23, 2015 (MindShare Strategies Media Services) – The Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA) announces program details for the upcoming TMSA Logistics Marketing & Sales Leadership Conference, to take place June 7-9 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

"The event is designed specifically to meet the educational and networking needs of marketing and sales executives in the North American transportation and logistics industry," said Hernan Vera, managing partner for Sales Outcomes, and TMSA's education committee chairman.  The event will include more than 30 sessions featuring best practices; relevant marketing topics such as digital media strategies, content management, advertising and outsourcing; and critical sales topics such as CRM, lead management, and successful proposal development.

The event's keynote speaker, Bill Butterworth, will provide ideas on how to find a healthy balance of work and life, along with the importance of collaboration between marketing and sales within an organization. The event also will feature a shipper panel of transportation and logistics executives with manufacturers and retailers who will provide insights on what makes a successful partnership with carriers and providers.

About the Transportation Marketing & Sales Association
The Transportation Marketing and Sales Association (TMSA) provides knowledge, connections, recognition and solutions to marketing, sales, and communications professionals in the transportation and logistics industries. Member companies include motor carriers, railroads, air carriers, ocean lines, 3PLs, OEMs, media and suppliers, and account for more than $300 billion in revenue each year. For more information, visit www.TMSAtoday.org.

The Port of Savannah Reports on Sustained Growth in all Sectors

The Port of Savannah moved more than 284,000 twenty-foot equivalent container units in February. 

Savannah, Ga. - March 23, 2015 - The Georgia Ports Authority marked strong and sustained growth across all major markets in the month of February, including bulk, breakbulk, autos and machinery, and containerized freight.

"The additional cargo attracted to Georgia speaks to the reliability and ease of doing business in this state," said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. "More freight moving through GPA terminals means greater opportunity for the people working at more than 21,000 businesses shipping cargo through Georgia's ports."

In containerized trade, the Port of Savannah achieved a 14.2 percent improvement in February, for an increase of 35,287 twenty-foot equivalent container units. A total of 284,037 TEUs moved across GPA docks. For the fiscal year, GPA has moved 2.32 million TEUs, an increase of 13.7 percent or 279,882 TEUs. Georgia's deepwater ports have seen similar fiscal year increases across all business categories, with breakbulk cargo up 11.2 percent (183,562 tons) to reach 1,821,830 tons. Bulk cargo has improved by 6.9 percent (127,731 tons) to reach 1.99 million tons for the eight-month period between July and February.

In automotive and machinery units, the GPA saw 8.9 percent growth in February, up 4,734 units to reach 57,654. Colonel's Island Terminal in Brunswick led the growth, moving 55,482 units of roll-on/roll-off cargo. For the fiscal year to date, the GPA has moved 464,638 auto and machinery units, up 5.8 percent, or 25,648 units.

Also in the month of February, bulk commodities such as soybean meal and peanut pellets improved by 14.8 percent, and breakbulk cargo, such as iron and steel, spiked 24.8 percent.

"Georgia's ports are truly firing on all cylinders," said GPA Board Chairman James Walters. "Our ports are powerful engines, creating economic opportunities throughout the supply chain."

Also Monday, the Ports Authority heard a report on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's contract award to deepen the port's 18.5-mile outer harbor to 47 feet at low tide.

In other business, the Authority:

• Approved $10 million for Phase II of construction for a new Gate 8 and empty container depot at Garden City Terminal at the Port of Savannah. The project, totaling $27 million, will help the terminal to handle higher than expected container volume growth.
• Allotted $3.7 million for earthwork on 50 acres on the south side of Colonel's Island at the Port of Brunswick. The work will help prepare the site for potential customers.
• Approved construction of a third phase of the Anguilla Rail Yard in Brunswick, Ga., aimed at increasing capacity to handle growing rail volumes. Improvements will include the construction of two additional storage rail tracks of approximately 4,200 feet in length for each, and an approximate total cost of $2.7 million.

Georgia's deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 352,000 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $18.5 billion in income, $66.9 billion in revenue and $2.5 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia's economy. The Port of Savannah handled 8 percent of the U.S. containerized cargo volume and 10.9 percent of all U.S. containerized exports in FY2013.

C.H. Robinson Drives Efficiencies for Global Proppant Supply Chains

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN (March 12, 2015) — Now, more than ever, proppant manufacturers and oil and gas companies should pay close attention to their supply chains. Driving efficiencies while ensuring a continuous and ample supply of ceramic proppant, a product that is essential to many oil and gas fracking operations, is at a premium especially in the United States.

“Today’s game changer is going to be the oil and gas companies that can drive down their supply chain costs by improving efficiencies and adding visibility,” said Kent Stuart, director of oil and gas for C.H. Robinson. “The speed of fracking requires a nimble, global supply chain that can be up and running in a moment’s notice.”

With over 20 years of expertise in the oil and gas industry, C.H. Robinson understands the demands and complexities of shipping proppant, and can help companies improve their global supply chains with the right combination of expertise, processes, and innovative technology as explained in this white paper.

Click to Tweet: Why #oilandgas companies should pay close attention to their #supplychain http://bit.ly/1xgqc7Q @CHRobinsonInc

By analyzing their current supply chains and offering integrated solutions that keep the rigs pumping and proppant in good supply, C.H. Robinson helps oil and gas companies rethink how their supply chains work now, and how a more streamlined supply chain can give them a clear edge over their competitors.

“Oil prices can change dramatically and without warning,” said Chris O’Brien, chief commercial officer at C.H. Robinson. “To survive market fluctuations, leading oil and gas companies need to take a more strategic look at their supply chains. Success in this industry will go to businesses that are proactive with their planning.”

Transportation costs can easily account for 40-70 percent of the value of the heavy, dense ceramic proppant, which can mean dramatic savings for companies who can manage their spending over time. With multiple currencies, languages, government regulations, service gaps, and surging demands, global ceramic proppant manufacturers have one of the most complex supply chains in the oil and gas industry. With supply chains stretching from China, Russia, or South America to remote oilfield locations in North America, proppant manufacturers must coordinate with an array of independent transportation suppliers, transportation providers, warehouses, and transloaders, often without visibility to their freight in transit.

C.H. Robinson is applying its global network, standardized processes, and proprietary Navisphere® technology to add visibility and drive efficiencies into the ceramic proppant supply chain. By utilizing one of the largest ocean, air, and over the road carrier networks in the world, C.H. Robinson is helping these companies remove valuable time from the supply chain while creating global visibility and providing actionable business intelligence that drives continuous improvement.

About C.H. Robinson
Founded in 1905, C.H. Robinson is a global provider of multimodal logistics services, fresh produce sourcing, and information services to 46,000 customers through a network of more than 280 offices and over 11,000 employees around the world. The company works with 66,000 transportation providers worldwide. C.H. Robinson is a Fortune 500 company and had annual revenues of $13.5 billion in 2014.

Through the company and its Foundation, C.H. Robinson and its employees contribute millions of dollars annually to a variety of organizations, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Community Health Charities, American Red Cross, Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota, and Global Impact. The company is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and has been publicly traded on the NASDAQ since 1997. For more information about C.H. Robinson, visit http://www.chrobinson.com.

SUNTECK APPOINTS NEW CIO

March 4, 2015 – Jacksonville, Fla. – SUNTECK, a leading provider of agent-based, multi-modal transportation solutions, has hired Sean Clancy as Chief Information Officer (CIO), responsible for the continuing development of technology capabilities for SUNTECK’s growing agent network.

Sean brings over 20 years of experience to this role, including a unique blend of strategic business expertise, a broad project background and technology innovation. He has a proven track record of building and leading top-performing business-critical technology, enabling stakeholders to leverage and optimize IT capabilities in alignment with business and sales strategies.

"Sean’s expertise and commitment to innovation will be invaluable as we continue to meet the needs and priorities of the business and our agents,” said Ken Forster, Chief Executive Officer.

Prior to joining SUNTECK, Sean was vice president of global information systems with Kuehne & Nagel, Inc., a global logistics services company providing seafreight, airfreight, contract logistics and overland business services.

Sean is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin (Whitewater) with a BBA in Management Computer Systems and a BBA in Human Resource Management.

About SUNTECK 

With brokerage and capacity divisions, SUNTECK operates as a multi?modal transportation solutions provider through a network of sales, operations and capacity specialists. It offers a business process outsource program through which independent agents represent SUNTECK in the freight transportation marketplace. This agent network services shippers throughout the United States and Canada. Brokerage services include full truckload, less than truckload, intermodal, expedited, oversize and over-dimensional, and distribution & logistics. Capacity services include domestic and ocean import/export traffic, dedicated equipment, over-the-road van and temperature-controlled, flatbed and drop-deck services, drayage, and yard spotting.

For more information, please visit www.sunteckinc.net.

The Canadian Courier & Logistics Association to Join CLDA Annual Meeting

WASHINGTON, D.C., Mar. 5, 2015 – For the first time, The Canadian Courier & Logistics Association (CCLA) will become a part of the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association’s  Annual Meeting.   The CCLA will hold its business meeting on May 7 and participate in the full CLDA Annual Meeting from May 6 to 9, 2015 at The Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin in Orlando.  Members of the CCLA will also attend the meeting for the CLDA members-only registration fee.

The CCLA is a 30-year-old professional association of Canada’s time- sensitive delivery and logistics services providers.  This non-profit organization has a broad-based membership of time-sensitive delivery and logistics services providers operating in Canada.  Their membership represents 80 percent of the Canadian courier market.  Its members include such large providers as Purolator, FedEx, UPS and DHL as well as some of the country’s smaller providers. In total, the CCLA’s members employ or use the services of over 100,000 Canadians, maintain operations across Canada and generate annual sales in excess of $10 billion per year.

“We wanted to have our meeting at the CLDA conference because our members have told us that it’s a wonderful gathering of industry professionals.  Many of them have wanted to attend,” said CCLA President and CEO David Turnbull.

“We are delighted to welcome the members of the CCLA to our Annual Meeting,” says Jason Burns, chair of the event.  “In the past, we’ve had some of their members attend and we expect move to come this year because of this new arrangement.”

The 2015 CLDA Annual Meeting is called the “The Complete Package: Shipping, Networking and Education”.  The meeting will offer opportunities for participants to attend workshops, network with others in the industry, connect with agents who can expand their delivery territories and share common problems and solutions.  They will also learn about the latest tools from cutting-edge vendors that work with the customized logistics and delivery industry.

Over 450 shippers, transportation companies and vendors are expected to attend.  In addition to the two Shipper Sessions, they will participate in workshops on such topics as: Emerging opportunities offered by shipping marketplaces; measuring performance and progress; new opportunities in cold chain delivery and successful responses to RFPs.

There will be a number of events dedicated to getting supply chain executives and logistics and delivery companies together on a one-on-one level to develop joint business opportunities.   .

Those registering before April 3, 2015 will get a $100 discount.  After April 3, the cost for CLDA and CCLA members will be $825 and $1,005 for non-members.  Sponsorships and booths for vendors are available and include registration fees.  On-site registration is available for an additional charge.

For more information, go to www.theclda.com or contact CLDA at info@theclda.com

About the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association:

The Customized Logistics and Delivery Association connects shippers and carriers to keep the global supply chain running.  The association opens the doors to business success for delivery companies, logistics providers and the shippers who rely upon them.  Members handle the expedited shipping needs of large and small shippers across North America.  CLDA has been providing business opportunities, professional development, trend spotting and advocacy for all of those involved with time-critical and last-mile deliveries since 1987.  For more information see www.theCLDA.com.