/ By zipxpress / Miscellaneous/ 0 Comments

Happy Holidays from Zip Xpress!

2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. Yet in spite of those challenges, we found a lot to be grateful for. We’re grateful that our team rose to the challenge by providing great service to every customer and providing solutions in the midst of a pandemic. We’re grateful for our customers who collaborated and communicated with us to ensure their supply chains faced as little interruption as possible. During this holiday season we hope that you find what you’re most grateful for and are able to treasure that time together.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from Zip Xpress!

/ By zipxpress / Sustainability/ 0 Comments

Sustaining Sustainability

Trucking and other supply chain operations were not always leaders when it came to sustainability, however many sectors of the American economy are seeing the benefits of sustainability initiatives. This is a trend that will only continue since the benefits include: cutting costs, reducing waste, and a net positive impact on the environment. By staying focused on sustainability initiatives, logistics companies can help maintain our nation’s infrastructure, reduce carbon emissions and be viewed as a shining example for the rest of the economy.

Sustainability isn’t a branding campaign that supply chains must commit to in order to improve their image. Instead, it is a cohesive strategy to lower costs, waste and increase efficiencies for the long run. While certain green efforts may require an upfront investment in resources, they will inevitably lead to reduced costs over time. In order for such efforts to be effective they require the buy-in from executives and must be put front and center for a company’s goals.

Some sustainability recommendations for logistics companies would include: creating routine maintenance schedules for all vehicles to maximize fuel efficiency. Suggest and advise ways manufacturers can reduce or better yet, eliminate packaging from all shipments. Eliminate all empty space within trailers by optimizing shipments and reducing the number of ‘empty’ trucks on the road. These are only a handful of steps companies can take in creating sustainability initiatives. By creating your own, the logistics sector can make an incredible impact towards sustainability and set an example for the American economy to follow.

At Zip Xpress, we understand the necessity of sustainability initiatives and strive to do our best in this area. All of our services are directed towards eliminating packaging, reducing space within our trailers and providing customers with Carbon Summary Reports which show the amount of carbon emissions a customer has eliminated. These are only a few examples of the ways we sustain sustainability, and to see the rest for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

/ By zipxpress / Custom Carrier Solutions/ 0 Comments

Logistics Jobs You’ve Never Heard Of

When it comes to logistics jobs we all know about truck drivers and dispatchers, which are integral parts of the supply chain, although they are not the only parts. There are hundreds of logistics jobs that take place behind the scenes; many of which you may have never even heard of. These crucial employees play an important role in keeping our freight moving and our drivers busy, and provide a lucrative opportunity for those seeking to get into logistics.

Route Analyst – This operations role is responsible for compiling data about routes that are currently being serviced and for identifying opportunities to make them more efficient. Route analysts often work with dispatchers and driver managers to come up with ways to maximize driver loaded miles and increase overall profitability for carriers.

Logistics Analyst – Logistics analysts are responsible for maximizing efficiency across the entire supply chain – not just within the routing. This means they evaluate data that pertains to materials purchasing, production, and manufacturing as well as modes of transport. By keeping up with industry trends, logistics analysts can make recommendations on how a company should be operating throughout every step of a product’s lifetime.

Pricing Manager – Pricing managers work with shippers to quote freight shipments, analyze pricing, and prepare RFPs. The pricing manager builds rapport with shippers and helps them identify the best way to meet their customer’s needs in the most economical manner.

Customer Service Representative – Customer Service Reps help shippers and consignees in a variety of ways including tracking shipments, setting up delivery appointments and producing custom reporting for shippers. They also work behind the scenes to ensure shipments are running on schedule and deliver on time.

Procurement Manager – A procurement manager is in charge of choosing suppliers to facilitate supply chain operations. These suppliers can be raw materials providers, warehouse facilities, or freight carriers. In this role, the manager evaluates the services provided and negotiates rates with sales reps.

Load Planner – Load Planners work hand in hand with shippers and consignees to build efficient routes which also meet all of the customer’s expectations. This role requires great flexibility and the ability to make changes in a fast paced work environment to accommodate customer needs and last minute shipments.

Logistics Engineer – This is a highly technical job requiring strong math and science skills. A logistics engineer uses data from the logistics analyst to come up with ways to streamline all processes throughout the supply chain. This can be through implementation of new software, development of more complex distribution funnels, or by creating algorithms to choose the best suppliers for a particular product line.

At Zip Xpress, we understand that people are what make a company successful. It is because of our dedicated employees we’re able to provide great customer service and ensure that every delivery reaches its destination undamaged and on time. Our hope is to show others the opportunities available in logistics and to enhance the supply chain with great people. It’s because of great people that companies can offer great service. To see our services for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

/ By zipxpress / Custom Carrier Solutions/ 0 Comments

The Future Supply Chain

When we think about the future of an industry, several things come to mind. We can almost always say that there will be technological advances, more automation, and a more global approach. Those things are all likely to be true for the future of Supply Chain, but they aren’t the only certainties that we can look to. In a year that has inevitably changed the world, there is no doubt that supply chains will focus on technological advances and cutting-edge ideas, but we will also see changes in attitudes and strategic planning in the upcoming years.

Supply chains across the world were shocked by the COVID pandemic in the early part of 2020, but in time they adapted and are running smoothly again. As we look forward, any organization with a sophisticated supply chain knows that it can’t run in the same fashion as it did in previous years. Pandemic planning will become an integral part of training and implementation in order to prevent bullwhip effects as well as drastic losses due to unforeseen circumstances. We may not have seen it coming the first time, but we now know that we must be prepared for anything in future forecasts.

A more positive takeaway from the COVID crisis is that there has been an increased focus on collaboration and relationship building. Shippers who had strong supply chain partners were better equipped to handle the pandemic than those who didn’t, and smart shippers will continue to pursue these partnerships. The ad-hoc model of simply matching freight to a random truck when it is needed is already losing favor among many customers, and we can expect that trend to continue. If we’ve learned one thing from 2020, it’s that we are all in this together and that we need to build strong relationships in order to succeed in the future.

At Zip Xpress, we understand what the future supply chain looks like. Our focus on communication and collaboration allows us to provide the best service possible to our supply chain partners and provide the custom carrier solutions they need to ensure their products arrive undamaged and on time. Shippers who collaborate with their carriers will find themselves far ahead of the competition and able to adapt to new circumstances quicker. To see how a custom carrier solution can be applied to your business, start today with Zip Xpress!