/ By zipxpress / Industry Partners/ 0 Comments

The State of Plant Nurseries for 2023

One of the industries that we have had the privilege of expanding into providing solutions for would be the Garden & Plant Nursery Industry. Plant nurseries have a real need for additional care in getting their shipments to their destination undamaged since these plants are alive and are sensitive to temperature. This week, we’re highlighting some of the trends of plant nurseries for 2023 and how these trends will affect your business.

Gardening is Good for the Mind

There is no shortage of studies which state that gardening is good for mental health. Other studies have shown that being around and caring for plants helps reduce stress, which has been vital for many people over the past few years. This trend has shown no signs of slowing down, as people and offices want more plants in these spaces. The demand is so great that many plants which aren’t even traditional houseplants are being brought inside. Expect a diverse range of orders this year and develop a transport plan that will protect these plants until they get to their destination.

New Victorian Style

While the result is likely from popular television series set in Victorian Britain, there has been a remarkable resurgence in demand for roses, hydrangeas and lilacs. Many gardeners are in search of the ‘cottage look’ for their gardens and they’re returning to plants they likely saw in their mothers or grandmothers gardens. Expect an increase in demand for all of these inherently delicate flowers, with a plan to ensure their safe transport so that they’re ready for planting this spring.

Temperature Controlled Transport

The latest trend for plant nurseries from our perspective is that many nurseries are looking to reduce the loss they experience from shipping their plants ‘dry,’ that is on a truck without any form of protection. Nurseries aren’t just looking to minimize their losses, many are looking to eliminate them altogether. Nurseries have been turning to temperature controlled trailers which provide the optimal temperature for all of the plants inside the trailer, rather than gambling against the elements or hoping for protection within a masterbox. A temperature controlled trailer helps eliminate unnecessary damage to the plants and is a far more sustainable solution in the long run for nurseries.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of helping your customers develop a beautiful garden. That’s why we provide nurseries with a variety of solutions that will help their plants get to their destination on time and undamaged. We can provide a temperature controlled service from the time of pickup until the plant’s arrival at its destination or we can even provide temperature control for the entire duration your plants are within our care. These solutions will help ensure your plants will arrive hydrated and healthy, right on time for spring planting. To see all of the custom carrier solutions that we can provide your nursery, start today with Zip Xpress!

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Office Furniture & Working From Home

Last week, we created our state of the industry to provide our partners in the office furniture sector a glimpse into the trends that we believe will be affecting their business in 2023. There was one area that while we knew it was part of a larger trend, it was an area that we wanted to address as its own article due to the unique nature of shipping.

The trend is: working from home and its impact on office furniture shipments

As many associates and organizations develop work from home policies that work for their businesses, a trend we’ve noticed is there has been a rise in smaller furniture orders requiring shipment to residential addresses. This is no doubt due to a desire to provide a better work from home experience by having office furniture shipped directly to a valued associate’s home office. While this trend has admirable intentions, it has proven to be a tricky challenge to navigate for many carriers. The reason why it’s so tricky? Many may not realize that we as carriers can only deliver using semi trucks, and it can be quite a surprise for everyone when one of our semi trucks arrives at a residential address for a delivery.

These shipments to residential addresses put a lot of strain on carriers compared to deliveries to a commercial building with a dock. Shipments to residential addresses will likely incur additional fees based on the carrier, and oftentimes carriers can’t get to a residential address due to local laws inhibiting a semi truck ability to deliver the shipment. Yet as the situation continues to evolve, there is little doubt that solutions will present themselves, whether that be coordinating a pickup location at a terminal for the customer or some other means. It is important to remember the value of coordinating and communicating with your carrier when it comes to work from home office furniture shipments.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of protecting office furniture. We will work with your organization to provide the guidance you need in order to navigate this trend and provide you with the custom carrier solutions that will get your shipments to their destination on time and undamaged. We are one of the best carriers in West Michigan when it comes to shipping office furniture and have maintained a 99% satisfaction rating with all of our customers. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

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The State of Office Furniture for 2023

One of the industries that has overcome many challenges over the last few years has no doubt been the office furniture industry. While many organizations are seeking the right fit for how they work, office furniture manufacturers are working hard to accommodate every office environment. The goal of every office furniture manufacturer is to provide the products that companies need to help associates do their best while they’re in the office. In turn, our goal is to provide the solutions these office furniture manufacturers need to get their shipments to their destinations on time and undamaged. This week we outline the trending products that will make a big impact in 2023 as well as the strategies we use to protect these shipments while they’re in our care.

Standing Desks

With associates focusing more on movement and being conscious about the amount of time sitting at a desk, standing desks have seen an increase in popularity due to providing associates with the option for different positions throughout the course of their day. Many associates want to be able to shift how they work throughout the day and standing desks help provide flexible options in the workplace environment. Since standing desks are made from a variety of materials, including wood, steel and or laminate, they are all in need of extra care during shipping. Some of the solutions we utilize is our blanket wrap solution as well as additional straps to help prevent movement during transport. However, standing desks are not the only office feature seeing an increase in orders, since companies are placing a higher emphasis on collaboration.

Collaboration Tools

Many offices are seeking to increase collaboration between associates, which means there will be a likely increase in tables, whether they be for the conference room or the break room. Since many associates come to the office for collaborative work, the need for tables, chairs, whiteboard and other collaborative tools will see an increase in demand. Due to these tables being constructed from a wide variety of materials as well as their irregular shape, they would also benefit from our blanket wrap solution as well as a few other methods used by our freight handlers to secure them during transport. While collaboration is vital for success, there is still the question about what these new offices will look like. To design these new office layouts, companies will need partitions.

Partitions

It can be argued that partitions are more important than ever when it comes to office development, especially since associates intend on using the office space for different purposes. Some wish to collaborate, some want a focused cubicle to work in. Others prefer a one on one meeting space. Whatever the reasons may be, partitions will be in high demand to design the best office layout for your customers. To protect these we can also provide our blanket wrap solution as well as additional layouts inside the trailer that will ensure your shipment will get to its destination on time and undamaged.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of helping you develop the most effective office space for your customers. Whichever part of the office environment you create, we’re here to help you get it to your customer on time and undamaged, period. We know what it means to provide associates with a productive and professional work environment where they can accomplish all of their goals while in the office. Whatever the challenge you face in getting your office furniture to your customer’s doors, we have a custom carrier solution that will help you get it to them on time and undamaged no matter what. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

/ By zipxpress / Miscellaneous/ 0 Comments

Happy Holidays from Zip Xpress!

To all of the drivers who have made sure that all deliveries were made on time. To all of the carriers who kept our supply chain running this year. To all of the shippers who kept making the products we both wanted and need. To all of the people working diligently in the background, keeping shipments on track as they make their way to their destination. Finally, to all of the customers who make all of this possible. We wish all of you a wonderful holiday season full of laughter with your loved ones and a Happy New Year!

/ By zipxpress / Custom Carrier Solutions/ 0 Comments

Ongoing Supply Chain Resilience Strategy

As businesses assess their goals for the new year, many of them can begin to rest easy as supply chains are starting to loosen. Companies are able to secure parts in a much more reasonable timespan and manufacturers are able to maintain steady levels in production. Yet while many of the supply chain knots are starting to loosen, there is little doubt that there will be additional challenges up ahead.

To prepare for this, many businesses are addressing their supply chain resilience and are understanding that it’s more than focusing just on suppliers, it’s about developing resilience across the entire supply chain. How is this accomplished? By focusing on partnering with the suppliers and carriers that make sense for your business, providing you with the value that your business needs to not just thrive, but grow. Once you have the right partnerships in place, communication strategies are necessary to keep the flow of information available, allowing you to respond quickly when needed.

When it comes to selecting the right relationships for your supply chain it is important to work with companies that understand your industry and are able to provide you with the solutions you need to keep your business running. Working with companies that are reputable for great service will give you peace of mind knowing that your product(s) will be taken care of. Building and maintaining these relationships will allow you to learn about every part of your supply chain. This knowledge will help you know where (and when) things go wrong, but also allows you to determine the best solutions for your customer.

Another important relationship to develop is with a reliable carrier as your transportation partner. This relationship will provide you with the best solutions when it comes to getting your shipments to their destination on time and undamaged. Your carrier will also have other networks that you can tap into, along with helping you gain insights into your supply chain, and providing you with additional transparency when you need it most. Now, even with these relationships built, you need to develop a communication plan with your supply chain partners to ensure everything is moving smoothly.

Developing a communication plan and keeping lines open between suppliers, vendors and transportation partners allows you to assess any situation quickly and make the right decision for your customers. When these communication plans are in place, you’re able to move forward with confidence and to know that there is little you can’t accomplish with the new year.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of preparing your supply chain. We have worked with many manufacturers who specialize in unique freight, providing them with the custom carrier solutions and strategies they need in order to grow their businesses. This experience in exceptional service combined with our desire to provide the right solutions are some of the many reasons why we maintain a 99% satisfaction rating with all of our customers for over 20 years. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

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Great Service Should be a Phone Call Away

One of the great pushes in today’s world is a push for digital transformation, and there is little doubt that technology is making our world more efficient and productive. However this great push for technology often comes at a glaring cost: there are too many who believe that increased levels of efficiency justifies a reduction in great (or even good) service.

Yet time and again when businesses are asked what they look for when selecting a partner for their supply chain, respondents don’t list competitive pricing, speediness of payment or even claims handling as their biggest concerns. Their biggest concerns are whether or not the customer service department will be responsive to them. They want to deal with a company that will take their phone calls and answer their questions or concerns. They want a business they can partner with who will help them solve their problems, not add on to them. There isn’t anything more frustrating than when you have a question but can’t speak to a person in the effort to solve it, especially when it comes to something as vital as shipping.

There are still many questions that businesses have when it comes to shipping. They want to understand the landscape and the challenges we’re currently facing. They want to be able to create viable plans and strategies that will ensure the growth of their business and the continuation of their legacy. If a business is not able to trust in the service capabilities of their supply chain partners, then we’re doing a disservice by not helping them. We do not want to leave companies scrambling for solutions – we already have an inherent need for good service in the logistics sector. The more we can help a shipper find the right solutions for their business, the stronger the sector as a whole becomes.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand that great service should only be a phone call away. We strive to help shippers with whatever their needs are, providing them with the custom carrier solutions that will help their business not just thrive but grow, no matter the environment. Whenever you call Zip Xpress, you will speak with a human being, never a machine. Almost everyone here can help provide you with a quote and we’re always asking how we can help. We deeply believe that there is no substitute to working with a person when it comes to getting your shipment to its destination on time and undamaged. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

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Capital Equipment Shipping Strategy

As business owners consider their financial strategy for the year, one of the crucial areas for consideration is investment in capital equipment. Whether you’re looking into upgrading machinery or expanding your operations, investing in equipment can provide a multitude of benefits for your business. These benefits include: increasing productivity and improving employee morale. Let’s examine just how these benefits can impact your business.

The first benefit of investing in new equipment is increased productivity. New machines are far more efficient, which allows you to produce more parts at a faster rate. New machines may also allow you to provide additional services to customers, giving you a chance for additional offerings that they would welcome. These benefits in tandem will inevitably help your business keep growing.

The second benefit when investing in new equipment is an increase in employee morale. Seeing a machine that keeps breaking down can have a demoralizing effect on your business, especially for your associates. Add to this the loss in productivity with the machine being down, along with the resources allocated to continuously fixing the machine. Finally, there may be safety issues with older machines, which can leave associates with a feeling that their safety doesn’t matter. When they see that you’re investing in your business, it shows that you’re investing in them, which can have a profound effect on morale. Now that we understand the benefits of investing in capital equipment, the question becomes: how do we get it to your shop? 

There are a few ways to get capital equipment to your shop (or your customers). Whichever option you choose, be sure to work with a dependable carrier that specializes in moving unique freight. This is not an area where you should seek cut-rate service, especially if you’re concerned about damaging your new equipment. It takes expertise to move such valuable freight and you’ve no doubt spent time determining the right machine for your shop, why put it at risk with an untested carrier?

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of getting your new equipment to its destination on time and undamaged. We’re one of the most reliable carriers when it comes to helping businesses get their equipment delivered to the shop floor on time and undamaged. There is nothing worse than seeing a new piece of equipment that you have invested a lot of resources into arrive damaged before its even been turned on. Our freight handlers are specialized in handling unique freight, incorporating bars, straps, blankets and any other tools/methods necessary in protecting your shipment. We’ll also work with you in scheduling pickup or delivery, in the timeframe that suits your business. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

/ By zipxpress / Miscellaneous/ 0 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving from Zip Xpress!

This year has been a year filled with blessings all made possible by all of the people connected with Zip Xpress. It is the people involved with this company – from our associates to our customers who have helped us become a premier provider of custom carrier solutions. We are so grateful to all of you and look forward to continue serving you for many years to come. Happy Thanksgiving from Zip Xpress!

/ By zipxpress / Custom Carrier Solutions/ 0 Comments

Trailer Maintenance and the Benefits to Your Supply Chain

While not covered in a lot of media, there is a drastic shortage at the moment for trailers in the logistics sector. There are a multitude of reasons for this shortage, some of which include:

  • Trailers being used as temporary warehousing
  • The cost of materials and 
  • Lack of production

As a result of these factors prices have skyrocketed for both new and used trailers. To combat the rising prices, many carriers will need to use what they have which will require many shippers to perform additional due diligence when it comes to selecting a carrier to handle their shipments.

What sort of due diligence? A shipper needs to be confident that carriers are investing in their equipment, especially their trailers right now. With trailers being sold at a premium, many carriers may be simply running these trailers longer than they should in the hopes of getting extra mileage. This could result in an increase in breakdowns when getting your shipments to the customer. Carriers that utilize proper maintenance schedules can extend the lifespan of a trailer by a significant amount. As long as these trailers are being properly inspected, maintained and repaired, there is less likelihood of preventable breakdowns from occurring.

How is a shipper to know if a carrier is performing routine maintenance of their trailers? Well the first step is to ask if they have a maintenance policy on their equipment and what that entails. If they mention their trailers, ensure they’re performing repairs of tires, airlines and brakes which all go a long way in preventing a trailer from falling into disrepair. Additional maintenance of trailers is absolutely crucial at a time such as this, especially for many carriers because the cost of these trailers is prohibitive. Performing your due diligence to ensure your carrier’s trailers are maintained will also ensure that your shipments will receive the care they deserve. After all, if a carrier isn’t paying attention to their trailers, how will you know if they’re paying attention to your shipments?

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of proper trailer maintenance. Our drivers notify our office about any concerns they may have with their truck or trailer. We also have dedicated maintenance schedules for our entire fleet where we inspect the machines and schedule for repairs with a dedication maintenance professional. We care deeply about the state of our equipment and believe that proper maintenance allows more satisfaction from our drivers who in turn are happier in getting shipments to their destination on time and undamaged. Plus our dedication to our equipment shows the level of service you can expect for your shipment while it’s in our care. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!

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The Perception of The American Trucker is Changing

Last Thursday, the group Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) released the results of a poll they conducted on how Americans perceive truck drivers. The reason for the poll was to measure the impact of awareness as well as education campaigns targeted at American motorists. The national poll which was conducted Sept. 7-14 by Public Opinion Strategies on behalf of TMAF, surveyed 1,000 registered voters.

The results of this poll? According to the TMAF’s co-chairman Kevin Burch: “The image of the trucking industry is stronger than ever!” Some of the key findings included:

  • 87% of voters have a favorable impression of the trucking industry.
  • 97% of Americans believe the trucking industry plays a “very important” role in the country’s economy.
  • Three-quarters of Americans rate the industry’s safety record as “excellent” or “good.”
  • 96% of Americans stated that truck drivers are essential to keeping the country’s economy moving.
  • 85% consider truck drivers to be professionals.
  • 78% believe that truck drivers have higher standards for safety than other drivers.
  • When voters were asked which group of workers should be considered “essential or critical” to the country in times of crisis, trucking ranked top three along with grocery store workers and healthcare workers.
  • More than 40% of Americans say they know someone who works in the trucking industry, and their impression is more favorable of the industry at 87%.

We’re deeply proud to see such results when it comes to the perceptions of truckers in the industry. It’s clear that the past few years have highlighted the importance of drivers to our nation’s economy and made it apparent just how important they are to the American supply chain. One of our goals has always been to show just how much we as a country need our drivers and give them the respect they deserve. It is our hope that Americans will continue to view drivers with respect and realize just how important it is to keep goods getting to the customer.

Here at Zip Xpress, we understand the importance of showing how much drivers matter to the supply chain. Drivers are the face of a logistics provider and can make or break an experience. We’re proud to say that all of our drivers are friendly and will do whatever it takes to help you with your shipment – both with pickup and delivery. Many other businesses that have had the pleasure of working with our drivers claim that they’re some of the friendliest in the business and always appreciate working with them. It’s one of the many reasons we’re able to maintain a 99% satisfaction rating with all of our customers. To see for yourself, start today with Zip Xpress!