At Louisville Switching, we understand that there are many steps that happen before cargo arrives in your shipping yard. The question then arises, what is the best way to get the cargo from point A to your company's receiving docks? There are lots of different ways to accomplish this task, but for the purpose of this particular article, we are focusing on how utilizing a third party logistic's service can eliminate a lot of the guess work. Often referred to as 3PL's these services are very important even though they may sound like a new droid in the latest Star War's movie.

There are lots of reason for a business to engage a third party logistics provider (3PL).

Some of these reasons include:

• Local or long haul domestic transportation

• International transportation

• Clearance from the United States Custom Service

• Storage, both short-term and long-term

• Cold supply chain solutions for the life sciences and food industries

• E-commerce reverse supply chain logistics

• E-commerce shipping and fulfillment

• Auditing, analysis, and reporting

• Large cargo shipping

The 3PL industry was made possible by the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 that caused some important deregulation of the trucking industry making possible new entrants into interstate shipping. Today, 3PL companies are flourishing, in no short measure, due to its ready acceptance of technology.

Small and medium-sized businesses find that a 3PL provider is a more economical way to ship things. However, with the many value added services noted above, many global companies have decided to partner with a 3PL provider.

With the services available from a 3PL provider companies gain:

• Greater flexibility;

• Enhanced operational efficiency;

• Improved customer relations; and

• Lower capital expenditures such as for distribution equipment and distribution centers

One other saving is the ability to expense services provided by a 3PL company versus having to depreciate supply chain equipment and facilities.

Other benefits for the shipping industry companies that use a 3PL provider include moving products with the most efficiency and the ability to move large quantities within continents or even globally.

Shippers that partner with a 3PL provider also enjoy benefits such as a new source of business opportunities, secure jobs for truck drivers in the 3PL provider, for international shipments a trusted source for packaging, labeling, and customs clearances at shipping destinations.

Once, your cargo arrives to your facility, moving it to the correct location in your facility then becomes priority, that's where we come in. If you would like to see an Ottawa Yard Truck in action, why not schedule a demo? If a conversation about how Louisville Switching can help with efficiency at your facility is what you would prefer, we would love to chat with you!