Specific consumer products look exactly the same when they roll off the manufacturing line.  To satisfy retailer requirements, however, these identical products are wrapped, sealed, tied and packed in dozens, even hundreds, of different ways for presentation on the retail shelf.  Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies often outsource custom product packaging to outside contract packagers, adding a costly and time-consuming step between manufacturing and the distribution center.

Freight capacity has historically been viewed as a commodity. The onus has been on the trucking company to position itself as the customer’s “carrier of choice.”

But if you haven’t noticed, that’s changing. The combination of a growing U.S. economy and the chronic truck driver shortage is turning freight into more of a seller’s market, requiring shippers to examine how they can become “shippers of choice” for carriers, who are now more selective about the loads they haul.

On February 11, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced plans for a commercial vehicle ban on all major highways in Eastern Pennsylvania in anticipation of a predicted snow-ice mix the following day.   Thankfully, the severity of the storm fell short of predictions and roads remained safely drivable for the duration of the weather event.

But by the time DOT administrators caught up with Mother Nature’s exact plans, it was too late for trucking companies to avoid major financial losses related to pulling trucks off the road.

2018 was a tough year for both shippers and carriers as constrained capacity led to delayed shipments and higher freight prices. Q1 2019 has started like many Q1s have in years past, with a softening of the truck market. 

While things are shifting for the better, don’t be fooled.  The capacity crunch is not behind us. But this slight grace period does provide shippers a golden opportunity to build and strengthen relationships with a select group of strategic carriers.  Cementing these carrier relationships will ensure that you have reliable capacity at locked-in rates when the market inevitably shifts back.

There’s a talent gap in logistics today and companies are dealing with it in different ways. 

For KANE, that’s meant placing more emphasis than ever on hiring logistics workers from within.  Recently, we caught up with KANE’s VP of Human Resources, Amy Wren, to discuss the subject.

KANE has received Boise Paper’s 2018 3PL of the Year Award for best overall distribution center performance. The award recognizes operational excellence in logistics throughout Boise Paper’s physical distribution system.

As a new year begins, we wanted to reflect briefly on the year just passed.  Here's a look back on some of the prominent accomplishments at Kane Is Able in 2018.  

Educators in the Workplace is a program that allows secondary school educators to spend a week learning the technical skills, behaviors and mindsets high school students need to succeed in today's business environment.