Optimizing your company’s reverse logistics system

What happens to your products after the point of sale? Are they easily returned if they’re faulty, recyclable if they’ve reached end-of-life, or able to be repaired? If the answer to these questions isn’t known, or the process to make those events happen isn’t well-defined, your reverse logistics system may not be operating at peak efficiency. Take a look at the benefits of an optimized approach, and get tips for improving your processes.  

Cincinnati’s success starts with its employees

Family, quality and wellness are three words that embody the team at our service center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Approximately 60 dock workers, city drivers, office employees and regional personnel operate this facility day and night to ensure customers receive on-time pickups and deliveries. Through extensive training and development, each employee has the skill to solve supply chain disruptions and the will to do what’s best for the customer.

Recognizing the dedication of our Tulsa Service Center employees

At 3 a.m. every weekday, the lights at our Tulsa service center come on. As many of its employees start their day, most of Tulsa is still sleeping. But in a world where freight is continuously moving, those few extra hours are critical. Fortunately, Tulsa’s employees have the will and determination to put in the hard work necessary to serve our customers well — and they’ve experienced growth as a result.

Using lifelong learning to advance careers

Staying on top of current trends is instrumental for success in many industries. Medical professionals take courses throughout their careers to ensure superior patient care, and educators are required to take part in specialized training for the classroom. But how do you develop employees in fields that don’t necessitate continued education?

Can the logistics industry benefit from blockchain technology?

What if human error could be eliminated from data management? You’d never have to question revenue numbers or spend time resolving payment disputes, and you’d always know business decisions were based on accurate information. When it came to managing your supply chain, you’d know every step was precisely monitored.    

While these situations may sound too good to be true, blockchain technology could make them a reality in the not-so-distant future.

July and August trade shows in the U.S.

Health, beauty and apparel expos, along with trade shows targeting the construction and home improvement industry, highlight the list of upcoming events for July and August. If you sell products or services catered to those industries and are considering exhibiting at a show this summer, you may benefit from exposing your company to potential new clients, and from the opportunity to evaluate your competitors, survey the market and get new ideas for your business.

What’s affecting truckload capacity?

As mentioned in my previous update, the capacity crunch industry experts have been discussing for several years appears to be here. But how do we know this isn’t an issue that eventually will normalize? And why is this time different from other supply chain disruptions?

To better understand what’s going on, we can look at national measures of freight volume and capacity, and see how today’s market compares to previous events.     

The increasing popularity of residential delivery

As the shift to e-commerce shopping grows, consumers are more confident in what they purchase online. It’s become normal to buy large items like mattresses, treadmills, electronics or other home furnishings via the Internet. This way, shoppers can have their order delivered directly to their home instead of handling heavy items themselves.

The successful operation of our Little Rock Distribution Center

Thirty-eight years of service, 442 employees, 197 dock doors and a 24/7 operations schedule describes our well-established ABF Freight® distribution center (DC) in Little Rock, Arkansas. With an average of 10,000 inbound and outbound shipments per week, this location plays a critical role in order fulfillment and supply chain management for ArcBest^®.

What you need to know about shipping freight

The movement of freight seems simple to a consumer — they order something, and a short time later it arrives. But, those who work in the shipping industry know the process is a little more complex. How one shipment is packaged may not be safe for another, and the type of equipment required for one may differ from another (e.g. an oversized shipment needs a flatbed while pharmaceuticals may need temperature controlled). Understanding basic shipping information can help simplify this multifaceted process.