Approved Freight Forwarders
Helpful Articles - Logistics

Last Updated: June 24, 2024   Like many specialized industries, logistics has its own vocabulary. One set of popular logistics terms has been causing significant confusion lately: 3PL vs. 4PL vs. 5PL. Recently, there's even been talk of 6PLs and 7PLs. (!) With companies continuing to innovate in the logistics space, all of these terms are getting thrown around more than ever, and many people aren't sure exactly what they mean. To help you understand the difference between 3PL, 4PL, and 5PL providers—and find the right solution for your business—we'll walk you through all this terminology. We'll also discuss the pros and cons of 3PLs, 4PLs,...

Air freight offers you the advantage of being able to move shipments quickly—and with a minimum amount of handling. However, when your cargo includes items that are considered hazardous, there are a few regulations you’ll need to comply with in order to leverage this mode of transport.   Even if you’re familiar with shipping hazardous materials via ocean freight, you should know that air freight has its own unique set of rules. These regulations keep your shipment safe in transit. They also protect the plane and its aircrew as they move your cargo to its destination.  To help you keep compliant with the hazardous materials regulations—and ensure timely delivery of your shipments—we’ll answer the four most common...

As your company grows, your logistics needs will likely grow, too. You may outgrow a shipping vendor who only moves packages from origin to destination. Instead, you might find yourself searching for a solution to manage whole sections of your supply chain. At that juncture, you have a choice: Bring the expertise in house or outsource.   Outsourcing your transportation management offers several distinct advantages. It gives you near-instant access to expertise without having to train or hire a team member. Outsourcing can also help you simplify your operations, spot inefficiencies in your supply chain and solve logistical challenges to help your operations run even more smoothly.  To help you decide whether outsourcing your transportation management is right for...

Loading your freight onto pallets for ocean, rail and road transport offers you several advantages along your supply chain. In addition to allowing you to move larger quantities of goods more efficiently, standardized pallets also make shipping and storage of your goods simpler for you and your carrier. Finally, because palletized goods can be moved easily by all the links that make up your supply chain, pallets give your freight greater protection—but only when they’re packed and secured properly.   Damaged freight creates significant challenges for your business. Crushed boxes, dented or scratched inventory or, worse, broken parts, can impact your bottom line considerably. They can also upset your customers. Additionally, if these issues are happening with any regularity, they can erode trust between you and your business partners.  At Approved, we inspect every shipment that comes through our warehouse...

Whether you’re manufacturing goods or distributing them for sale, your supply chain is critical to the operation of your business. Even a small disruption can grind your business to a halt. So when you’re just starting out, you may be focused on getting your supply chain up and running consistently, rather than analyzing exactly what each link costs you.  However, if you haven’t examined your expenses, you may overlook a few of the costs that are eating up your profits. In this article, we’ll walk you through three small business supply chain scenarios you might want to analyze more closely. By understanding the factors involved, you’ll be better equipped to take control of your supply chain costs, eliminate inefficient spending and increase your profits.  Scenario #1: Are You Using Your Seller’s Carrier for...

An efficient supply chain keeps all aspects of your business running smoothly. If you’re a manufacturer, you’ll have access to all the components you need—when you need them—to meet your delivery dates. If you’re a retailer, you’ll find it easy to keep the flow of inventory to your stores constant. And no matter what business you’re in, a supply chain that runs smoothly allows you to deliver consistently on the promises you make to your customers.   On the flip side, however, inefficiencies in your supply chain can cost your business in big ways. You might see symptoms like longer transit times on critical shipments, increasing your inventory carrying costs. For manufacturers, this could cause delays on the assembly line, which can push delivery...