Day: May 19, 2018

Less than Truckload (LTL) Shipping – Is It Right for You?

Less than Truckload (LTL) Shipping - Is It Right for You?
Less than Truckload (LTL) Shipping – Is It Right for You?

What’s in the trailer your terminal tractors are hauling? Less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping is on the rise due to its potential for cost savings. However, with a reputation for complexity, it’s not for everyone. Is it right for you?

LTL is Seen as Challenging for a Number of Reasons:

– More dynamics to juggle
Freight classification, cargo weight, and pallet count increases in complexity with LTL hauling.

– Benchmarking challenges
Direct comparisons with other shipping operations can be challenging.

– Ignorance to cost drivers
Accepting LTL at face-value, and not digging into shifting patterns of supply and demand, prevents businesses from realizing the true potential of LTL.

However with the Right Data & Pricing, LTL Offers Tremendous Potential
Tariffs, or rate bases, published by carriers on an annual basis, are commonly used in calculating shipping costs. LTL costs aren’t quite as cut-and-dry, however, with LTL carriers offering discounts. Making discounts negotiable (and in correlation with freight volume/revenue) is common. Minimums are also commonly negotiable.

Avoid Pricing Obstacles
The biggest obstacle to surmount in LTL classification and pricing, is avoiding overuse of FAK cargo designation on invoices. Obscuring shipment data by lumping it under this classification prevents you from gleaning essential data as to the specific classes of cargo shipped and relative cost, increasing the chance of inaccuracies.

Incomplete or obscure data is the proverbial wrench-in-the-works for LTL shipping ventures. Capturing essential data elements effectively is key to effectively calculating and streamlining pricing, as well as improving network efficiency and ensuring profit.

Are you equipped for LTL shipping success? Ease moves, improve speed and efficiency, and boost profit potential with the help of terminal tractors from DJ Products today.

How to Keep Birds Away from Your Open Warehouse Dock Doors

How to Keep Birds Away from Your Open Warehouse Dock Doors
How to Keep Birds Away from Your Open Warehouse Dock Doors

Birds may think your material handling equipment makes attractive perches, but a warehouse is no place for our feathered friends. In addition to being a nuisance, birds can create serious safety risks and impact productivity.

Here are some expert recommendations for products to help prevent birds from entering your open warehouse dock doors.

Netting

Netting is a great way to block birds while still allowing doors to remain open. Mesh is available in different sizes to accommodate types of birds prevalent in your area, and material is flame-resistant, rot- and water-proof.

Vinyl Strip Doors

Vinyl strips come in both standard and custom sizes to fit any type of door, interior or exterior. The flat strips overlap to provide a secure barrier, but they’re flexible enough to allow passage for workers and material handling equipment.

Bird Repellent Gel

Bird repellent gel is non-toxic to both humans and birds. The transparent, odorless substance works by making surfaces too sticky for birds to land on. There are several brands on the market, and the gel is applied easily with a standard caulking gun.

Sonic Deterrents

Birds are subject to a number of natural predators. Sonic deterrents use pre-recorded calls from these predators to send birds off in search of safer quarters. This product is made with UV-protected materials so it’s weather-resistant, and it includes a handy volume control.

Spikes

Stainless steel bird spikes have blunt edges, so they don’t cause physical harm. It’s simply more awkward for birds to land on a surface with spikes attached. The plastic base strips are flexible enough to allow mounting on curved or contoured surfaces.

Contact DJ Products for Your Material Handling Equipment Needs

Call 800.686.2651 to learn more about our battery-powered tugs, movers and pushers.

Five Summer Warehouse Staffing Tips

Five Summer Warehouse Staffing Tips
Five Summer Warehouse Staffing Tips

Is your business staffed and equipped to handle the holiday crunch? From Valentine’s Day to Christmas, every industry has its busy seasons. Now’s the time to start staffing and determining your need for material handling equipment – before mistakes that lead to shipment issues and injuries ruin your reputation.

Five Staffing Tips for Managing Seasonal Operations Employees:

1. Bring back the best.
Stay in contact with the best holiday workers from previous seasons, contacting them by phone, text or postcard to invite them to return. Bonus: These workers are already trained. Be sure to note the potential for a year-round position for top-performing candidates to encourage returns. A system based on attendance, productivity, and teamwork (over seniority) can fuel performance.

2. Enlist a skilled staffing agency.
A strong partnership with a temp agency can help you build your staffing resources. Look for providers who can supply you with workers in hours, if necessary. Aim to be a business BFF to top agencies to ensure top-quality employees. Keep staffing agencies on-point with a list of busy seasons, giving them as much notice for temporary labor as possible.

3. Involve team leaders with hiring.
Team-up with HR. You need more than warm bodies to build a skilled team.

4. Try a trial run.
Have test runs several times before peak season, identifying top performers and requesting their services for holiday spikes.

5. Pay well.
Pay rates above minimum wage are a huge motivator, weeding out those who don’t want to work in favor of quality staffers.

Stocked up on staff? Ensure both new and seasoned and employees have the material handling equipment they need for success. Prevent injuries and streamline your shipping operation with the help of DJ Products today.