A logistics company plans, controls, and executes the transportation and storage of goods, services, or data in-between the points of origination and destination and within a specific supply chain. Logistics is often a synonym for military logistics. A logistics company, which advertises itself as an expert in supply chain management and implementing supply chain strategies, can be either a public or private corporation. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is one of the largest users of logistics companies. Others include the U.S. Army, the United States Coast Guard, the Federal Bureau of Prison, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Services, the Internal Revenue Service, the National Park Service, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and numerous other federal agencies and state and local governments.
A logistics company may ship goods to a manufacturing facility or a distribution facility and then transport the goods from the manufacturing facility to the final destination. A major component of supply chain management, logistics provides the tools, software, and training needed for inventory, order processing, and delivery. In transportation, a logistics company will either transport the goods in a fixed container or as part of a mixed order. Logistics also provides warehousing, transportation, and single-point and multi-point carrier processes.
There are three major components of the warehousing process. The first is to pack and store the goods. A variety of methods are used for this purpose, including cold storage, hot packaging, and self-storage. The second part of the warehousing process is transportation. This involves transport of finished products from the manufacturing plant through various distribution locations. In addition, warehousing also includes warehousing for finished goods that are temporarily stored in warehouse locations until they are ready to be shipped.
The third element of logistics company services is freight transportation. Freight transportation involves sending freight from the manufacturer's or exporter's location to the customer's location. Typically, the logistics service provider will have its own fleet of carriers or will contract with a third-party freight company. These third-party freight companies provide air freight, ocean freight, courier services, and land transportation solutions. A good logistics provider will be able to offer a complete range of freight transportation services, from load and drop off to door-to-door delivery.
The cost of these services depends on the number of products being delivered, the distance of delivery, and whether a warehousing and freight transportation service are offered or ancillary service. Warehousing is included in the delivery of goods because it facilitates the movement of the goods from point of purchase to the point of sale. The cost of transportation is determined by the volume of the load, the size of the load, and the speed of travel. If ancillary services are offered, they can also increase the overall cost of the logistics company's delivery. Professional logistics companies that offer warehousing and related services include ACI Logistics Solutions, Brillion Packaging, Conwy Logistics, Dover Logistics, FleetCheck Logistics, Goodway Logistics, iControl Logistics, KPMG Logistics, New World Logistics, North American Cartage, Salt Lake Logistics, Strategic Concepts Logistics, The Logix Group, Twin Cities Logistics, US Logistics, Via Freight and Xtreme Fastpitch.
Many of these 3PL companies offer their clients a full range of options, including custom fulfillment and online order fulfillment. They are able to deliver to anywhere in the country and have a strong presence in the Canadian market. The growth of e-commerce has increased the need for logistics companies that provide customized solutions for e-commerce companies. eCommerce is the fastest growing sector of the eCommerce industry and many eCommerce sites require customized packaging, warehousing, and shipping for local and international customers. See also here about the cross docking facility and services. Learn additional details here at https://www.encyclopedia.com/management/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/logistics-and-transportation