Insights

Robots in the Warehouse

January 25, 2016.
Logistics Publications

Robots have slowly taken over Amazon warehouses, and have reduced the packaging process by nearly an hour and fifteen minutes per order. When the Kiva robots were first introduced to Amazon in 2011, no one imagined how quickly they would impact companies all over the world. After only a year...

New Container Weight Requirement

January 19, 2016.
Logistics Publications

Changes are coming to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) which will become effective on July 1, 2016. The amendments made to SOLAS will make it a violation to load a packed container onto a vessel without first making the verified weight of the container clear to the vessel operator...

Building A Logistics Network

January 13, 2016.
Logistics Publications

A strong logistics network is crucial to ensuring your supply chain meets the growing demands of your customers. Whether you’re just starting out, or already have an established logistics network, it is important to be aware of the various options available to you and to periodically re-evaluate how...

Duty Drawback; an Untouched Goldmine

January 13, 2016.
Trade Publications

A company may be entitled to thousands or more dollars through a Duty Drawback claim and no business, which participates in exporting goods, should lose out on money that is owed to them. Navigating the US Customs Duty Drawback program may seem intimidating at first, but as long as a...

Resolve to Have Compliant Commercial Invoices in 2016

January 04, 2016.
Trade Publications

One common and preventable cause of shipments “stuck in customs” is incorrect documentation. This year, ring in the New Year by resolving to have compliant commercial invoices. Whether a company creates the document or relies on a supplier to create the commercial invoice, 19 CFR 141.86 is clear on...

Exporting to a Sanctioned Country

November 17, 2015.
Trade Publications

Is your company prepared to pay a hefty fine or have an individual jailed for exporting to a sanctioned country? Without the proper export control this could become your reality before you know it. Fortunately it is a relatively simple process to mitigate this risk as either a company or...

2015 Louisiana Tax Amnesty

November 17, 2015.
Tax Publications

A tax amnesty program is being offered by the Louisiana Department of Revenue during the period of November 16, 2015 through December 15, 2015. The Louisiana Tax Delinquency Amnesty Act of 2013 allows eligible taxpayers to qualify for the amnesty program. The press release issued November 3, 2015 by the Louisiana Department of Revenue indicates...

Sales Tax Changes in 2016

November 17, 2015.
Tax Publications

Chicago will once again have the highest sales tax rate of any major US city starting January 1, 2016. The rate will spike from 9.25% to 10.25%. The rate hike is due to the increase in county sales tax. The Cook County Board narrowly approved the increase to restore financial health...

How to Save Your Company Import Costs in the New Year

November 10, 2015.
Trade Publications

As the New Year draws closer, it is time to look at the savings goals for your company’s yearly imports. There are several different ways to save on import transaction, but identifying the right strategy that benefits your business is the key to successfully meeting your savings goal...

Maeslantkering (Maeslant Barrier)

November 05, 2015.
Logistics Publications

The Maeslantkering is a storm surge barrier, which was built in the Rotterdam Port between 1991 and 1997. It is located at Hoek van Holland - on the New Waterway connecting Rotterdam with the North Sea. The construction of Maeslantkering was a part of the Europoort Project, which was the final stage...

Migrant Crisis Influences European Transportation

November 02, 2015.
Logistics Publications

In the last couple of months, Europe has been facing an enormous influx of migrants that has also affected the transportation industry. Problems began to appear at the beginning of the summer as thousands of migrants were trying to cross the English Channel from Calais, France. As a result, the...

Prepping Your Shipment for Ocean Transit

October 23, 2015.
Logistics Publications

Over the years, the movement of freight via all modes of transportation has significantly increased. Between 1993 and 2010, the United States freight transportation system saw a 1.9% annual increase in the movement of freight. With advances in technology, larger and faster vessels have significantly increased the amount of ocean freight. According...