Ammonium nitrate is a chemical that’s easy to obtain and safe to handle but storing it improperly can have deadly consequences. The chemical compound, best known for its use as an agricultural fertilizer, will absorb moisture over time, which can cause granules to stick to one another. If exposed to heat, that mass of ammonium nitrate could explode.  Between 1921 and 2020, there were twenty-one recorded instances of ammonium nitrate explosions that killed people. Six of them resulted in more than 100 casualties, including two that took nearly 600 lives. And that doesn’t begin to cover the ..read more

One of the biggest trends of the last quarter-century has been the widespread adoption of sustainable business practices. The third-party logistics sector is no exception, with numerous providers revamping their operations to reduce the impact they have on the environment. This can include green logistics transportation. If your company is looking for ways to improve its performance in this regard, you may be wondering what sustainable or green logistics transportation looks like. Here is a brief overview of some of the many initiatives currently being used to improve sustainability in logisti ..read more

What is reverse logistics? For logistics, we often talk about how goods move from manufacturers to customers. However, there is another form of logistics that involves products moving from those destinations back to warehouses and manufacturers. Read on to learn more about what reverse logistics entails. What Is Reverse Logistics in Supply Chain Management? When customers are unsatisfied with a product, they may contact the company for a refund or a replacement shipment. Yet what happens with the product? Some companies request for it to be sent back to them for evaluation and possible disposa ..read more

As the name suggests, the supply chain isn’t a singular concept. It consists of a vast array of components chained together to create a system that can fulfill a wide range of functions for your business. Depending on the size and scope of your company, it may be a good idea to turn to a partner to provide one or more of these elements to supplement your own capabilities. These logistical partners are becoming more crucial to the success of every type of business. This is because of the extreme importance the supply chain has in today’s commercial environment. Managing inventory, fulfillment ..read more

Whether you work at a startup or an established organization, it’s essential to become familiar with supply chain fulfillment. Fulfillment centers are an integral component of the supply chain. They help ensure that online orders reach customers quickly and conveniently. Retailers rely on fulfillment centers to help them store their products strategically, so that warehouse workers can quickly pick orders as soon as a customer completes an online purchase.  Here’s some insight into the role fulfillment centers play in the supply chain in an era where online orders continue to increas ..read more

Paying to ship your goods and products around the world is the cost of doing business, but do you understand why you’re paying the amount that you do? Of course, there are several factors that determine how much you’re charged, from the size of the shipments to the time of year. However, one of the most important factors is the variety of freight rates your shipper charges you. Knowing the different types of freight charges and what influences them is a critical component of getting the most out of your supply chain. Without knowing why you’re charged a certain amount, you could find your ..read more

Not all orders are created equal. There is a big difference between the infrastructure you need to fill orders for individual customers and the infrastructure you need to fill orders for retailers. After all, would you ship a single item to a store or a pallet to the home of someone buying from you online?  You need to make sure that your supply chain operations are optimized to handle both types of orders, and this is where knowing the difference between B2B and B2C fulfillment is critical. These terms refer to “business-to-business” and “business-to-consumer,” respectively. They may onl ..read more

Being able to anticipate what’s coming over the horizon is essential in today’s business environment. This is what makes the advance shipping notice (ASN) so important for today’s modern logistics operations. Also known as an EDI 856, an outboard shipping notice, or a manifest, this relatively simple document plays a critical role in keeping shipments moving throughout the world and enabling retailers to plan more effectively.    What is an ASN in shipping, and what makes it such a crucial component? Read on to learn more.   What the ASN Is and What It Does  What ..read more

To those on the outside looking into the world of logistics, it might be hard to understand that warehousing is more complicated than it seems. After all, how difficult is it to put something on a shelf? Those who work in the industry understand that it takes hard work and know-how to do it right.   Far more than just a place to keep inventory, the modern warehouse is the heart of your supply chain. If you don’t do everything you can to keep it running efficiently and effectively, it could cause a domino effect that might leave you unable to fill orders the way your customers expect from ..read more