Schafer Logistics

SCOPE West to focus on change and complexity in Supply Chain Management

2010-09-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

The line is between 3PLs and non-asset based supply chain consulting firms, is blurring said Jim Barnes, CEO of enVista.

In an exclusive interview given to SCMR before this week’s “Supply Chain Operations Private Exposition” (SCOPE) West in Las Vegas, Barnes outlined what he sees as some of the key issues surfacing next year.

“Our customers are telling us that solutions must be customized to accommodate the complexity of new distribution patterns,“ he said. “Our recent work with Nature’s Best demonstrated that point pretty well.”

In that particular case, the client operated a “Home Grown” (IBM Mid-range AS/400) warehousing system across all distribution centers. However, the system took on two different forms: a third of the centers operated with a Reserve Inventory System combined with a Voice Selection System, and the remaining centers operated on a system where selection was done via labels, and inventory labels were limited to Primary Pick Slots. The client needed to determine if a Best- of-Breed Warehouse Management System (WMS) and/or Labor Management Systems (LMS) offered adequate base functionality to achieve a rapid and significant return on investment.

In his SCOPE presentation, “The Best Case: How Distributors Transform Their Supply Chain and Achieve Excellence,” Barnes will reference similar examples of value-added consulting services.

“SCOPE is an excellent forum for new ideas and concepts to be tested,” he said. “It provides a real opportunity for us to network and stay focused on this ever-changing business.”

From http://www.logisticsmgmt.com/view/scope_to_focus_on_change_and_complexity/3pl

Dredging Begins at the Port of Long Beach

2010-06-11T13:09:00.000-07:00

Posted on June 11, 2010 from California Apparel News

The Port of Long Beach has launched a $40 million project to deepen its main channel to allow easier access.

The 17-month project will deepen the main channel to 76 feet and will also allow for more mega-sized cargo-container ships and oil tankers to call at the port.

Port officials kicked off the project on June 8 with a ceremony. “The main channel deepening and related projects are a significant step forward for the Port of Long Beach and the harbor as a whole,” said Richard Steinke, the port’s executive director, in a statement. “This is a vital project that is creating jobs and will help keep the port competitive as the economy rebounds.”

The project will improve navigation, safety and efficiency. After the project is completed, the largest oil tankers headed for the BP crude oil terminal will be able to turn around in the port and approach their berths fully loaded. Now the largest ships need to transfer some of their oil to smaller vessels to reach their berths.

The dredged-up material will be used to create new land area on Pier G, where International Transportation Service Inc. will expand its on-dock rail yard.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will supervise the project, and Manson Construction Co. will dredge the channel. The project is being funded with $35 million from Long Beach, $2.6 million from the Army Corps and $2.4 million from federal economic stimulus money.

The deeper channel will give Long Beach more flexibility and allow it to attract more business, which has been down due to the economic downturn. The last two years have seen cargo-container traffic slip significantly. Last year, only 5 million 20-foot containers passed through the port, down 22 percent from 2008.—Deborah Belgum

To view the full article, please click here.

Logistics and Warehousing Adjusts to a Shifting Economy

2010-05-11T13:52:00.000-07:00

Source: Area Development Online

It’s one thing if your facility only houses your core operations. But if it must also serve as the primary driver of your warehousing and distribution efforts, your facility needs dramatically change.

Depending on how sophisticated your logistics processes and strategies are, proximity to the customers or warehouse facilities you must reach every day could limit your site options.

For executives charged with choosing facilities, your options expand if you can figure out how to get more from your logistics functions. The good news is that logistics technology is advancing, and much of the thinking associated with it is progressing just as quickly. Still, decision-makers must ask the right questions, access the right resources, and know how to recognize both.

“One of the things we’ve realized is that automation — not just in machinery but in systems and supply chains — has reduced the need for inventory, which takes up square footage, by as little as 20 percent and as much as 60 to 70 percent what it used to be,” said Jim Ward, CEO of Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Supply Chain Solutions, a third-party logistics provider and supply chain consulting firm.

Plotting a Route
Kuna FoodService, a Dupo, Illinois-based food distribution company, needed to choose a new facility location in 2008, and was interested in property in and around its headquarters near St. Louis. But Kuna officials wanted to look at more than just the cost of the land, according to John Schuler, the company’s general manager. They wanted to know how each location would affect distribution costs.

Kuna enlisted Direct Route, a software system developed by Appian Logistics, to solve the problem. Direct Route analyzed several prospective routing scenarios of the company’s 22 trucks, which deliver to customers in Illinois and four adjacent states. The site with the best results was in Illinois, just outside St. Louis. By automating routes originating from that site, the company eliminated 15 percent of all routes, and saved $4,000 a month in the process.

The company purchased that site and began operating from its new, 90,000-square-foot facility in July 2008.

“We found out one site might be 20 miles out of the way, but maybe it’s got a better path,” Schuler said. “We had six sites we looked at to see how we could save costs.”

The system even analyzed which routes would make it easier for trucks to use main lanes on interstates, and factored that into the calculated savings.

Considering Flexibility
Need has driven better inventory management — especially given the poor economic climate — resulting in more choices when selecting facility sites, according to Ward at Supply Chain Solutions.

“What we’re seeing working with manufacturing companies is that they’re holding less inventory for a lot of reasons,” Ward said. “They’re trying to keep from having so much inventory, carrying costs, product changes — just the infrastructure and the cost around having the inventory sitting somewhere. But also the fact that today we want to buy this and tomorrow we want to buy something else, so you really need to build in the agility.”

Companies are showing a preference for just enough on-site space to house their core inventory, Ward said. If a company’s business is seasonal, or if inventory tends to fluctuate, companies usually opt for off-site warehousing.

“We’ve got a client right now that just got a deal with a major retailer, and they’ve got a one-time new product offering,” Ward said. “They’re going to have to uptick by five times their normal space.”

Supply Chain Solutions is handling the short-term excess inventory at an Ontario, California, facility. When that need has been fulfilled, Ward said, it’s likely that another customer will have a similar request.

Recessionary Benefits
Companies also want to make limited-time commitments to their facilities when they can. Interestingly, the faltering economy is working in favor of companies that need more flexibility and lower lease rates from their facilities. Since commercial real estate was overbuilt prior to the 2008 market meltdown, it’s a buyer’s market, and leasing agents are in no position to demand long-term agreements.

“Right now, strategically, you can get facilities with flex space in a shorter term at great rates,” Ward said.

Supply Chain Solutions saw this market need several years ago, and invested in warehouses with multiple resources and services to handle clients’ excess inventory in the event of an economic downturn. That business is booming.

...

To finish reading article, please visit Area Development's website here.

Working with the Government

2010-03-05T06:26:00.001-08:00

Schafer Logistics is actively experienced in handling various types of commodities for government agencies. Over the last 6 years we have warehoused over 250,000 square feet of government merchandise for different government agencies. Our experience ranges from handling general cargo, personal effects, vehicles of all types, high value merchandise such as antiques and musical instruments to specialized handling projects such as VLA (very large array) radio telescopes.

Schafer Logistics operates two FTZ (Foreign Trade Zone) sites, #202-12A and #202-15. One of the main benefits of warehousing within an FTZ is that it requires higher safety and security standards due to customs strict security requirements. In order to obtain certification security must be higher than industry standards, including inventory control, background checks, double check and verification systems.

Some of our additional security measures include CCTV cameras located at all dock doors, uniformed security guards at all entrance and exit gates, fully fenced barbed wire facilities, and an FTZ required check in, identified, badged, and escorted only procedure for all visitors.

Check out our page to view Schafer's Government Codes.

Working with the Government

2010-03-05T06:26:00.000-08:00

Schafer Logistics is actively experienced in handling various types of commodities for government agencies. Over the last 6 years we have warehoused over 250,000 square feet of government merchandise for different government agencies. Our experience ranges from handling general cargo, personal effects, vehicles of all types, high value merchandise such as antiques and musical instruments to specialized handling projects such as VLA (very large array) radio telescopes.

Schafer Logistics operates two FTZ (Foreign Trade Zone) sites, #202-12A and #202-15. One of the main benefits of warehousing within an FTZ is that it requires higher safety and security standards due to customs strict security requirements. In order to obtain certification security must be higher than industry standards, including inventory control, background checks, double check and verification systems.

Some of our additional security measures include CCTV cameras located at all dock doors, uniformed security guards at all entrance and exit gates, fully fenced barbed wire facilities, and an FTZ required check in, identified, badged, and escorted only procedure for all visitors.

Check out our page to view Schafer's Government Codes.

FTZ

C-TPAT

BONDED

ABC CERTIFIED

HAZ-MAT

FDA FOOD GRADE

Vote Schafer Logistics on the 3PL Excellence Survey!

2010-02-01T13:01:00.000-08:00

Click here to Vote for this year's Top 100 3PL's!

Inbound Logistics' 3PL Excellence Survey page says:

“Each year, in its July issue, Inbound Logistics publishes the most definitive resource on third-party logistics and the outsourced logistics market. If you are already a subscriber, you know that we ask our readers which third-party logistics companies provide excellent service, and publish the results. If you are not yet a subscriber, you can get a list of this year's Excellence Survey winners, as well as the Top 100 third-party companies in the world, by checking the box below.

We're now conducting next year's 3PL Excellence Survey. The results will be presented in the July 2010 3PL issue. Give us your input and we'll express our appreciation by entering you in a drawing for a free 18-carat gold Parker pen, which includes a coupon for free engraving."

If you need more information on Schafer Logistics, please visit our website or check out the following quick informational links on California shipping container storage and southern california distribution.

Supply Chain 2010: Building on the lessons learned

2010-01-04T11:18:00.000-08:00

The recession may be coming to a close-at least officially. But the effects of that painful period linger on. Supply chain managers need to learn from the lessons of the past as they rebuild the foundation for a brighter future.

Sean Murphy, Associate Editor -- Logistics Management, 12/22/2009

With the recession in full swing, 2009 was a wild ride for some companies-and their supply chain managers. In a survey of more than 500 CFOs conducted by Basware in cooperation with Indiana University's Kelley School of Business and the University of Navarra's IESE Business School in Spain, 64 percent cited "reducing direct costs" as their top priority. It was, for many companies and their supply chain managers, the year to stay alive.
Fortunately, while many who are out of work would dispute word that the economy is improving, statistics from monthly reports from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) have pointed to growth in the non-manufacturing sector, and even stronger growth in manufacturing. Findings like these have prompted many analysts to declare that the economy has not only finally ended its downward slide, but is on the way to recovering.

Recovery or not, one thing remains clear: The corporate world, and by definition the supply chain, has been changed forever. In this article, we discuss key trends that will impact the professional lives of the supply chain manager in 2010. These trends are grouped into four categories: education and professional development; technology; risk management, and global strategies. In each of these areas, the recession's lingering presence is plain-and supply chain managers would do well to heed its lessons.

"Renaissance" Education Needed: The recession saw, among other things, a massive cutback in staffing at most companies. Experts say there's a good chance those employees won't be hired back anytime soon. As a result, the employees that remain, including supply chain managers, must seek out new skills and expertise in new areas. In short, according to Kathleen Hedland, Director of Education and Research at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), they must become renaissance people-if not reinvent themselves altogether.

And Hedland said companies are asking their people to expand on their knowledge and skills even more, and that will continue into 2010. In particular, Hedland said employers are finding short-term education most attractive, as it doesn't keep employees out of the office as much. Hedland said they are seeking out workshops and online self-study courses offered by organizations such as CSCMP. "Companies are slimming down. They've got a lot less people. They can't justify them being out of the office even for a full day," she said.

Some private options for online education have emerged in recent years. For example, Terry Nulty, executive director of Accenture's Supply Chain Academy, said his firm has offered staff training and schooling to corporate clients for the past six years. Originally, Nulty said, clients wanted overall, general supply chain knowledge. "That still hasn't changed," he said. But starting in early 2009, clients began seeking more focused training on specific supply chain processes and topics, such as inventory management and procurement. Nulty expects Accenture to be adapting its curriculum to the client's needs more and more often, with the one-size-fits-all approach no longer being the norm.

Once again, the recession seems to be the impetus. Nulty said the academy's clients are demanding more focused training due to their creating new key performance indicators. Those KPIs, Nulty said, are usually based directly on problems emerging during the recession.

..to read entire article please click here to go to its Logistics Management location.

Warehousing Services in Southern California

2009-12-02T06:06:00.000-08:00

With over one million square feet of warehousing space available, Schafer Logistics is your premier provider of third party logistics and warehousing services in Southern California. Specializing in warehouses and logistics, we have over 50 years of developing partnerships with our customers we are dedicated to exceeding outstanding customer satisfaction.

Warehousing Services
- 24 hour operation
- Warehousing in close Proximity to All Southern California Sea, Rail and Air Terminals
- Foreign Trade Zone, U.S. Customs Bonded
- C-TPAT Certified Warehousing Facility
- Warehouses are Haz-mat, Alcoholic Beverage Control Certified Type 14 and we also have Food Grade Public Warehouses
- Advanced Internet Based W.M.S. (Warehouse Management System):
- Fully integrated online, real-time processing for rapid order turnover

Warehousing Locations
- Carson, California
- Compton, California
-Wilmington, California

International Offices
-New Delhi, India
-Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Outsourcing and respect

2009-11-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

The idea of outsourcing often comes about when the CEO, controller, or another member of senior management reads an article—or has been speaking with a 3PL—about saving a minimum of 10 percent or more of their logistics costs by turning to a third party. However, I've found that these “savings opportunities” are often purely theoretical and are only supported by management due to their lack of logistics knowledge or their lack of confidence in the ability of its logistics team to efficiently manage its processes.

Of course, there are other times when the outsourcing conversation is sparked by the urgent need to reduce headcount.

The transportation teams that feel especially threatened are those that lack the experience, leadership, talent, knowledge, process excellence, and contingency strategies to guide their companies through today's global market. They often fail to anticipate and prepare themselves for tomorrow's challenges. And it often takes just one unpleasant and costly surprise to jumpstart the outsourcing movement in teams like these.

When I hear transportation leaders tell me that their companies keep reminding them that they're just another cost center, I tell them that it's their fault that management doesn't see them as a value-add to the organization. This tends to lead into the question: How do I get some respect?

The answer is simple. It's all about education and managing expectations—neither of which start in the middle of a crisis. Earning respect starts with your knowledge and command of the marketplace and your transportation governance, and it ends with programs that you have created to educate senior management and other organizations on a regular basis. As a quick reminder, I define transportation governance as “the direction and control associated with creation, administration, oversight, and enforcement of your company and supply chain's policies, regulations, and procedures related to the legal, safe, efficient, and service-effective movement of freight it controls either directly or indirectly.”

Transportation governance has both direct and indirect aspects. Direct governance includes: your carrier criteria and operating protocol/guidelines; selection and management of your carrier base; carrier due diligence evaluations, contract models and supporting documents; process with defined/flows/inputs-outputs; metrics and measures and dashboards; carrier performance reviews and process improvements; a carrier council to streamline processes and improve carrier and company productivity; greenfield projects and process improvements; and, of course, audits and benchmarking. Indirect governance, on the other hand, includes your command of the transportation industry including regulatory and political issues as well as a comparison of your approach to industry challenges versus that of your peers.

Read the rest of the logisticsmgmt.com article here.

New Study Highlights Role of Third-Party Logistics Providers in Helping Shippers Adapt to Economic Challenges

2009-10-02T09:40:00.001-07:00

The fourteenth Annual Third Party Logistics (3PL) Study examining the current global market for logistics outsourcing was recently released. The study surveyed shippers and logistics service providers in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. Key findings included:

* The economic downturn has created significant challenges for both shippers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) – 82% of shippers are employing cost-cutting tactics and 60% are rethinking their supply chains and relationships with 3PLs
* 88% of shippers feel that IT-based logistics services are important, but only 42% are satisfied with the capabilities of their provider – as a result of this IT capability gap, shipper respondents reported a lack of the key performance indicators, alerts and visibility required for an adaptive supply chain and 3PLs reported similar difficulties in getting the data and commitment they need from shippers
* There are significant differences between how 3PLs evaluate their role in the supply chain and how they are viewed by shippers – 59% of shippers feel their use of 3PLs has a positive effect on customer service compared to 88% of 3PL respondents
* Shipper respondents devote an average of between 47% (in North America) and 66% (in Europe) of their total logistics expenditures to outsourcing and this is expected to increase in the next five years.

“Shipper-3PL relationships are being impacted significantly by the prevailing uncertainty and economic volatility in global markets,” said Dr. C. John Langley Jr., Professor of Supply Chain Management, Georgia Institute of Technology. “It is very important for 3PLs to mitigate or reduce any financial risk or service level impact that this may cause.”

Economic uncertainty and the use of 3PLs
Economic volatility has challenged shippers and 3PLs alike to contend with factors such as unpredictable demand, instability in fuel costs and currency valuation, and excess inventory. In response, not only are shippers attempting to cut costs, 77% are also seeking to improve forecasting and inventory management.

Cost reduction and improved reliability in services are the main factors likely to increase shipper respondents’ use of 3PLs. This includes converting fixed to variable costs (59%), expanding to new markets or offering new products (56%), and restructuring the supply chain network to improve financial performance (48%).

Read the rest of the mhia.org article here.

Logistics and manufacturing business: ISM report indicates manufacturing finally growing

2009-09-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

After 18 consecutive months of contracting, the manufacturing sector showed signs of positive growth in August, according to the latest report from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM).

Norbert Ore, chair of ISM’s Manufacturing Business Survey Committee, said his reaction was “relief” to see the PMI, ISM’s composite index which covers the overall health of the manufacturing sector, rise four percentage points to 52.9 percent, marking the first time the index has climbed above 50 since the recession began.

Typically, the 50 percent mark is the dividing line between “growth” and “contraction,” whether in reference to the PMI or any other indices covered by the monthly ISM report.

It wasn’t exactly a surprise. August’s number represents the eighth straight month of increase for the index, and both Ore and ISM have been predicting the index would push past 50 in either the third or fourth quarter this year.

The ISM has also predicted that growth would continue through the rest of the year, paving the way for a stronger sign of recovery in 2010. The PMI alone, Ore said, will most likely stay above 50 until at least the end of the year. Even if it slips, it would have to fall 2.9 percentage points to go back to contraction, which Ore said is unlikely to happen.

Read the rest of logisticsmgmt.com article here.

Why 3PLs need to build their brand

2009-08-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

Over the past several years, the global third party logistics (3PL) industry has changed dramatically. While the demand for 3PL services has grown steadily, the major logistics service providers have expanded their geographical reach and broadened their service offerings. At the same time, the structure of the industry has changed not only through mergers and acquisitions, but also through new market entry by many companies, including some funded by private equity investors. 3PL company reorganizations and name changes have become commonplace.

These changes have fostered a degree of buyer confusion in the marketplace, and many large 3PLs fear a possible “commoditization” of their services in the eyes of those who currently buy their services or are considering doing so. If this is indeed occurring, existing and potential customers will become increasingly indifferent when choosing between logistics service providers. And this, in turn, will intensify the price compression pressures that already plague the 3PL industry.

A key question that needs to be asked here is: What are executives of those 3PL companies doing in response to these market developments? Specifically, what steps have large 3PLs taken in recent years to differentiate their service offerings in the marketplace while strengthening their brands? Further, is there more that those executives should be doing in those areas?

This article addresses the typical steps that companies should take in building, refining, and strengthening their brands—and in particular examines recent attempts by major 3PLs to do so. Branding literature forms the basis for discussion of the general case, and the branding steps taken by large 3PLs were documented through data generated during 2006 and 2007 in surveys of the CEOs of major 3PLs operating in three geographic regions: North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. (For more on the surveys, see accompanying sidebar). We conclude with suggestions for 3PL industry executives concerning their future branding efforts—and the potential positive implications of these efforts on the buyers of these services.

Read the rest of the scmr.com article here.

ISM: Slow but steady economic improvement

2009-07-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

According to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), the economy is slowly improving, but it is still improving, and likely will continue to grow, based on ISM’s latest industry report.

Norbert Ore, chairman of ISM’s manufacturing business survey committee, said many economic indicators are still below 50 on the 0-100 scale, meaning they are technically “contracting,” but there are signs of steady improvement. Ore said June marked the second month in a row that “the overall economy has experienced some slight growth.”

For example, Ore noted that seven out of 18 industries—Petroleum and Coal Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Wood Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Chemical Products; and Primary Metals—reported growth in June.

In addition, the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rose two percentage points to 44.8 percent in June, according to the report. Production and prices both rose sharpest of all, by 6.5 points each. Even employment, which traditionally lags behind everything else, rose 6.4 percentage points to 40.7 percent.

“The worst of the worst is over,” Ore said. “Everything is moving in the right direction.”

Ore also noted good news in inventories. Raw materials inventories continued to drop, this time by 2.1 percentage points to 30.8 percent, while customers’ finished goods inventories also went down, by 2.5 points, to 43.5 percent.

Dropping inventories has been one of the first and strongest signs of recovery, as it shows companies are depleting their inventories by making and selling products, which leads to new orders.

“It indicates a very strong liquidation still taking place,” he said.

Within a few months, both categories will likely level off in the upper 40s Ore said, but not before these drops give the economy a shot in the arm.

“The de-stocking phase is just about over,” he said.

Earlier this year, Ore and ISM predicted the economy would be showing strong signs of recovery, yet still have a long way to go, in the third or fourth quarters this year. Those prediction, Ore said today, are still on track. In the next few months, Ore said he will be watching to see if the employee and inventory indices continue to rise, and that new orders and production indices stay above 50.

All of those conditions will add up to an improving economy, and Ore said he believes that will keep happening.

“I think those trends are fairly deeply embedded,” he said.

Read the rest of the scmr.com article here.

Manufacturing and logistics news: ISM report shows that its recent upward trend continues

2009-06-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

TEMPE, Ariz.—The positive trend in the manufacturing sector continued in May, with the highlight being new orders, which reached its highest level since November of 2007.

May’s report, produced by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), showed new orders had risen to 51.1 percent, up 3.9 points over April’s numbers.

That’s good news both for the manufacturing sector and for the economy as a whole, said Norbert Ore, chair of ISM’s Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.

“New orders are considered the leading indicators of trends,” he said.

In addition, he said, customer inventories continued to drop, down 0.7 points to 32.9 percent, also a sign that new orders will continue to rise.

“Some of the supply chains that were absolutely stuffed with inventory are starting to work through that,” Ore said.

All this is reflected in the Purchasing Mangers Index (PMI), which has also continued its upward trend. The May report showed it was at 42.8 percent, up 2.7 points from April, a growth trend that has been steadily continuing since the beginning of this year.

Read the rest of the logisticsmgmt.com article here.

NASSTRAC Notes: Multi-modal executives say shipper-carrier collaboration is the best long-term strategy

2009-05-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

ORLANDO, Fla.—A panel of freight transportation executives in various modes offered up ways in which shippers and carriers can best collaborate during these uncertain economic times during a panel discussion at last week’s NASSTRAC (National Shippers Strategic Council) annual conference.

The panel, entitled “Multimodal Carrier Executives: Viewpoints from all angles,” featured Derek Leathers, chief operating officer of Werner Enterprises Inc., Jim Hertwig, president of CSX Intermodal, and Brian Taylor, president of Horizon Logistics.

With transportation costs front and center for shippers and carriers possibly more now than at any other time, many transportation service providers are experiencing hefty cost fluctuations, coupled with tight credit and cash flow, which forces shippers to ensure they have stable supply chains replete with reliable transportation services. Werner’s Leathers explained that this premise has resulted in shippers getting pressure from their senior management to drive costs down, while at the same time losing sight of meaningful economic sustainability.

“[Shippers and carriers] are making decisions without a long term eye in some cases,” he said. “You want a supply chain with reliable economic sustainability built in and to do that you have to take a look at partnering with your underlying carriers, whether that is rail, ocean, or truck. You have to be engaged in dialogue with those providers about their overall health.”

Read the rest of the article here at logisticsmgmnt.com.

Need Space? We've Got It!

2009-04-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

Carson, CA March 2009 - Schafer Logistics recently closed a leasing deal with CBRE and the Carson Companies to take occupancy of 1650 Charles Willard Street. This 210,938 square foot building provides Schafer with unlimited possibilities for warehousing and distribution needs. Building highlights include 41 docks with 2 ground level ramps, early suppression fire response sprinkler system, 24/7 gate guarded and fully alarmed system and redundant fiber optics. Another feature is the availability of office space with Internet access. All offices are RF equipment ready as well.

Schafer Logistics' operation boasts half-a-million square feet in warehouse space in the Carson area allowing for easy access to the ports, rail yards and Los Angeles International Airport. Schafer's longevity in the logistics industry is proven daily through the efforts taken to improve services, capabilities and technology along with providing personal attention to each client to meet their supply chain requirements. We specialize in providing comprehensive services for a very competitive price.

Port Gives Green Light To Incentive Package

2009-03-09T05:31:00.000-07:00

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has given preliminary approval to a package of incentives designed to keep business and jobs at the Port of Long Beach in the face of declining cargo volume.

On February 23, the board voted unanimously to create a tariff amendment that would lower certain fees by 10 percent on all rail-connected cargo containers, and offer $20 per twenty-foot-equivalent unit (TEU) for new rail-hauled cargo coming through the port. The new incentives could begin as early as April 1 and last for one year.

"I believe that we have an obligation at this moment in history to demonstrate to our customers, partners and clients that we are actively engaged in the business of trade, that we understand the pressures they are under and that we are responding as best we can," said James C. Hankla, board president.

The first incentive would offer terminal operators a 10 percent rate reduction on wharfage fees for all rail-hauled cargo coming through the port. This would be at $4 to $6 per container and would cost the port about #11 million for the one year life of the program.

A second proposed incentive would offer $20 to ocean carriers for each additional rail-hauled 20-foot-long cargo container that they send through the port. The financial incentive would be $40 for every container longer than 20 feet. Because this would be new cargo, the proposal would not add costs for the port.

Cargo volume at the port was down by 11 percent in 2008 and January 2009 showed drops of about 25 percent compared with the same time last year.

Long Beach Business Journal

About Schafer Logistics

2009-03-04T07:10:00.000-08:00

Established in 1952, Schafer Logistics has been providing quality service to our customers for more than fifty years. Located in close proximity to the port of Long Beach/Los Angeles, LAX, and rail yards, Schafer Logistics is a full-service 3rd party logistics company. We provide quality logistics services for our customers by integrating our experience, flexibilities, and knowledge.

At Schafer Logistics we offer our customers a broad range of freight management and customized logistics solutions. Our services are backed by an extensive global network, a team of local experts, and dedicated customer service. We strive to meet our customers’ individual logistics needs at both the local and global levels. As a Logistics provider we view ourselves as your supply chain partner, Contact Us today!