Many a global supply chain begins on another continent and ends at a warehouse in the United States. During the lengthy process to receive goods that have been manufactured and loaded (or “stuffed”) into containers in other countries, any number of issues can arise. That is why it is essential, no, it is imperative when a retailer receives goods, especially perishables, that the containers are unloaded by professionals. Container unstuffing may sound like a nonsensical term, but in the logistics industry, it is a key service whose importance is not taken lightly. To ensure when containers finally arrive Stateside at a warehouse docking station, that seasoned professionals stand ready to unload, hire a team from Express Freight Handlers, Inc. In this posting we’ll let you know why.
To begin, when the container arrives at its final destination, is unsealed and the container doors are opened, that is the first insight receivers have as to how well their goods, products, and perishables have weathered the trip. For containers that have been loaded (or “stuffed”) overseas, this means they have traveled by several modes of transport including rail to a dockyard, then craned onto the deck of a vessel aptly named a freighter. The freighter then crosses numerous waterways, including the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans, before docking at a major port on either coast. Containers are then craned again and set down on the quay. Often these will be stacked several containers high as dock space is limited. They are again transported by rail and/or flatbed trucks to their destinations. Even for containers that have been skillfully loaded by professionals, numerous situations can occur en route, thereby setting up the perfect storm scenario, to be discovered only at the destination, during the container unstuffing process.
Lumpers are the first to see how the container’s contents have fared on their voyage. If any damages or asset losses are observed, these products/goods must be removed, documented and reported so that an insurance claim can be submitted. Freight unloaders must remain on schedule throughout the container unstuffing process, or operations costs will be negatively impacted. Here is where the teams deployed by Express Freight Handlers excel. Our staffers are OSHA-trained and certified in safety procedures. They can swiftly extract damaged goods and shore up remaining assets without causing injury to themselves or others. Next, undamaged goods are removed using the correct equipment and tools intended for that purpose. Every team is supervised, which means that as the freight handlers continue working, supervisory personnel can be creating reports and interfacing with logistics personnel so that the team’s entire focus is the swift and safe unloading of each container, on time and budget.
There are numerous ways that transportation carriers, warehouse managers, and logistics personnel have attempted to reduce overhead. The lesson each has learned is that you ‘get what you pay for’ and that diverting untrained staff or hiring inexperienced day workers only leads to extended timelines, a greater incidence of injury, and higher costs overall. When saving time and money matters, the sound and sensible solution is to partner with Express Freight Handlers and to hire our professional teams. We will be there when you need us and gone when you don’t.
To learn more about the benefits and services our teams can offer, we invite you to contact us today!
