Did you know that experts believe that the global shipping market will reach a value of $210 million by next year?
Sea shipping is one of the oldest yet still the most valuable forms of international shipping available. If you are in the manufacturing industry, you likely benefit from global shipping every day.
However, what is the key to getting the best deal from international shipping? How can you negotiate favorable terms for sea transport?
Why not take a few minutes to read more about this in our in-depth article?
Make Shipping Part of Your Business Plan
Your supply chain heavily impacts your companies financial bottom line. Therefore, your shipping arrangements should be part of your business plan if you are a manufacturer.
Part of your plan should be to reevaluate your shipping needs according to your circumstances. As your customer base grows, your shipping needs will naturally change. For example, in time, one of the ways to improve sea shipping efficiency could be to utilize a third-party company like we4sea.com.
Made shipping one of the priority items on your business plan and follow its progress. As you ship different items each week and month, track its efficiency, and do not be afraid to make changes.
Select Packaging Materials
In most businesses, the materials that are being shipped are generally the same. This offers a great opportunity. First, you can lower the cost of shipping and packing materials by ordering them in massive amounts ahead of time.
You can then use the discount you receive from purchasing this amount ahead of time to opt for environmentally friendly materials. This not only reduces your footprint but also can help to improve your reputation as a responsible company.
If your goods do not fit into a standard box, then consider ordering custom sized boxes. Again doing this in large amounts ahead of time will save you money. However, following this, you may be able to fit more boxes onto each pallet that you ship. This means that you will effectively be able to ship more goods for your money.
Focus on Efficiency
Next, look at the big picture and look to see how you can increase efficiency over the course of the short and long term.
As you communicate with clients you will learn more about their workflows and seasonal needs. You will learn how to work with their unique circumstances and communicate when unexpected events occur.
Does your industry have a busy and quiet time of the year? Can you arrange to ship and store some items in the quiet time in order to maximize your workforce in the busy season?
Can you use the quieter times of the year to experiment with automation and other new technologies? It may be possible to test, install, and train your staff in new technologies in just one quiet season. This then leaves you in a good position to maximize your revenue in the busy season.
The Keys to Sea Transport Efficiency and Much More
If you are in the manufacturing or retail industry, you know that an efficient and well-functioning supply chain is crucial to your success. When working with international supply agents sea transport is often your cheapest option when sourcing materials. However, this option is only as cheap as the deal you negotiate.
By applying the principles that we have discussed today, you can benefit from a truly efficient supply chain.
If you are interested in learning more about shipping and sea freight matters, then we are here to help. We write articles on the latest developments in this sector. Why not check out out our other blog articles for more information.
