Amware Logistics

Rite-Hite Industrial Doors

2012-02-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

"Choosing the right door for your application can be difficult. Rite-Hite Doors offers a full-line of industrial and cold storage door solutions to meet virtually any application need. Please visit the product pages through the links below to learn more about each of our doors. But remember, your local Rite-Hite representative is the best source for identifying the right solution for your unique environment.

High Speed Doors:
Rite-Hite Doors offers a full-line of unique high-speed door solutions in both rollup and bi-parting designs to meet your application requirements.

Cold Storage Doors:
Learn more about Rite-Hite Doors' lineup of cold storage doors that includes the first high-speed, tight-sealing, insulated, impactable door -- the Iso-Tek Door System.

Impact Doors:
Our full-line of impact doors cover light-duty pedestrian traffic to high cycle forklift traffic. Find the impact door that meets your needs.

Overhead Doors:
From traditional sectional doors to unique impactable styles, Rite-Hite Doors has the right loading dock door to meet the requirements of your facility."
-Food Logistics Magazine

Amware Logistics visits Carter's, Inc.

2012-01-24T12:42:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics’ most recent involvement with the CSCMP occurred today when a tour was given of Carter’s, Inc. distribution center.

The Stockbridge Distribution Center, one of the company's four domestic DCs, distributes children's clothing throughout the U.S. and also supports international operations. This 500,000 square foot facility ships over 100 million units annually and is supported by approximately 600 full-time and contingent employees.

10 tips to help increase supply chain stability

2012-01-16T09:24:00.000-08:00

"Sustainable business practices and supply chains reduce waste, cut costs, and improve profit margins. Alan Amling, director of global logistics and distribution marketing at UPS, offers the following tips to help businesses improve supply chain sustainability.

1. Avoid reinventing the wheel. Minimizing waste is the first step in sustainability. Before investing in your own supply chain technology, distribution center (DC), or delivery fleet, consider using existing resources through a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. Many 3PLs have the resources—from offering an expedited service to storing parts in a field stocking location—to help you expand or improve your business.

2. Map your supply chain. Ensure that all stops along your supply chain—from production facilities to warehouses and DCs to customer locations—are optimally aligned. A well-mapped supply chain can reduce transportation legs, cutting fuel costs and carbon emissions.

3. Evaluate your packaging. Use the least amount of materials possible while still ensuring the security of the package's contents. A damaged item means a return shipment and more carbon emissions.

4. Optimize your transport modes. Ocean, truck, intermodal, and air transportation each produce a different level of carbon output per unit. Consider the time and distance constraints for each shipment, and select the shipping mode that will address both with minimum carbon footprint.

5. Consolidate and maximize space. When possible, consolidate shipments to maximize container and trailer use. If you're unable to fill a container with one shipment, don't let it ship half full. Use a less-than-containerload service and book only the amount of container space you require.

6. Tune in to technology. When it comes to logistics, the smallest detail can mean all the difference. Using telematics and analytics, some logistics providers can identify even the smallest strength or weakness in operations, and realign them for better route and driver optimization. By staying in tune with every detail—from a left turn to an aircraft landing— you ensure that each leg of your supply chain is as sustainable and efficient as possible.

7. Assess your assembly strategy. Store-ready displays take up more space than unassembled ones, and can cost up to twice as much to ship overseas. Ship in bulk and work with your 3PL to assemble the final product upon arrival.

8. Go paperless where possible. Companies switching from paper to electronic billing can eliminate an estimated 124 million sheets of paper annually. Paperless invoices convert lengthy customs documents into electronic data, automating the customs process and saving time.

9. Know your role in reverse. Defective parts or products are often sent to a central DC for sorting before going to their final destination for repair, replacement, or proper disposal. Shipping items directly to the manufacturer or repair facility cuts fuel costs, driver miles, and unnecessary emissions, while saving time and improving the customer experience.

10. Analyze your carrier. Assess your carrier's fleet, whether on land, ocean, or air, as well as any additional solutions that can save your company money while lowering its environmental impact."
-Inbound Logistics Magazine

Movers and Makers Awards

2012-01-04T07:08:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics will be participating in the 1st inaugural movers and makers awards this March. This event is held by the Gwinnett Chamber to highlight the manufacturing and supply chain company leaders in the Gwinnett region.
Among the many high profile attendees on the judges panel; Rob Doyle will be a judge there as well.

Happy New Year from Amware Logistics

2012-01-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics would like to wish everyone a happy new year! We look forward to seeing both our current and new relationships grow in 2012. Amware is excited to bring everyone the same great storage, handling, and transportation services we have provided in 2011, as well as bringing new and improved services to our customers and employees too.

Happy Holidays from Amware Logistics

2011-12-22T11:21:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics would like to wish a happy holiday season to all of our employees and their families and our customers! We hope you have a very happy and safe holiday season!

Amware Logistics, CSCMP, and Toys for Tots

2011-12-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics’ most recent involvement with the CSCMP occurred today when a presentation was given by John Menna of UPS. John Menna is responsible for developing and executing UPS's strategy to serve the unique needs of healthcare customers, particularly in the pharmaceutical biotech and medical device sectors. Menna and his team work to build efficiencies in healthcare supply chains and enhance security and visibility for manufacturers, clinicians and retail dispensaries to reinforce patient care and responsiveness. Menna focuses on solutions that leverage UPS networks, facilities, technology, distribution, inventory management and expertise in regulatory compliance.
There was also a charity event held, as Toys for Tots was featured here too. With the holiday season upon us, we felt it was important to give back to the community that helps supports us all. The Atlanta Roundtable will be donating $10 of each registration fee to buy toys for the Toys For Tots program and will be presented to the US Marine Corps.

Amware's Fulton Industrial Facility Is Flawless in November!!!

2011-12-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

We would like to congratulate our Fulton Industrial public warehousing facility for their outstanding accomplishment of having incredible shipping accuracy in 2011.

Amware is proud to announce that our Fulton Industrial’s accuracy for the year of 2011 is next to perfect. With every month so far in 2011 (including November), Fulton Industrial is currently averaging at 99.77% accuracy! This is including our highlighted month of November 2011 with an accuracy of 100.00%! And, with over 50 customers being served in Fulton Industrial, this is no easy task and requires the up most focus and care which is clearly evident by our facility.

Once again, we are very proud of our craftsman in Fulton Industrial, and we are happy and privileged to have them as a part of our team.

Happy Thanksgiving from Amware Logistics

2011-11-23T06:21:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics would like to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Today, Rob Doyle (president) and Hugh Tait (executive VP) are bringing turkeys to our public warehousing facilities in Georgia for our dedicated craftsmen and craftswomen. This is a token of our appreciation for providing top-of-the-line quality with our services that we provide to our valued customers.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our staff, customers, and associates from Amware Logistics!!!

Amware Logistics attends CSCMP's November Luncheon

2011-11-16T06:22:00.001-08:00

Today, Amware Logistics attended a lunch event held by the CSCMP highlighted by the guest speaker, JD Schwefler as the VP of international business development for of AmeriCold. Americold is a global leader in temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics to the food industry, offering the most comprehensive warehousing, transportation, and logistics solutions in the world. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Americold owns and operates over 182 temperature-controlled warehouses in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina, and Canada. Americold possesses the largest cold storage network with a total capacity of over 1.1 billion cubic feet of storage. Americold's warehouses are an integral part of the supply chain connecting food producers, processors, distributors, and retailers to the end consumer.

Amware Logistics at the NACD 40th annual meeting.

2011-11-08T05:46:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics will be attending the NACD’s 40th annual conference today through Thursday. Here, information will be learned on how to maximize operational efficiency with HazMat commodities on all levels. In the conference will include many keynote speakers including Jeff Thredgold who will speak on US economic and financial outlooks in the future. Richard Jackson will be speaking on global aging and how to get your business ahead. Brian Grubb will be speaking on how to look for and provide the best customer service. Finally, James Carville will be in attendance speaking on the present and future political views and impacts on the chemical industry. Amware Logistics is very excited to attend this conference for updates on current and upcoming trends of the chemical industry. We plan to use this information to best provide HazMat services at our Fulton Industrial facility for our current and new customers.

Amware Logistics in Canada!!!

2011-11-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

As of November 1st, Amware Logistic's newest facility has gone LIVE! Amware Logistics has expanded beyond the United States. Our newest public warehousing facility is located in Toronto. It is also a food grade facility and has over 80,000ft².

If you have a warehousing need in the Toronto area, please feel free to contact us and we will gladly assist. Visit our website's 'contact us' page at http://www.amwarelogistics.com/ContactUs.asp

Amware Logistics at CIBA Vision

2011-10-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics’ most recent involvement with the CSCMP occurred today when a tour was given of Alcon’s (formerly Ciba Vision) Johns Creek facility.

As the global leader in eye care, Alcon's mission is to provide innovative products that enhance quality of life by helping people see better. Through the merger of Novartis and Alcon, uniting the strengths of Alcon, CIBA VISION and Novartis Ophthalmics into one eye care business, Alcon has become the second largest division of Novartis. With these collective resources and scale, Alcon now offers the widest spectrum of eye care products in surgical, pharmaceutical and vision care across 180 markets and runs operations in 75 countries.
The Johns Creek Distribution Center is one of 6 Alcon DC's located in the U.S. This facility distributes contact lenses to customers in the U.S. and Latin America as well as serving as a replenishment center for other Alcon DC's around the world. At 200k square feet, the facility ships 1.8 million orders and more than 70 million units per year. The DC is supported by a team of 200 associates, including a 3rd party contract workforce of 150, committed to ensuring our customers get the lenses they want when they want them.

Amware Logistics & CSCMP

2011-10-19T05:00:00.001-07:00

Amware Logistics’s most recent involvement with the CSCMP occurred yesterday evening with a presentation from Rick Blasgen, CEO of CSCMP, presenting an overview of the new CSCMP Certification program. Also presenting was Scott Figura of The Coca-Cola Company who discussed the needs of future Supply Chain Management professionals.

20th Newsletter Launched!

2011-10-11T06:31:00.000-07:00

Amware has just mailed out our 20th edition of our newsletter. In this issue, you will get insight on some of Amware Logistics’ non conventional activities. This issue covers our involvements with our philanthropies and charitable efforts.

If you would like to be included on our mailing list for our newsletter, you may make a request via email at sales@amwarelogistics.com. Also, feel free to take a look on our website at www.amwarelogistics.com

Amware Logistics hosts Clayton State University

2011-10-06T11:39:00.001-07:00

Clayton State University visited the Amware Logistics public warehousing facility in Morrow today. The students were given a tour of the facility and shown processes of shipping, recieving, and storage of goods. There was also a Q&A portion of the tour where students could ask questions to the Amware Logistics staff. Amware would like to thank Clayton State University for being great guests and is glad to have been selected to provide a tour.

3PL Benefits and what you may be missing!

2011-09-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

The following article discusses and examines the many benefits of using a 3PL over self storage.

"Third-party logistics providers have always been regarded as viable sources for warehousing services. But many of them are equally well-versed in the strategy behind these services—including the art and science of warehouse site selection...
Cost-effective technologies: If your company is unable to allocate funds for the sophisticated optimization and simulation tools that make warehousing site selection so precise, consider this: By using a 3PL your company can often enjoy the benefits of these tools without having to make a substantial capital investment. Just as important, it will gain access to the kinds of highly qualified personnel—usually career engineers with graduate degrees—who understand how to employ these technologies to their full advantage.
Increased negotiating power: Almost every industry has its version of a volume discount or preferred customer status, and logistics real estate is no exception. A 3PL that’s involved in dozens or hundreds of distribution center real estate transactions each year may be able to give your company additional clout during warehousing price or lease negotiations. It also will be able to tell you which kinds of items in a contract are, indeed, negotiable—and which are best left intact, even in a buyer’s and renter’s market.
Fewer contractual surprises: When it comes to “small” things like facility maintenance, there are many ways companies inadvertently can sign on for bigger expenses than they should—and 3PLs’ real estate specialists (who deal with warehousing landlords all the time) are especially adept at spotting them.
International insight: There’s a big difference between opening a new distribution center in a place like India and opening one in a place like Indiana—and no one knows it better than the 3PLs who already operate overseas. If your company needs to establish an international DC, then a global 3PL’s ground-level, reality-based view of a particular market could be your passport to a considerably faster, smoother startup.
Facility flexibility: There are times when it makes sense to operate out of your own facilities. There are others—such as new product launches, seasonal marketing pushes, moves to new markets and the need to fulfill complicated value-added service requirements—when it makes equal sense to employ someone else’s.
By allowing a 3PL to help with site selection, your company can get its foot in the door of many state-of-the-art, strategically located public warehousing facilities throughout North America and beyond. In some cases, the 3PL might even be willing to build that door for you by providing a build-to-suit or redesigned distribution center. In addition, your company can focus more of its time on its core competencies and retain the flexibility to shift its inventory to other operations as its marketing, manufacturing and fiscal needs change."
-Food Logistics Magazine

Amware Logistics visits Dick's Sporting Goods

2011-09-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics’ most recent involvement with the CSCMP occurred today when a tour was given of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Distribution Center. This was the first tour from the Atlanta Roundtable for the 2011-2012 season.
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. is an authentic full-line sporting goods retailer offering a broad assortment of brand name sporting goods equipment, apparel and footwear in a specialty store environment. The Company also owns and operates Golf Galaxy, LLC, a multi-channel golf specialty retailer. As of August 1st, 2011, the Company operated 455 Dick's Sporting Goods stores in 42 states, 81 Golf Galaxy stores in 30 states and e-commerce and catalog operations for both Dick's Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy.

Amware Logistics Previewing 2011-2012 CSCMP Season

2011-09-21T05:07:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics’ most recent involvement with the CSCMP occurred yesterday during the preview of the 2011-2012 season help at the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
This event provided insight on the many CSCMP events and tours to come this season. Guest speakers at the event included Kirk Niehaus of The Clorox Company who spoke on the elements of operational excellence and how to obtain it. Also speaking was John Mascaritolo of Clayton State University and Stan Ketchel of Middle Georgia University who held a discussion about key factors that future supply chain management leaders have and should be expected to have.
We are very excited to see what the newest season of the Atlanta Roundtable has to offer.

A 3PL's Order Management Benefits from Amware Logistics

2011-09-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

Below is an article from Inbound Logistics Magazine that talks about the benefits of using a 3PL's order management system. Amware Logistics values and provides all of these perks with our services. With the many measurements we use to track and perfect our KPI's and our always available customer service representatives able to help you manage processing both your orders and returns, Amware Logistics is always giving our customers the best benefits from our order management systems.

"All too often, the third-party logistics (3PL) sector views order management as an operations tool—a method of capturing and processing customer orders, optimizing them through the distribution network, and, finally, delivering goods to the customer. A more holistic view of this procedure includes client-side order processing, which presents opportunities to add value and profit, and control risk, as opposed to simply reducing cost.
Here are a few ways shippers can benefit from 3PLs' order management capabilities.

Manage consumer and retail orders efficiently. Keep track of who ordered what, where it was shipped, and when it will arrive. Allowing your customers to track their order status provides an opportunity to cross-sell, up-sell, and increase revenue.

Capture sales information and provide marketers with real-time data. Report multi-channel performance and deliver to marketers and inventory planners intelligence such as statistics on orders placed via phone, Web, your affiliate network, or your interactive voice response (IVR) system. Real-time demand information can also help to quickly identify potential shortages before they become costly problems.

Manage and report on call center performance. Examine agent and/or IVR performance, average call times, or the general success of a campaign. Order management allows shippers to evaluate and compare sales channel performance and trends, and identify and remedy problems in marketing, sales, conversion, and customer service.

Provide intelligent payment processing alternatives that can increase sales. Partner with a 3PL that offers alternative payment methods such as multi-pay or installment billing. And don't underestimate the impact of being able to adapt and change payment options and shipping quantities when a client needs an adjustment.

Help manage merchant account relationships to prevent disruption and chargebacks, and keep customer satisfaction high. Customer dissatisfaction, returns, and refunds affect all parties in the supply chain, but merchants are affected the most. They run the risk of losing not only a customer, but also their merchant account if too many refund requests pile up. Streamlining the returns process and cutting your risk is a necessary and attainable goal. Partner with a 3PL that has the order management experience, programs, and tools necessary to ensure your customers walk away satisfied—product in hand or not.

Manage rapid returns and customer refunds. The right 3PL will not only process and track returns and refunds quickly, but use the situation as an opportunity to increase customer satisfaction by providing an up-sell or cross-sell opportunity to the consumer.

Detect fraud quickly, before goods are allocated and shipped. Once an order has made it to the shipping floor, it's difficult to back-track—but your 3PL provider can test for transactional elements that allow you to prevent credit card fraud before it reaches this point.
When you begin to collaborate with your 3PL provider on order management, you will see you're not working with just another vendor, but with a value-adding, risk-cutting, profit-boosting partner you may have unknowingly kept in the dark for far too long."

-Inbound Logistics Magazine

American Jobs Act

2011-09-09T05:24:00.000-07:00

During yesterday's speech from President Obama, the American Jobs Act was proposed. One of the elements noticed in the proposal of the new act was to increase spending on our roads and bridges. President Obama mentioned in his speech that one of the goals of this was to increase transportation within the US, and ultimately make the domestic manufacturing industry grow larger for the American economy.

Amware Logistics' Morrow Facility Spotlight

2011-09-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

We would like to congratulate our Morrow public warehousing facility for their outstanding accomplishment of having an incredibly accurate shipping accuracy in 2011.

Amware is proud to announce that our Morrow facility’s accuracy for the year of 2011 is next to perfect. With every month so far in 2011 (including July), Morrow is currently averaging at 99.89% accuracy! This is including our highlighted month of January 2011 with an accuracy of 99.97%. And, with over 35 customers being served in Morrow, this is no easy task and requires the up most focus and care which is clearly evident by our facility.

Once again, we are very proud of our craftsman in Morrow, and we are happy and privileged to have them as a part of our team.

Reshoring

2011-08-29T08:24:00.001-07:00

"U.S. consumers could see more products labeled "Made in the USA" on store shelves in the near future. As labor rates in China soar and manufacturers discover unforeseen complications at overseas production facilities, many businesses are revisiting the advantages of keeping operations close to home. But are the benefits of domestic production strong enough to spark a true U.S. manufacturing renaissance?
One primary reason manufacturers first looked overseas now leads the list of reasons to re-think offshoring.
"Within the next five years, the United States is expected to experience a manufacturing renaissance as the wage gap with China shrinks and certain U.S. states become some of the cheapest locations for manufacturing in the developed world," predicted global business strategy firm The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in May 2011.
"All over China, wages are climbing at 15 to 20 percent each year because of the supply-and-demand imbalance for skilled labor," says Harold L. Sirkin, a BCG senior partner. "Net labor costs for manufacturing in China and the United States should converge by 2015. As a result of the changing economics, more products will be made in the United States in the next five years."
Industry experts refer to the resulting manufacturing move from China back to the United States as "reshoring."
Twenty-one percent of North American manufacturers surveyed by manufacturing sourcing Web site MFG.com in June 2011 reported bringing production into, or closer to, North America in the past three months, up from 12 percent in first quarter 2011. Thirty-eight percent planned to research such a move in the next three months.
This trend could greatly improve U.S. employment, says MFG.com CEO and founder Mitch Free, who cites "the multiplier effect," in which every manufacturing job can create up to eight ancillary and support jobs downstream in logistics, retail, and services."
-Inbound Logistics Magazine

Third Party Logistics Companies Going Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

2011-08-22T05:49:00.000-07:00

"Third-party logistics providers have always been regarded as viable sources for warehousing services. But many of them are equally well-versed in the strategy behind these services—including the art and science of warehouse site selection. In fact, according to David Frentzel, of Scottsdale, AZ-based APL Logistics, there are several reasons why a 3PL’s expertise could be one of the best real estate deals available to companies today.
Cost-effective technologies: If your company is unable to allocate funds for the sophisticated optimization and simulation tools that make warehousing site selection so precise, consider this: By using a 3PL your company can often enjoy the benefits of these tools without having to make a substantial capital investment. Just as important, it will gain access to the kinds of highly qualified personnel—usually career engineers with graduate degrees—who understand how to employ these technologies to their full advantage."
-Food Logistics Magazine

Location, Location, Location: Choosing a DC site

2011-08-18T04:53:00.000-07:00

"Choosing a new logistics facility or distribution center (DC) site involves weighing a number of factors and considering numerous details. The best way to start is by thoroughly examining the elements that combine to support your business needs.
Manufacturing and raw materials sourcing play a major role in DC site selection. One reason is that bulk raw materials are typically expensive to transport relative to their value. Manufacturing consumes considerable resources, including raw materials, energy, and labor. As a result, companies locate manufacturing and fabrication operations near those resources.
The sourcing/production side of the supply chain usually starts anywhere low-cost materials, labor, and production are available. The options narrow, however, when inbound logistics and distribution functions enter the equation. The earlier in the process a company considers logistics, the more likely it can design supply chain costs and performance to withstand external or internal disruption.
The distribution side of the supply chain is nearly a mirror image of the sourcing decision, but it is driven by the location of high-value customers, not low-cost manufacturers. The network that serves the end user or consumer reflects not only demand, but also customer service needs. Proximity is important in serving a just-in-time automotive plant, for example, and speed to market can be key for fashion-sensitive consumer goods."
-Inbound Logistics Magazine

CSCMP and the Atlanta Community Food Bank

2011-08-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

The CSCMP recently presented the Atlanta Community Food Bank with a donation of $5,000.00! The donation was translated into over 2,500 meals. This money was raised by the efforts of the CSCMP's annual golf tournament. Amware Logistics was one of the sponsors for this tournament and is proud to be affiliated with such a noble effort.

Amware's Accuracy Remains Consistent at Halfway Point

2011-07-27T05:46:00.000-07:00

We would like to congratulate our Lawrenceville public warehousing facility for their outstanding accomplishment of having an incredibly accurate shipping accuracy in 2011.

Amware is proud to announce that our Lawrenceville’s accuracy for the year of 2011 is next to perfect. With every month so far in 2011 (including June), Lawrenceville is currently averaging at 99.88% accuracy! This is including our highlighted month of June 2011 with an accuracy of 99.94%. And, with over 60 customers being served in Lawrenceville, this is no easy task and requires the up most focus and care which is clearly evident by our facility.

Once again, we are very proud of our craftsman in Lawrenceville, and we are happy and privileged to have them as a part of our team.

Road Condition Stability with your Transportation

2011-07-25T06:36:00.000-07:00

"States have fewer dollars to spend on transportation these days, but that does not mean that highways and roads are destined to fall into disrepair. How can transport departments ensure the smooth, safe travel of goods and people in cash-strapped times? The Show-Me State’s answer: Change the way business is done.
Missouri, on track to reduce transport costs by more than $200 million in the next five years, shows that wise investment of limited resources can result in efficient transportation that does not compromise safety or customer satisfaction.
Despite a leaner budget, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has ramped up its commitment to transportation. Missouri holds the fourth-best ranking in the nation for rail and highway accessibility, and MoDOT recently received several awards for its efforts."
-Inbound Logistics

Mexico's Manufacturing

2011-07-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

"Manufacturing in Mexico continues to grow in 2011 with both new and existing companies expanding operations across various sectors, most notably record-breaking numbers in auto production and vehicle exports.
In May, more than 213,000 cars were manufactured in the country -- 19.4 percent more than in the same period in 2010, representing the highest record, according to Eduardo Solis, president of the Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA). In the same month, exports rose 21.3 percent. May capped a five-month growth period for the first part of 2011, increasing 17.1 percent over 2010 figures and 16.4 percent over 2008 rates. In addition, Mexico, as the ninth-biggest vehicle producer in the world, produced a record 2.261 million vehicles in 2010, up 50 percent from 2009, according to AMIA."
-World Trade Magazine

Green Transportation

2011-07-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

"Technology saves time. Technology saves lives by improving safety. Technology saves overhead costs. But in today’s world, protecting our resources and the environment is more critical than ever, making one of technology’s greatest assets the ability to save resources—paper, fuel and more.

SmartWay Transport Partnership, an innovative collaboration between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the freight industry, is dedicated to increasing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution. The organization’s collective goal is to reduce 33 to 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide per year by 2012. Many trucking firms in the food sector are doing their part to help the industry meet its goals. By tapping into technology, carriers are conserving fuel, reducing and eliminating paper and improving air quality."
-Food Logistics Magazine

Technology advancements in the warehousing industry

2011-06-28T05:12:00.001-07:00

"As the warehouse emerges as a more direct link in the customer fulfillment chain, new technologies have likewise emerged that promise not only to speed fulfillment but to reduce the costs in doing so. An effective WMS (warehouse management system) remains part of this equation, but so, too, are new technologies that can deliver greater efficiencies to the warehouse. Among these are mobile technology and mobile device convergence, voice-activated operations, automation, green technology and the ability to reconstruct workflows on demand."
-World Trade Magazine

Final CSCMP Event

2011-06-21T11:15:00.001-07:00

Today, Amware Logistics attended the final CSCMP Atlanta Round Table event of the 2010-2011 season. Here, Syndee Stiles of McLane Foodservice spoke on the importance of traceability and GS1 standards in the food supply chain.

This was a great final event for the 2010-2011 season, and Amware Logistics looks to help make sure the next season continues to break records and continue to sponsor events and charitable donations.

Traceability Creating Value

2011-06-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

"If there is a serious safety problem with a batch of product, everyone agrees that we need to have the ability to quickly trace the product back to the source of the problem and forward to anyone who might consume the product.
The difficulty is that enhancing current traceability to accomplish this requires time and money to make every batch of product traceable even if there is no safety problem. While it would be great to only incur the expense necessary to enable traceability for those products where there is going to be a safety problem, this is obviously not possible. Without standardization, the cost of traceability is unacceptable and the result ineffective.
Even with standardization, it is essential that at least some of the cost be offset by somehow utilizing the traceability requirements to add value. The most promising ways of adding some value are by capturing and sharing information that will increase demand for the product by improving quality, or decrease supply chain cost by improving efficiency.
Enabling product traceability requires that a label or electronic tag be attached to the product at its point of origin with at least an origin identifier and a batch identifier. Each enterprise that handles the product will need to capture the information on the label together with who the product was received from and when it was received as well as who the product was shipped to and when it was shipped.
If this information, linked with the identity of each enterprise that touched the product, is kept in some electronically accessible location then at least the path taken by the product can be quickly traced. Each enterprise may be required to keep some additional information to indicate what they actually did to the product.
Labeling the product is relatively inexpensive, at most a few cents per label. The major cost of traceability is the capturing of information by each enterprise in the chain and making this information electronically available. To minimize this cost it is essential that each enterprise have a unique identifier. This allows efficient capture of information regarding who the product is shipped from and who the product is shipped to. It also allows the efficient tracing from enterprise to enterprise through the chain."
-Food Logistics Magazine

Customer Feedback

2011-06-16T05:35:00.000-07:00

Recently, Amware Logistics sent a satisfaction survey to all of our customers. Amware is not only looking to make sure we are handling our customers' logistics operations in a manner that meets and/or exceeds their expectations, but seeing where we can continue to improve our processes with each customer.

Here are just some of the responses our customer's have given us:

"We appreciate the extra efforts made in getting last minute orders out the door."

"Ellen Bailey is very professional, detail oriented and always very on top of our orders. I have the utmost respect for her and the service she gives us is beyond measure."

"I appreciate the extra efforts Jamie extends to maintain the performance on our account. I can count on her to drill into problems and resolve them."

Looking for Amware Logistics?

2011-06-13T06:27:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics is turning up in more and more places recently, making it easier for you to find us. Recently, many people needing warehousing, cross docking, and transportation services have found us by way of an online directory at AllWarehouses.com. Finding Amware Logistics is made simple here as you can search for us by name, locations, and services provided.

Newsletter Interaction

2011-06-06T06:17:00.000-07:00

Do you have an idea for our newsletters? Would you like to see a specific topic covered by Amware Logistics' newsletter? Would you like to see more information about Amware Logistics, the 3PL industry, or something totally different?

We would love to hear your suggestions! As we pride ourselves in having a very high quality newsletter, we want it to be as appealing as possible to you. So, if you think you have an idea that would be good for our newsletter, let us know.

Send in your suggestions and ideas to sales@amwarelogistics.com and your ideas could be in our next issue!

CSX Rail Investments

2011-05-31T08:11:00.000-07:00

"Yesterday, CSX announced plans to invest $160 million during the next several years in the National Gateway intermodal initiative.The Class I now has obligated about $575 million over the next several years for the public-private partnership project to “better meet the needs of our customers, our states and our ports,” said CSX Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Ward in a prepared statement.The National Gateway initiative calls for establishing a double-stack corridor between Mid-Atlantic ports and Midwestern markets by upgrading three rail corridors running through six states and the District of Columbia, and building and expanding intermodal terminals. The initiative is designed to shorten transit times and expand shippers’ access to rail services, as well as reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and fuel usage. Total project costs are estimated at $850 million, and federal and state partners are providing more than $280 million, according to CSX.
Most of the $160 million investment announced by the Class I will be used to expand and improve the century-old Virginia Avenue Tunnel in Washington, D.C., and provide double-stack train clearances in Maryland, West Virginia and D.C."
-World Trade Magazine

Amware Logistics Golfing for Charity

2011-05-19T05:53:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics will be participating in the CSCMP's 2011 Charity Gold Tournament today. This event is sponsored by Amware Logistics and a number of other companies and organizations. We are excited to be a part of this fun and beneficial event with many other supply chain professionals, colleagues, and customers in attendance. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Atlanta Community Food Bank and the CSCMP Atlanta Roundtable’s Scholarship fund.

Complexity of the food supply chain

2011-05-18T05:57:00.000-07:00

"Increasingly complex food supply chains create a critical need for the food industry to collaborate across enterprises to understand and improve end-to-end processes employed throughout the chains. This requires the ability to assess the value of improving these processes, employing new technology and taking advantage of information requirements of new government regulations such as the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.
These are not efforts that can be successfully undertaken without broad industry support. In order to initiate a cross-enterprise collaborative effort, Georgia Tech’s Integrated Food Chain Center (IFC) has worked with a broad industry board to prioritize projects that can bring the most value to the food industry in the shortest period of time."
-Food Logistics Magazine

New Pictures!

2011-05-09T05:17:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics has recently uploaded more pictures on our website and facebook page of our Georgia public warehousing facilities in Lawrenceville, Morrow, and Atlanta. You can now see the buildings' exterior on our facebook page, and you can now see additional photo galleries of these facilities on their respective pages on our website.

All Warehouses

2011-05-06T06:17:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics has now increased their visibility by being included on another online 3PL Warehouse listing. Here, you can search for warehouses by a variety of methods including location, attributes, capabilities, and even descriptions.

Amware has listed our Lawrenceville, Fulton Industrial, and Morrow public warehousing and distribution facilities here. You can get a great snapshot of each facility's capabilities in storage, handling, and distribution. You can also see pictures of the facilities themselves.

Be sure to search for Amware Logistics' facilities at http://www.allwarehouses.com/search.php

GPS Software Free for Smaller Fleets

2011-05-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

"GpsGate has released GpsGate Server with five free user licences without time limitation, which will enable small companies to run GpsGate Server without licence costs.
GpsGate Server enables companies to track their vehicles online in real-time, using the maps of their choice.
Extensive reporting capabilities enable companies to analyse fleet behaviour and collect key figures for business decisions.
Alerts can also be configured for events such as SOS, vehicle theft, temperature alert, speeding, excessive idling, off-hours vehicle usage and geofence violations.The GpsGate Server platform supports more than a hundred tracking devices, and tracking clients are available for Windows, iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Symbian devices.
Multiple maps, including custom maps, can be used.
Thirteen languages are included and new languages are easily added.Developers can customise the user interface, integrate GpsGate Server with external systems, add tracking device support and much more using the open APIs, protocols and data formats.GpsGate Server is easy to install with pre-configured application templates. The GpsGate Server plug-in architecture allows users to update existing functionality and download new plug-ins directly from the application."
-World Trade Magazine

Newsletter #19

2011-04-28T11:29:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics is getting ready to send out the next edition of our newsletter. This issue will emphasize our customer service efforts. You will also be able to read about our veteran customer service representative, Ellen Bailey!

New CSCMP Executive Board Member from Amware Logistics

2011-04-21T10:52:00.001-07:00

Josh Sweeney, Marketing Coordinator of Amware Logistics Services has been selected to the Atlanta CSCMP (Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals) Board of Directors. He will serve as the Hospitality Chair for the 2010-2011 program season. The CSCMP is the preeminent world wide professional association of Supply Chain Management professionals. The mission of the CSCMP is to lead the evolving supply chain management profession by developing, advancing, and disseminating supply chain knowledge and research. Amware Logistics Services is a leading provider of 3PL services based in the United States operating 25 public and/or contract warehouses.

Amware Logistics and The Georgia Institute of Technology

2011-04-20T06:29:00.000-07:00

Recently, Amware Logistics attended the "back to the basics" seminar at Georgia Tech. Here was reviewed and evaluated the ever changing fundamentals and principles of the Supply Chain Management and Logistics industry.

Featured at the event was Dr. Alan Erera speaking on transportation, Dr. John Bartholdi speaking on warehousing, and Steve Buffington speaking on human resources and their development.

Amware Logistics Defined

2011-04-19T05:02:00.000-07:00

Now, our website offers a new resource for anyone seeking some general or specific information about the supply chain, logistics, and 3PL industry. The newest feature of Amware's website is a glossary of terms commonly used in the industries, and includes definitions of specific warehouse features, storage features, and handling services. Also, there is information listed on how Amware Logistics incorporates these warehousing and handling services into our core service offering.

You can view this glossary under our "resources" tab, or go directly to the page with this link: http://www.amwarelogistics.com/Glossary.asp

Amware Logistics and UPS

2011-04-13T11:57:00.001-07:00

Amware Logistics’s most recent involvement with the CSCMP occurred today when a tour was given of UPS’s Roswell facility. UPS is a $49.5 billion corporation by clearly focusing on the goal of enabling commerce around the globe. Today, UPS is a global company with one of the most recognized and admired brands in the world. It has become the world's largest package delivery company and a leading global provider of specialized transportation and logistics services. Every day, UPS manages the flow of goods, funds, and information in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Racking in Warehousing

2011-04-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

The following is a definition of racking, in regards to warehousing, as defined by Food Logistics Magazine "Designed to give maximum protection without intruding into the aisle, this rack design uses double columns front and back with C channel construction in all lower X brace panel sections. A welded side panel floor plate completes this space efficient design, giving full length protection and hidden anchors for extra stability." -Food Logistics Magazine

Food Grade Products with Rail Service

2011-04-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

This is an intro to an article from Food Logistics Magazine touching on the benefits of using rail service when handling food grade commodities. "Savvy consumers today want only quality food products for their families. But they also want that quality to be available to them at a comfortable price point. What they might not know are the intricate and complex behind-the-scenes activities railroads, short lines, trucking companies, and logistics providers perform successfully every day to bring that quality food to market at affordable prices. Just about every food product you can find in your local supermarket can ship by rail today, moving thousands of miles from growing fields to community grocery shelves. The clockwork choreography performed within the infrastructure of today’s intermodal network is beyond impressive. It relies on trusted relationships between and among Class 1 railroads, short line railroads, trucking companies, food growers and processors, retailers, groceries, foodservice companies, warehousing providers, trans-load companies, and logistics and distribution companies. The goal for everyone in the food supply chain is to provide safe and cost-effective food delivery." -Food Logistics Magazine

Career Fair at Clayton State University

2011-03-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

Recently, Amware Logistics participated in the CSCMP's career fair held in the student activities center of Clayton State University. Along with the educational experience with practice and actual interviews, great opportunities provided by all of the companies who attended, and opportunity for everyone to extend their professional network, the CSCMP awarded 13 students with scholarships totaling at over $10,000!

More Value Adding Services!

2011-03-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics is now providing another service to our customers. On top of our already vast offerings of warehousing, handling, and transportation, Amware Logistics is offering return processing. Now, your supply chain operations can be handled in both directions. Some of our customers have already jumped into our return processing services, and are very satisfied with the results. Be sure to contact us to get more information, so you can too!

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

2011-03-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Recently, Amware Logistics attended the CSCMP's event which focused on Atlanta's airport. Here, we learned a great deal about the specs of the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport's, their air transportation operations in reference to transporting cargo, effects from government regulations, and the future of their operations, prospective locations, and current locations.

5 Characteristics for Demand-Driven Companies

2011-03-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

The following is a piece stating the 5 characteristics a demand-driven company has.

"Demand sensing: The early definition of demand-driven value networks was a network of trading partners that can sense and respond to demand fluctuations with near zero latency. The concept of demand sensing with near zero demand latency is the first step in becoming demand driven. A good example of this is how supply chains can be transformed by moving from a push to a pull-based signal using Wal-Mart Retail Link.
"Active demand shaping: However, as companies mature and learn demand-driven concepts, they quickly learn that it is not sufficient to just sense demand, but that it is critical to also actively shape demand through demand orchestration. The process of demand orchestration is horizontal. It spans functional silos of sell, deliver, make and source to and enable market-to-market corrections (from the outside in) to stimulate, or deaccelerate demand. There are multiple demand shaping levers – new product launch, marketing programs, sales/channel incentives, price management, trade promotion management, service programs/after-market support, and the sale of Slow and Obsolete products (commonly referred to as SLOB) at the highest margin – that can be leveraged to speed-up or slow down demand. The key of being demand-driven is to actively shape demand to maximize profitability ensuring alignment of all functions to deliver against the opportunity. All too often, in supply-driven organizations, demand is shaped in isolation. (E.g. a promoted product that is not in stock or a price decrease for a product when a commodity market is tightening.) Samsung does this well.
"Design of value networks for demand: A characteristic of demand-driven value networks is that they are designed, not inherited. The company also recognizes that they have multiple value networks with each having unique characteristics for response time, cycle times, and flows. The design of these value networks for demand-driven leaders recognizes the characteristics of demand flows and incorporates demand variability into the overall design. The goal of the supply chain shifts with demand variability. Networks with low demand variability (e.g. low MAPE) can be push-based supply chains based on efficiency goals of lowest cost per unit. Networks with high variability and high volumes (seasonal products) need to be designed to be responsive. These value networks sacrifice the lowest cost to have the most responsive value network. Networks with high variability and low volumes need to be designed for agility. In these networks, companies design for the same quality, cost and customer service given the level of demand fluctuations. They know what is possible and become active modelers to understand the trade-offs. Intel’s supply chain mastery program allowed the company to redesign the value network quickly to launch the Atom chip.
"Agility through demand translation: In the management of demand networks, demand is orchestrated—sensed and actively shaped to maximize margin—through the use of an agile supply network. In this agile network, manufacturing and distribution flexs to maximize value. (E.g. Manufacturing load is shifted from plant to plant, and shipping modes are changed to maximize value in the value network.) This orchestration of demand—sensed, shaped and translated to maximize profitability – is usually coordinated through a series of horizontal processes designed from the outside-in (from market facing processes to supplier processes) of revenue management, Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP), and New Product Launch Commercialization.
"Focus on outcomes: As companies implement demand-driven value networks, the focus shifts from selling into the channel to selling through the channel. It can also shift from a product-based focus to a value-based outcome focus that combines product and service (E.g. An example of value-based outcomes is the shift that is happening in healthcare. It is no longer sufficient to just sell insulin to diabetes' patients, they want devices for monitoring and direct linkage to their physicians.) This may seem like a subtle shift; but the change management issues loom large for an organization implementing the strategy."
-World Trade Magazine

Rising Gas Prices and Amware's Solutions

2011-03-08T05:57:00.000-08:00

With the recent spikes in fuel, transportation operations are becoming increasingly a top priority, as it should be. Amware Logistics understands that to the fullest, and knows that transportation operations need to be cost efficient, and remain reliable, for both the customer and the supplier. This is where Amware Logistics really begins to shine, working with every external element that creates a challenge, and creating, customizing, and implementing the best solution for both parties. To find out more on our transportation services and solutions, we invite you to visit our website at www.amwarelogistics.com or email us directly at sales@amwarelogistics.com.

Food Grade Product Handling Insight

2011-02-25T05:49:00.000-08:00

"The recent passing of the Food Safety Modernization Act brings new focus and heightened awareness to issues associated with food safety and quality. This legislation continues to highlight the goal of the Integrated Food Chain Center at Georgia Tech in better assuring end-to-end integration of the food chain.
The work to improve the cold chain includes major topical areas of increasing integration effectiveness, enhancing product quality and brand equity, and reducing cost through the use of improved processes and practical technology.
However, while advances in end-to-end processes will have significant benefits on operating cost, quality, and food safety, the tactical aspect of sound cold chain practices continues to be the backbone of the integrated cold chain strategy. These tactical cold chain practices reflect the daily operating realities of fast paced and service critical operations in delivering products to the customer in the right condition, at the right time.
It is most often at this detailed, day-to-day level that problems in the cold chain occur. What makes these issues especially troublesome is that their impact may not be seen until later in the cold chain as problems manifest themselves. In some cases, these issues will not be apparent until the point at which customers purchase the product.
At a high level, three major areas provide an overview of the tactics or operating structure required in most cold chains. These include Planning and Risk Assessment, Policies and Processes, and Management Practices. Planning and Risk Assessment addresses the overall structure under which the cold chain operates. It is in this area that overall performance expectations and objectives for cold chain functionality must be developed."
-Food Logistics Magazine

Technology for Tomorrow

2011-02-18T06:42:00.001-08:00

Amware Logistics recently participated in the CSCMP's Atlanta Round Table event regarding technology trends and strategies. The guest speaker, Adrian Gonzalez, was able to give insight on forecasted technological trends, as well as the best uses behind them, including Business Intelligence, Labor, and even Social Networking.

Amware Newsletter: Edition 18

2011-02-15T05:42:00.000-08:00

Amware is preparing to mail out our 18th edition of our newsletter. In this issue, you will find articles on Amware’s 2010 year in review. You will also be able to see an emphasis on our Executive Vice President, Hugh Tait, and an Emphasis on one of our customers as well.

If you would like to be included on our mailing list for our newsletter, you may make a request via email at sales@amwarelogistics.com. Also, feel free to take a look on our website at www.amwarelogistics.com

Amware Logistics and IWLA

2011-02-14T06:11:00.000-08:00

IWLA has recently released their inaugural issue of 3PL Americas magazine. With a special emphasis on the warehousing industry, distribution industry, and other 3PL operations, be sure to check this out, including Amware's new advertising page.

Global Firms Find Sustainable Supply Chain Savings

2011-02-07T07:02:00.000-08:00

"More than half of large businesses and a quarter of suppliers have seen cost savings as a result of carbon management within procurement, according to a report published by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).
Sustainable supply chain practices are becoming more common, according to the survey of 57 multinational CDP members and 1,000 of their suppliers.
The percentage of businesses that track and report supply chain emissions more than doubled in 2010, to 45 percent. And carbon management criteria are increasingly a part of supplier selection, up from 11 percent to 17 percent in 2010, the report said."
-World Trade Magazine

Retailers and Warehouing

2011-01-28T12:53:00.000-08:00

"Many companies will raise the price of goods at retail to accommodate rising costs. But if you’re a deep-discount retailer such as 99¢ Only Stores, every penny really counts. So, faced with rising operational costs, how does the company manage to keep its prices rock-bottom?
“Whenever possible, we try to avoid passing our costs on to the customer,” says Don Arter, vice president of fresh food distribution for the City of Commerce, CA-based retailer. “So we needed to work smarter in our warehouse.”
99¢ Only Stores offers name-brand merchandise from companies such as Kraft, Del Monte, Johnson & Johnson, Frito Lay and Kellogg’s, as well as private label products. While the stores offer a broad selection of merchandise—health and beauty care, housewares, hardware and seasonal goods—food and beverages, including produce, dairy, deli and frozen foods, along with organic and gourmet foods, account for 54 percent of sales."
-Food Logistics Magazine

Highlighting Amware's Customers Publicly

2011-01-21T05:20:00.000-08:00

The Amware Logistics newsletter will now include a new section dedicated to our customers. Each newsletter will include a short interview with one of our customers. The questions asked will specifically revolve around their feelings of deciding to use a 3rd party logistics provider, as well as the benefits they feel they are receiving from using Amware Logistics as their 3PL.

Be on the lookout for our next issues to see how other companies fell about the 3PL industry.

New Website Addition

2011-01-20T05:29:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics has recently added another new industry tab to our website. This new tab will focus on Amware Logistics’ food grade product handling and storage capabilities. Here you can view some information about our warehousing and distribution of food grade products. You can also view some of the awards, accolades, and acknowledgements Amware Logistics has received relevant to the food industry, such as receiving a SUPERIOR rating in our Fulton Industrial public warehousing facility from AIB International’s food safety audit reports for 3 consecutive years including our most recent audit!

You can go to our website and view this new page by selecting the food grade tab under our industries section, or simply click http://amwarelogistics.com/Food.asp to go directly to the page.

Amware's Lawrenceville facility delivers in 2010

2011-01-19T11:06:00.000-08:00

We would like to recognize and congratulate our Lawrenceville public warehousing facility for their outstanding accomplishment of having an incredibly accurate shipping accuracy in 2010.

Amware is proud to announce that our Lawrenceville’s accuracy for the year of 2010 is next to perfect. At the end of 2010, Lawrenceville is averaged at 99.93% accuracy! In fact, every month in 2010 was a great month for Lawrenceville as every month was over 99%. And, with over 50 customers being served in Lawrenceville, this is no easy task and requires the up most focus and care which is clearly evident by our facility.

Once again, we are very proud of our craftsman in Lawrenceville, and we are happy and privileged to have them as a part of our team.

ABF in the Dominican Republic

2011-01-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

"ABF has begun providing single-contact door delivery for customers shipping to the Dominican Republic, according to a company news release.
The expanded Caribbean coverage is in response to increased demand from customers taking advantage of opportunities under the United States-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, known informally as CAFTA.
The Dominican Republic also serves as a staging ground for rebuilding efforts in neighboring Haiti."
-World Trade Magazine

Atlanta Road Conditions

2011-01-12T05:22:00.000-08:00

With the recent road conditions being very icy quite treacherous in the greater Atlanta area, we would like to thank all of our customers for being patient with us. As safety of our craftsmen and women, as well as safely and efficiently handling and transporting your products, is a top priority of Amware Logistics, we assure you we are taking all possible measures to service you as best as possible given the recent weather conditions.

Amware Newsletter: Edition 17

2011-01-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

Amware has just mailed out our 17th edition of our newsletter. In this issue, you will find articles about the advantages of using a 3rd Party Logistics Provider over using self storage, as well as a spotlight on our craftsmen and women. Feel free to take a look on our website at www.amwarelogistics.com

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T04:42:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics would like to wish everyone a happy new year! We look forward to seeing both our current and new relationships grow in 2011. Amware is excited to bring everyone the same great storage, handling, and transportation services we have provided in 2010, as well as bringing new and improved services to our customers and employees too

Happy Holidays

2010-12-23T12:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all of our employees and customers! We hope you have a very happy and safe holiday season!!!!!

Highlighting our Craftsmen and Women

2010-12-23T09:06:00.000-08:00

As an extension on our focus to emphasize our appreciation of the many hard working craftsmen and women in our public warehousing facilities, gifts were given out this week to express our gratitude. Our craftsmen and women received 5 shirts each, including 2 work shirts with the recipients’ name woven into it.

Once again, we want to thank them for their hard work and dedication to delivering the unrivaled performance that has made us who we are today.

Free Month Storage Awarded!

2010-12-21T07:13:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Kelly for answering our trivia question correctly and winning Crossroad Ingredients a free month of storage in January!

The question asked, "In which country is our first international distribution facility located?" was able to be answered by our most recent newsletter. The answer was Jamaica, which was what the newsletter's topic was on.

Amware Christmas Party

2010-12-13T07:34:00.000-08:00

Saturday, Amware celebrated a great year by inviting our craftsmen to celebrate at the Peachtree Marriott Hotel. After our company dinner, cash prizes we distributed as a thank you to our craftsmen. Also, Herbert Battle won the John Wesley Paden Award, which is awarded to our craftsman of the year. Tom Burke won the Jamaica Service award, which is awarded to our top performer on our Jamaica operations. The party was a great time, and it was a blast seeing everyone together enjoying themselves.

Toys for Tots

2010-12-06T12:49:00.000-08:00

Today Amware Logistics in the CSCMP's program hosted by The Home Depot. During the event Rob Doyle proudly announced that today, we were able to donate over 200 toys to the cause. At record numbers of attendees today, this was a truly generous donation, and it is fantastic to see everybody get involved for the cause.

Amware Newletter: Edition 16

2010-11-30T07:19:00.000-08:00

Amware has just mailed out our 16th edition of our newsletter. In this issue, you will find information on our international operations in Jamaica. Feel free to take a look on our website at www.amwarelogistics.com

Marine Toys for Tots - Are You Santa?

2010-11-29T11:02:00.000-08:00

RSA Animate - Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

2010-11-24T07:26:00.000-08:00

Amware gets into the Thanksgiving spirit

2010-11-23T05:41:00.000-08:00

Today Executive Vice President, Hugh Tait, and President, Rob Doyle, is visiting all of our Atlanta facilities delivering turkeys to our dedicated craftsmen. This is a small token of our appreciation for helping us deliver the top of the line services we set out to achieve. Also, as another token of our gratitude, today we are providing a huge thanksgiving lunch for our craftsmen.

We want to thank them once again for their hard work and dedication to delivering the unrivaled performance that has made us who we are today.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Amware Goes Behind the Orange Apron

2010-11-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics will be attending CSCMP's presentation from Home Depot on December 6th. Home Depot's VP of transportation will be speaking about how she leads a highly talented team that oversees the movement of shipments into and within The Home Depot's multi-channel supply chain, including inbound shipments from domestic vendors, all direct imports, and customer deliveries of appliances and store merchandise. Representing Amware at this event will be Josh Sweeney (marketing coordinator), Hugh Tait (Executive VP), and Rob Doyle (president).

Professional of the Year Finalist

2010-11-15T08:41:00.000-08:00

The annual CSCMP Supply Chain Company and Professional of the Year awards were held this morning. We would like to congratulate president Rob Doyle for being a finalist in this year's Supply Chain Professional of the Year awards.

Amware Logistics Salutes our Troups for Veteran's Day

2010-11-11T06:36:00.000-08:00

Amware Logistics gives thanks to all the men and women who have or still wear the uniform of our great military. Your bravery, sacrifices, and commitment to keeping our country free and keeping us safe is an attribute that is second to none. We appreciate the past and present services of our military forces and we thank you for all you have done for us.

3 Year Run for an AIB Superior Rating

2010-11-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

The Amware Logistics’ Fulton industrial facility recently was audited by AIB International. AIB has now submitted the results to the employees who are operating the facility. We are very pleased to announce that we have earned a SUPERIOR RATING. We are very proud of this, as the Superior rating is the best grade granted by AIB. This is especially something to be proud of, as our Fulton Industrial facility has now earned a Superior rating for 3 CONSECUTIVE YEARS! And, on top of that, our score has increased each year.

We would like to congratulate our craftsmen who work so hard to make our facilities the highest quality on every standard. It is great that they are getting the recognition from specialized quality inspectors that they strive for.

Customer Satisfaction Search

2010-11-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

We have recently sent out a survey to our customers in regards to their satisfaction. We are looking forward to seeing how we are performing in reference to our customer's standards and expectations. We are also listening for any ways we can improve and expand on our services provided to our customers who drive us to better our business as well as theirs.

3PL Partnering

2010-11-02T05:12:00.000-07:00

Here is an article from Inbound Logistics Magazine on the issue of finding a good 3PL match for you.

"Here are five tips to help you properly identify the best third-party logistics provider (3PL) to create a win-win relationship and ensure that your company is adequately “partnershipped.”

1. Choose a partner that will walk beside you. Unilateral decision-making doesn’t work. Find a 3PL that wants to partner and looks at the relationship with a truly vested interest; one that will maintain open lines of communication to guide and collaborate with you. Ask candidates to demonstrate a plan for expansion and technology upgrades that can be put in place if your logistics needs grow.

2. Say no to cookie-cutter solutions and pricing. Find a 3PL that listens to and understands your unique logistics needs. Align yourself with a partner that provides flexible solutions, and takes a tailored approach to suit your specific situation. Challenge candidates to demonstrate distinct examples of how they have provided a customized solution for a similar organization.

And size does matter. Some companies prefer small, regional providers over large international providers because they feel they can benefit from a more personalized, intimate relationship.

Ask your logistics providers to demonstrate a plan for continued process improvements that control costs and ensure ongoing efficiency. Outsourcing can produce many benefits. By leveraging the resources of a 3PL, you can save money, improve service levels, and focus on your core business.

3. Find a partner that will “NIPIM” in the bud. That is, find a company that offers stability of resources through:
N. Network strength. Does the 3PL have good resource availability? Is it actively involved in the industry?
I. Industry knowledge and expertise. Talk is cheap. Find a company that has relevant experience with your type of product, technology integration, geographic area, and other specific needs.
P. People. Ask about the company’s personal and professional development programs. If everyone on the team is involved and shows up for practice, it’s more likely that they’ll win the game.
I. IT (or systems capability).
M. Mindset – dynamic and partner focused.

4. Choose a partner that can serve multiple product markets where compliance, safety, and cargo security are required. If one logistics provider can meet the needs of a diverse base of customers, each with its own challenges and industry requirements, then the chances of a successful partnership greatly increase. Ask about certifications that are aligned with your supply chain and industry-mandated protocols.

5. Make the connection. No matter how smart, successful, and impressive a company might be, if you don’t connect with the organization and its people, it’s not going to work. Like dating, chemistry is key. Being able to work together to resolve mutually defined goals and objectives is paramount to success."
-Inbound Logistics Magazine

Amware Wins CHEP Award!

2010-10-27T05:31:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to last weeks announcement below is the full content of the award remarks made by CHEP.

Once again congratulations to Salem on winning and Benson on coming in second. Out of some 97 locations around the country it is a remarkable achievement that Amware came First and Second and one to be proud of.

The Service Center of the year award recognizes excellence at a Service Center by combining performance in several key areas over the last fiscal year including:

-C & B Stock Audits
-Product Rejections
-On Time Performance
-Inventory Accuracy
-Repair Compliance
-General Safety

And the winner of the FY10 Service Center of the year goes to Amware – Salem, VA.

Special recognition goes to Deane Steele, Teresa Taylor and Joe Taylor for their continued leadership in Salem.

Atlanta Community Food Bank

2010-10-25T07:30:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics will be participating in the 2010 CSCMP Atlanta October Tour featuring the ACFB.

Founded in 1979, the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) currently distributes over two million pounds of food and other donated grocery items each month to more than 700 nonprofit partner agencies in 38 counties in Metro Atlanta and North Georgia.

ACFB supports a wide range of people in need, from children to the working poor. Food pantries, community kitchens, childcare centers, night shelters and senior centers are among the agencies that receive product from the Food Bank and provide food and other critical resources for low-income Georgians who suffer from hunger and food insecurity. The Food Bank also operates several community projects to aid our agencies in community building, technical assistance and advocacy efforts.

2010 Company & Professional of the Year awards

2010-10-21T07:12:00.000-07:00

Amware will be attending CSCMP's 5th annual Atlanta Supply Chain Forum & Awards Breakfast for 2010. Here the finalists of the Company & Professional of the Year will be announced.

Also, we will be at the presentation of the supply chain outlook, issues, and trends for 2011 held at the same time. This 2011 supply chain outlook will provide valuable information for planning and forecasting for the next year while taking many internal and external elements of the supply chain industry into account. This is critical for all 3rd party logistics service providers to get a preview of what is to be expected in 2011. And, with this presentation being focused on the Southeastern region, Amware's Atlanta and Jacksonville public warehousing and distribution facilities are impacted by these elements. This makes getting a jump start on preparing for the changes ahead in 2011 crucially important.

Road Transportation Perspectives for 2010

2010-10-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Every place you turn there are signs pointing to where the motor freight industry is treading—both good and bad. Near coastal ports and along hinterland highways, at truck stops and across borders, the day-to-day travels of shippers and carriers alike expose the hairpin turns and straightaways that are emerging in an otherwise shiftless economy.

Around BNSF's intermodal yard in Memphis, for example, carriers of every color and stripe scream north and south on Lamar Avenue—a vivid reminder of how industry is leveraging multi-modal solutions to move freight more efficiently.

Along Interstate 80 in Nebraska at a Flying J rest area, a group of well-traveled long-haul truckers circle their tractors, sharing meals and stories. The only thing missing? Loads of youthful talent and optimism.

In the Bronx, N.Y., a fleet of FedEx hybrid delivery trucks, emboldened with the company's commitment to earth-friendly transport, ferry packages to and from commercial residences and businesses.

Meanwhile, 3,000 miles away, a seemingly endless queue of idling tractor trailers line up at the Aldergrove, British Columbia, border crossing, waiting to pass inspection as they enter the United States."
Inbound Logistics Magazine

Consistant and Accurate Results for Amware

2010-10-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

We now would like to congratulate our Fulton Industrial public warehousing facility for their outstanding accomplishment of having an incredibly accurate shipping accuracy in 2010.

Amware is proud to announce that our Fulton Industrial accuracy for the year of 2010 is next to perfect. With every month so far in 2010 (including September), Fulton Industrial is currently averaging at 99.833% accuracy! This is including our highlighted months of January through June of 2010 with an accuracy of a perfect 100%! And, with over 30 customers being served in Fulton Industrial, this is no easy task and requires the up most focus and care which is clearly evident by our facility.

Once again, we are very proud of our craftsman in Fulton Industrial, and we are happy and privileged to have them as a part of our team.

Newsletter #16

2010-10-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

Our 16th newsletter is now being created. This issue will highlight our Lawrenceville facility. You will be able read about more information on this facility's operations and specialties. Lawrenceville's public warehousing is a key element in Amware Logistics's 3PL operations in Atlanta. If you would like to subscribe to this mailing list in advance, send a request to sales@AmwareLogistics.com

Happy Birthday!

2010-10-12T05:44:00.000-07:00

We would like to wish our Vice President of Operations, Kristie Jeng, a happy birthday. With Kristie overseeing all of the operations in our public warehousing facilities, she has been a cornerstone in providing the satisfaction that all of our customers enjoy today. Amware Logistics is privileged to have Kristie as a part of the team, as without her, we could not be where we are today.

More Recognition of Amware's Efficiency in Jacksonville

2010-10-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

With our Lawrenceville facility doing outstandingly well, we would also like to congratulate our Jacksonville public warehousing facility for their outstanding accomplishment of having an incredibly accurate shipping accuracy in 2010.

Amware is proud to announce that our Jacksonville’s accuracy for the year of 2010 is even closer to perfect. With every month so far in 2010 (including September), Jacksonville is currently averaging at 99.939% accuracy! This is including several months of 2010 with a perfect accuracy of 100%. And, with over 25 customers being served in Jacksonville, this is no easy task and requires the up most focus and care which is clearly evident by our facility.

Once again, we are very proud of our craftsmen in Jacksonville, and we are happy and privileged to have them as a part of our team.

The Accuracy Emphasis for our Customers

2010-10-05T05:27:00.000-07:00

We would like to congratulate our Lawrenceville public warehousing facility for their outstanding accomplishment of having an incredibly accurate shipping accuracy in 2010.

Amware is proud to announce that our Lawrenceville’s accuracy for the year of 2010 is next to perfect. With every month so far in 2010 (including September), Lawrenceville is currently averaging at 99.901% accuracy! This is including our highlighted month of April 2010 with an accuracy of 99.970%. And, with over 50 customers being served in Lawrenceville, this is no easy task and requires the up most focus and care which is clearly evident by our facility.

Once again, we are very proud of our craftsman in Lawrenceville, and we are happy and privileged to have them as a part of our team.

New CSCMP member from Amware Logistics

2010-10-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics's Josh Sweeney is now a new member on CSCMP's Atlanta Round Table. He will also be participating in the marketing group of CSCMP to work with the new memberships, communication, departmental support, and much more.

Temperature Controlled Storage

2010-09-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Many people have been asking about the capabilities of our Atlanta warehousing in regards to the temperature controlled storage service.

Our temperature controlled temperature service is a year round operation. It is there to keep at room temperature level. This would keep this private area of our Atlanta Warehouse to be around 70º to 85º depending on the time of year. Requests for a specific temperature range can be made and granted depending on the requirements and certain external factors.

If you have any more questions, feel free to contact us, and we will be happy to help with any inquiries you may have.

The Atlanta Round Table

2010-09-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics will be attending the CSCMP's Atlanta Round Table event on October 4th.

This event will be based on DOIP:
Demand
Operations and
Inventory Planning

In attendance will be the Coca-Cola supply chain department to explain DOIP and how it is utilized in the logistics industry.

10,000+ Members!

2010-09-27T06:50:00.000-07:00

This article refers to C-TPAT and their membership increases.

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today that the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism has surpassed 10,000 members. C-TPAT is the first and the largest anti-terrorism partnership program throughout the world and it continues to set the global standard for supply chain security. C-TPAT also published the results of its second partner survey.

“This is a great accomplishment for our trade partnership program considering the program began with seven original members in 2001,” said C-TPAT Director, Bradd Skinner. “Achieving 10,000 members indicates that the program is meeting the needs of the trade community, while the member survey results will assist us in taking C-TPAT to the next level.”

The newest member of C-TPAT is Vaughan Furniture Company Inc., located in Galax, Va. Vaughan Furniture has been in business for 87 years and employs 34 people.

C-TPAT was designed so all businesses, regardless of size, could participate in global supply chain security. Approximately half of C-TPAT members companies are small or mid sized, having less than fifty employees. C-TPAT importer partners are responsible for approximately 50 percent by value of all imported merchandise into the U.S. C-TPAT is the first and the largest anti-terrorism partnership program throughout the world and it continues to set the global standard for supply chain security."
-World Trade Magazine

Marketing Committee

2010-09-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

Amware Logistics has recently been selected to participate in the marketing group for the CSCMP's Atlanta Round Table. We are very excited to be given this opportunity and look forward to sharing our views of the 3rd Party Logistics industry from a sales and marketing perspective.

Oversized Shipments: Good to Grow

2010-09-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

The following article touches on the subject of oversized and overweight shipments.

"...Transporting heavyweight cargo presents shippers with more complications than moving merchandise by container. Unlike container shipping, where standard rates often apply, breakbulk cargo is a complex and specialized business. Each breakbulk shipment must be handled individually.

Breakbulk cargo shippers must deal with many questions, such as:
-How far in advance of the actual shipping date do they have to make the booking?
-How will the oversized shipment be transported from inland points to dockside?
-Do they need special permits to move the shipment to port by rail or truck?
-How will the shipment be loaded aboard the vessel?

A breakbulk cargo specialist can help shippers address these issues. Unlike a general agent or forwarder, a specialist brings experience transporting different kinds of heavyweight cargo globally.

Shippers have many options to consider when transporting non-container cargo. Oversized freight can move via open containers, flat racks, open-top platforms, or roll on/roll off vessels.
Forwarders may advise shippers to book freight well in advance, even as long as one year before the actual shipment, if the consigned cargo consists of "big shoulder" items such as power plant, wind farm, processing plant, or oil refinery equipment. That's because only a small number of ships with very heavy lift capabilities are available."
-Inbound Logistics

AIB Audit Results

2010-09-10T05:09:00.000-07:00

The Amware Logistics’ Lawrenceville facility recently was audited by AIB International. AIB has now submitted the results to the employees who are operating the facility. We are very pleased to announce that we have been given a SUPERIOR RATING. We are very proud of this, as the Superior rating is the best grade granted by AIB.

We would like to congratulate our craftsmen who work so hard to make our facilities the highest quality on every standard. It is great that they are getting the recognition from specialized quality inspectors that they strive for.

The Sales & Marketing Handbook

2010-09-09T08:54:00.001-07:00

We are currently hard at work refreshing our reference book for the sales and marketing efforts at Amware. We have renewed and explained the procedures, strategies, and thought processes for a large element of Amware's operations.

Website Administration
Blog Administration
Research
Data Tracking
Public Relations
Sales Programs
Internal Efficiency
Communication Coordination
Image Control
...and much more.

New Program Available to Amware's Customers

2010-09-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

Amware is continuously aiming to establish refreshing, customer-friendly experiences and opportunities. This is why I am very excited to announce that we are now able to offer our customers a FREE month’s storage under a new customer referral program we are introducing.

With our customer referral program, customers now have the opportunity to refer fellow businesses that are in need of logistics services, to us. Upon, signing a referred colleague to Amware Logistics, we will gladly thank our referring customers by rewarding them with one free month’s inventory.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns with this new program, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help answer any inquiries you may have.