4 Less than Truckload Shipping Headaches and How to Relieve Them
Less than truckload shipping services may not be necessary if you have your own fleet or if your company ships full trailer loads. However, if you don’t have the need for full truckload carriers finding the best parcel carriers for your shipments could be the answer. In general, LTL is thought of as a major headache, but Top Shelf Logistics is able to make the process less stressful and incredibly efficient for you.
1. Damage Claim Headache Relief
There are many tricks of the trade when planning for LTL Shipping. It’s important to shrink-wrap a load and make sure to attach it to the shipping pallet so the load is sturdier and less likely to shift about. In fact, the better you package your materials, the fewer problems you potentially have with damage claims.
2. Relief for Overweight Charges
Even if your cargo is perfectly loaded, you could get a harsh surprise when you see the invoice. For example, if the load is heavier than you thought, you could pay a surcharge or extra fee you didn’t expect. These extra fees add up over time and become a real pain. How can you solve this issue? Consider weighing every pallet for less than truckload shipping. It may take extra time, but if you already have a floor scales, you may save a lot of money.
3. Discount Pricing Surprises
Just because you get a discount, doesn’t mean you get the best freight rates. It’s important to check several companies (or have someone do this for you) to make sure your discounted rate is a good deal.
4. Overwhelmed by Shipping Options
If you want to solve most shipping related headaches, choose less than truckload shipping experts for your LTL freight. Top Shelf Logistics specializes in things like LTL freight, and we know the business inside and out. We’ll help you avoid many common problems and save you money in the process.
Wine Moving: A Brief History
At Top Shelf Logistics, we have been moving wine and other beverages since 1989, however, wine transportation has been taking place for centuries. Wine skins were used in the biblical days and offered transportation for small amounts. For larger amounts, large pottery jugs were used and these were a standard mode for the production, preservation and transportation of wine.
Wine Moving from Greece and Rome to the Middle Ages
The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used large pottery vessels to store and transport wine across city-states and countries. The Romans used amphorae. The sizes varied and so did the stylistic qualities. The Greeks believed in elaborately decorating their clay pottery; the Romans focused more on the practicality of the vessels for transportation.
Wine moving primarily too place via water as it was the best medium for shipping the smaller amphorae and its larger counterpart. This was the dolium. Like our various shipping containers at Top Shelf Logistics, this choice became part of the Romans’ own logistic system for shipping and transporting wine and other goods. The dolium evolved over the period and ships came to feature dolium cemented into the floor. This allowed for less disturbance of the wine.
Yet, like other containers, the dolium and amphorae soon faced competition. Wooden barrels, invented by the Celts but introduced to the Romans by the Gauls, came into prominence in the shipping industry in conjunction with the expansion of what was to become the Roman Empire. Between Caesar’s invasion of Britain in 54 BC and the first century AD, wooden (in particular oak) barrels became the accepted form of wine moving across the Republic/Empire. The reasons were simple. Barrels were:
- Durable
- Light weight
- Watertight
- Able to hold large amounts (the larger barrels called tuns)
By the third century AD, the transition to barrels was complete.
Barrels also had a surprise benefit; they influenced the taste of wine.
The Middle Ages saw barrels of all sizes. Export and import taxes were in place and licenses affected the wine trade (just like we experience today at Top Shelf Logistics). Wine even influenced the categorization of ships. By the 14th century, a ship was referred to as being able to carry so many “tuns” of wine. Until the advent of the 19th and early 20th century, ship and tuns remained the favored mode of moving wine in and across Europe and even into the New World.
The Modern Age of Moving Wine
In the past few centuries, technological advances have affected wine moving in a positive way. The railroad was the first to open up the ability to transport wine across the land with less spillage and spoilage. Barrels and specially designed tank cars made this possible. The acceptance of the glass bottle also affected the transportation of wine. This new container was slow to receive acceptance across the public. Although glass bottles had been in use since the 1600s, their use for wine as more than a temporary transport from barrel to cup did not begin until the 1820s. In addition, laws in England did not allow for the sale of wine in bottles until 1860. Eventually, the bottle became the standard wine container.
Wine Moving Today
Today, technology has once again affected the wine industry. Containers for transporting wine and other beverages have undergone a virtual revolution. Since the 21st century started, wine production companies have looked for lighter, safer and less expensive ways to ship their product. They also need to ensure the product does not suffer any loss in quality. At Top Shelf Logistics, we can assure our customers we are capable of achieving this objective no matter how the wine is packaged from plastic Flexi-tank bags (bladders) to boxes or glass bottles. We are prepared to handle all types of wine moving and transportation.
How to Transport Your Alcohol (specifically Wine Shipping)
Not all alcohol is created equal when it comes to transport. Beer and liquor are easier to ship than wine, which is more susceptible to being disturbed when moved around. If you are looking for a shipper for your alcohol, consider a few factors that will make all the difference on maintaining the quality of your product. Another important issue to bear in mind is the state rules and regulations on alcohol transport.
Important Factors That Affect Bottled Alcohol
You many think that once your fine-crafted beverage is bottled and sealed, it is safe, but consider these circumstances that can spoil your product during Wine shipping:
- Temperature – Ideally you should keep this between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. What’s more, you don’t want temperature fluctuations of more than 5 degrees to avoid expansion and contraction of the fluid volume. High or unstable temperatures can cause leaking of the seals which can contaminate the bottle contents.
- Humidity – Just like temperature, humidity levels can affect the contact of the seals on bottles. Ideal humidity is about 70 percent. Drier air causes seals to dry out, shrink and crack.
- Light – This is the reason many brands of beer and wine are bottled in dark, opaque glass. Light can cause oxidation of Wine and spoil the taste. You should always avoid direct sunlight on your product when possible.
- Movement – Of course if you are shipping alcohol, some shifting and tilting is inevitable, but you should strive to reduce vibration, shaking and toppling. Too much movement will move sediment around inside the bottle and may even damage it.
Don’t Forget the Law
State laws regarding Wine shipping are varied and complicated. For instance, in Massachusetts and Indiana, a driver under the age of 21 is not legally allowed to transport alcohol; specifically, such persons cannot operate a vehicle that has alcohol in it, regardless of quantity and whether or not the alcohol is sealed and packaged. Some regions of the country never allow the transport of alcohol across their boundaries. The so-called dry counties include large areas of Mississippi, Kentucky and Texas. If caught conducting Wine or Spirits shipping in these places you could be charged with a felony. Residents of Alaska have a monthly rationed limit on the amount of alcohol they can import.
Do your homework before you decide on Wine or Spirits shipping. Contact Top Shelf Logistics, LLC for professional help in guiding your company when shipping Wine, Spirits and Beer. Our expertise is especially vital to anyone whom is doing any craft-distillery shipping, wine shipping or craft brewery shipping. Top Shelf Logistics knows how to transport your product in a completely compliant and safe manner. Give us a call today!
What you Should Know About Shipping Alcoholic Beverages
During the holiday season, purchase and consumption of alcohol increases and business owners like to expand their inventory in anticipation. Unlike other merchandise, however, you can’t just order and ship alcoholic beverages without navigating a lot of red tape. Not only are the laws regarding spirit transportation complex, but they frequently change. Among other things, you will be expected to know what taxes must be paid and to pay them. The purchaser and receiver is expected to know the laws and abide by them, which leaves you with the liability for the transportation process.
If you have a retail liquor license it is not enough to allow you to purchase alcohol and have it transported to your business; you must also have a non-retail license to transport alcohol, or import or export it. This rule applies to non-profit organizations as well as for profit businesses. You also need to consider what kind of alcohol is being shipped. Hard liquor, contrary to what you might think, is one of the easier alcoholic beverages to ship.
The Webb Kenyon Act
The Alcohol, Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau enforces the Webb Kenyon Act, which prohibits shipment of alcoholic beverages across state lines if it violates a law of the receiving state. In reality all states, due to their own tax laws, don’t accept trans-state shipments, so this restriction applies universally. The Bureau, for the most part, leaves it to the states to enforce these regulations, since each state has a different approach to spirits transportation. So how do distributors manage to ship their goods?
Rules and Regulations Vary by State
Most states don’t allow direct spirits transportation from manufacturer to consumer; in some states, it is even a felony offense to do this. It takes some research to know how to ship alcohol legally, as rules and regulations can vary depending on point of departure and place of arrival. Some states don’t allow spirits transportation at all, and some allow it to licensed wholesalers or liquor distribution centers owned by a state. If the alcohol originated outside of the country, customs declarations must also be made, and you can’t sell what you import without a Federal Alcohol Administration permit.
Spirits transportation doesn’t have to be complicated if you are aware of the basic rules. Contact Top Shelf Logistics, LLC and we will help you find a shipping company that specializes in spirits transportation to be sure to have a legal and trouble free shipment.
Interview with Richard Baduini
Richard Baduini
- Founder and CEO, Top Shelf Logistics LLC
- Years in current job: 8.5
- Years in the logistics/transportation field: 30
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Wagner College;
- MBA from University of Phoenix
- Favorite pastime outside the office: Spending time in the great outdoors.
- Type of car he drives: Pickup truck
- Favorite travel destination: Anywhere with a beach.
Why did you choose your line of work?
- A major influence was my dad’s successful 25-year career in the ‘distribution and transportation’ business, before the discipline was referred to as ‘logistics or supply chain.’
- To earn college tuition, I regularly worked on shipping docks, in warehouses and distribution centers for years while attending college.
What are some new trends in your industry?
- Creative outsourced transportation solutions, asset telematics, beginning-to-end shipment visibility, supply chain network flexibility and of course, technology.
- All of these are brought to practical fruition through our leading edge TMS (transportation management system) utilization and execution that truly adds value to our clients’ supply chains.
- Web-enabled, universally accessible software that delivers all of the standard tools but also offers premier functions such as order visibility, optimized order planning, routing guide compliance, accessorial mitigation, mobile access and fully customized self-directed analytics and reporting.
Press release
Top Shelf Logistics, LLC is pleased to announce the opening of a new office location in Louisville, KY.
Rich Baduini, President and CEO says: “Establishing a long term presence in Louisville and Kentucky in general reaffirms our commitment to all of our customers locally and regionally. Being “local” brings us closer to our valued carrier vendors and customers improving our creative interaction and responsiveness to their evolving needs.”
Top Shelf Logistics, LLC is an independently owned asset-light 3PL widely known as a single source multi-model transportation provider. The company’s primary offering includes collaborating, creating and then managing committed capacity and highly customized supply chain solutions.
Since 2013 Top Shelf Logistics, LLC has proudly partnered with CRST Logistics, Inc. an operating subsidiary of CRST International, Inc. based in Cedar Rapids, IA. CRST is one of the largest privately held transportation companies in the United States. Together Top Shelf Logistics, LLC and CRST, Inc. provide a broad array of transportation services including truckload van, LTL, intermodal, expedited dry and refrigerated, flatbed, dedicated carriage, brokerage, transportation mgt., high value and white glove services.
CRST International, Inc.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based CRST International, Inc. is one of the largest privately-held transportation companies in the United States. Through its six operating companies, CRST provides a broad array of transportation solutions, including expedited van, flatbed, dedicated services, brokerage, transportation management, high value product white glove moving services and expedited temperature controlled team services. CRST’s operating companies are made up of CRST Expedited, Inc., CRST Malone, Inc., CRST Dedicated Services, Inc., CRST Logistics, Inc., Specialized Transportation (STI) and Temperature Controlled Team Service (TCTS). For more information, visit www.crst.com or call (800) 736-CRST (2778).
Quote
“Rich is the real deal, and his team of professionals at Top Shelf Logistics have what it takes to exceed all of your expectations for a full service 3rd Party Logistics provider.”
