Approved Freight Forwarders
Helpful Articles - Industry News

Lower Emissions & Improved Safety: 5 Emerging Innovations in Rail Freight

As the transportation industry continues to focus on sustainability, rail freight continues to stand out. The consulting firm IDC calls rail “the most energy efficient and least carbon intensive freight transportation mode.” Case in point: Rail makes up about 9% of freight activity, but it only accounts for 3% of energy use in the transportation sector. But the rail industry isn’t resting on its laurels. Instead, the industry continues to embrace technological innovations designed to reduce its carbon footprint even further, improve safety, increase efficiency, prevent breakdowns, and keep cargo moving. In this article, we’ll investigate some of the latest innovations in rail freight, including...

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Approved Freight Forwarders Earns EPA SmartWay® Certification

Approved Freight Forwarders Joins EPA SmartWay® Transportation Partnership: A Commitment to Sustainability October 23, 2023 Approved Freight Forwarders has announced its membership in the SmartWay® Transportation Partnership, a program initiated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Thanks to its extensive usage of SmartWay-certified carriers, the company has achieved certification as a SmartWay Logistics Company. This impressive accomplishment shows that Approved Freight Forwarders is committed to being eco-friendly, teaming up with similar partners and organizations to make the future more sustainable. The Significance of SmartWay® Transportation Partnership The SmartWay® Transportation Partnership, a program under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is a comprehensive initiative to enhance...

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8 Innovative Ways the Freight & Logistics Industry Leverages AI

Complex, interdependent processes. Tons of historical data. A constant drive to create efficiencies and reduce waste. These characteristics of the freight and logistics industry all set the stage for significant impact from artificial intelligence technology.   As you might expect, AI technology is first and foremost assisting many freight and logistics companies with supply chain optimization. 15% improvement in logistics cost Data from management consulting firm McKinsey & Company revealed that companies using AI for supply chain management have improved their logistics costs by 15% and their service levels by 65% in comparison to peers who didn’t adopt these technologies. Beyond supply chain optimization, the...

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What Is Warehouse Racking? Improve Efficiency and Reduce Damage with the Right System

Your warehouse storage system can have a significant impact on your operation—and your inventory. The right pallet racking system can create efficiencies, protect your inventory from damage, and make it easier for your team to handle your stock.   The wrong storage racking system, though, can cost you time and money—and take a toll on your warehouse staff.   In this article, we’ll give you a thorough introduction to warehouse racking: What it is, what advantages it can offer, and what types you’ll find so you can select the right one for your operation. Whether you use this information for your own warehouse setup or...

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6 Steps Toward Greener Logistics & a Lower Carbon Footprint

The transportation industry plays a vital role in everyday life, moving everything where it needs to go—people, supplies, raw materials, equipment, finished goods, etc. Given how reliant we are on the industry, it’s no surprise that it’s exerted a significant impact on the environment. Between 1990 and 2020, greenhouse gases attributed to the transportation sector increased more in absolute terms than any other sector, according to EPA data. Many in the transportation industry—and specifically logistics—have turned their eyes toward greener, more sustainable solutions. Perhaps that’s not so surprising for an industry that’s always been focused on efficiency. After all, more efficient solutions are also often...

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Los Angeles Real Estate Impacts Supply Chain Costs

It was a textbook case of supply and demand. That’s what drove industrial real estate rents sky-high in greater Los Angeles in 2022. And the effects may ripple all the way down the supply chain to shippers moving freight through the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.   To sum up exactly what happened: Where industrial real estate—including warehouse space—was concerned, 2022 was a landlord’s market with very few vacancies. As a result, rent in Los Angeles rose in 2022, both for new tenants and existing tenants. Additionally, to compensate for inflation, some landlords added consumer price index (CPI) increases on top of rent...

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