Approved Freight Forwarders
Helpful Articles - Company News

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...

Like many other specialized sectors, companies in the transportation and logistics industry have their own professional organizations. It’s easy to think that these affiliations don’t add up to much more than a series of logos at the bottom of a company website. However, as a shipper or a potential partner to a freight forwarder, you might be surprised that these professional affiliations actually offer you benefits. Through the networking, educational, and financial opportunities offered by these organizations, freight forwarders are better positioned to deliver: A thoroughly professional experience, with trained and informed experts handling your shipment every step of the way. Seamless pickup, handling, and...

It’s amazing to think that our company has been accident-free for more than four years now. We’re very proud that each member of our team has gone this long without a lost-time accident or injury. Even more proud, that as a supply chain company who handles millions of pounds of freight each week we have been able to achieve this milestone. The average transportation and warehousing company expects almost 4 incidents per year. By posting zeroes in the lost time column, we have saved our customers time, money and worry because a safe team means safe freight. But enough bragging – at least in this...

Often overlooked, the question of how a product is going to reach customers is very important. This type of oversight can quickly turn a carefully designed product into a logistics nightmare. Your team will be left scrambling to secure rates which won’t turn your revenue stream upside down. Fluctuations in fuel, shifts of demand in certain lanes, and changes to volume all play a part in altering shipping rates from day-to-day. There are many factors that play into cost, but ocean freight shippers have another variable to consider. That variable is the Ocean Freight General Rate Increase (GRI). Great supply chains are centered around one key piece...

Approved is always looking for ways to improve and provide better service to our customers. Troy Plotkin, Director of Operations, is leading the way with a number of new initiatives. Troy joined the Approved family, or ‘Ohana, in 2015. The company was growing and management recognized the need for change. As Troy puts it, “We put new miles on the bus but never took the old ones off. We needed to capitalize on what we had.” By taking full advantage of our systems’ features, Approved has improved visibility, consistency and predictability. “Especially for smaller customers, costs are key. We need to offer competitive pricing.” “We...

The Heart and Soul of Approved.  With a combined 78 years at The DeWitt Companies, Marie Flores and George Fomenko aren’t just logistics experts – they’re examples of what it means to be ‘Ohana. Marie and George were two of the first five employees of Approved Freight Forwarders, and have dedicated their lives to Approved’s growth and success. Last December, they received Collaborative Diamond awards for their service to the company, and for embodying what it means to “Be ‘Ohana.” We’d like to highlight these two very important members of our Approved family. George Fomenko Dock Supervisor Originally from Latvia, George’s parents and grandparents were...