One of the most crucial steps in the supply chain is receiving. That’s the point when manufactured goods have reached retailers’ warehouses or the end of the dock-to-stock sequence. This is the point where whatever has been trucked or delivered via rail arrives and must be unloaded. Cargo is not simply removed manually. It must be taken from the container or trailer using the best methods for what the items are, how much they weigh, and how they are packaged. By this stage of the chain process, mistakes in assessing the condition of the cargo (i.e. damages. losses), the quantity of goods, and if the products that have arrived are exactly what was ordered can occur. This is when professional unloading services are best equipped to handle whatever scenario has developed en route.
That is because there are a number of issues that can and do arise when unloading services are cleared to enter the containers and/or trailers to remove the goods. Time is an important factor even after the trailers/containers arrive at the loading dock. Cost containment is paramount, and operations costs increase the longer it takes for cargo to be unloaded and stored within the facility. When damages are discovered, professional lumpers can quickly assess the situation, separate damaged goods from those that are salvageable, carefully unload these, and document what has been destroyed in transit for an insurance claim.
Professional unloading services such as the teams dispatched by Express Freight Handlers are seasoned and OSHA-trained and certified. This reduces the chances for personal injury as well as the potential for injury to warehouse and operations staff. Liability claims can negatively impact overhead costs as well, so performing freight unloading tasks safely are vital considerations on many counts.
Why is it so critical to use trained and experienced unloading services for your receiving process? In recent years, trucks have conveyed about 11.23 billion tons of freight to warehouses annually. That’s almost 75%, the rest is carried by rail. Either mode of transport notwithstanding, someone must be waiting at the loading dock to receive each and every cargo. For top efficiency and accuracy, whatever your cargo’s volume and tonnage, dictate that this downstream processing be handled by experienced unloading services. Remember, product errors and inaccurate inventory counts equal lost revenue and higher operating costs.
Express Freight Handlers dispatches a team of lumpers and a supervisor. The lumpers’ actions are recorded and a customized report is prepared upon request. Again, if requested, as the goods are removed from the trailer or container, our team can additionally transfer these floor-loaded products to pallets for warehouse storage. Another option is to unload cargo directly onto conveyors to be transferred to storage, or outbound as needed.
Express Freight’s teams are highly experienced and can move without a pause from unloading to receiving. Our flexibility ensures that tight schedules can be met, and overhead costs reined in. As another value-add – our unloading services may be hired by the job, thereby reducing overhead or the need to hire full-time staffers for part-time tasks.
To learn more about the efficiency and potential cost-saving impacts for your business, contact Express Freight Handlers today!
