Purolator

Although it’s generally understood that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) eliminated tariffs on eligible products traveling between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, less understood is that not all products qualify for duty free treatment.

The wave that heavy e-commerce activity currently rides is not close to crashing anytime all that soon. And with that comes a heightened focus on the logistics-related aspects of e-commerce, specifically on the last-mile side of things.

When German-based car manufacturer BMW saw a 2013 disruption in the flow of replacement parts to 40 aftermarket distribution centers and hundreds of repair shops, it experienced firsthand something that no luxury automaker ever wants to see: unhappy customers, and lots of them.

It’s been 20 years since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) took effect, but debate continues with regard to its net benefit to the U.S., Canadian, and Mexican economies. The agreement created the world’s largest free trade zone, affecting 450 million people and impacting three countries that together produce more than $17 trillion annually in goods and services.

Businesses engaged in importing or exporting goods have long understood that customs compliance is a process not for the faint of heart. Transporting goods across an international border involves strict compliance with required documentation, security procedures, and revenue obligations. Due diligence is also required since many border clearance requirements change, often with little advance notice.

The nation’s top freight carriers record an annual empty miles percentage of roughly 12.5 percent. That is to say that trucks are forced to make the return trip to their point of origin empty, because no additional conveyances are available along the route. And the figure is much higher – as much as 25 percent – for private carriers that only carry loads for a single shipper, and thus have fewer reloading opportunities.

The rebound of the U.S. dollar against its Canadian counterpart has provided a welcome respite for many recession–weary U.S. businesses and manufacturers, desperate for a bright spot on the otherwise negative economic horizon.

The supply chain arena is a place where there are a lot of existing problems - women are problem-solvers - traditionally, women deal with family budgets and evaluating risk, when it comes to bringing value to employers, women draw from that discipline and experience.

Supply chains 2013 have become vastly different from supply chains of just a few years ago. Efficiencies are possible today that managers could only dream about a few years ago and today’s new strategies guarantee your supply chain is ahead of the curve when it comes to best practices in logistics efficiency.

Near-sourcing and the North American Free Trade Agreement represent a perfect supply chain match, industry analysts contend.

In an effort to highlight its expanded reach, Purolator Courier Ltd. said this week it has changed its official name to Purolator Inc. and Purolator USA is now Purolator International.