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What is a “bulkhead”?

An insulated bulkhead is a thermal barrier in a trailer, truck body or van that separates fresh, frozen or dry goods.  This allows multiple temperatures in one vehicle, or the reduction of cooled space to reduce energy consumption. There exist many different insulated bulkheads to accommodate to your needs.

Any successful “multi-temp” trailer set-up system uses insulated barriers. These products are used to create multi-temp zones in your trailer.  Zones provide protection needed for temperature sensitive cargo.  Companies increase efficiency and profits by cutting down on spoilage and cross contamination.  The insulated barrier is the ideal solution for transporting frozen, refrigerated, and/or dry products.

Flexible-fit and disposable refrigerated bulkheads are changing the way multi freight and mixed load freight are managed for refrigeration transportation companies in the food, produce, floral, and pharmaceutical industries. They provide thermal insulation, flexibility, ease of installation, abuse protection, and reusability/disposability at a low cost.

Insulated bulkhead partitions allow you to separate temperature sensitive items creating a multi temp solution for frozen, cold, refrigerated and dry products. Insulated bulkheads allow separation when hauling a small load so you can maintain the temperature in the area of the product only and not cool the complete length of the trailer saving fuel.

Insulated partitions also prevent cold air loss when the doors are open. The insulated “curtains” block the opening of the doors, thereby assisting in the maintenance of temperature and thus saving fuel.

Even when there is only one temperature zone but a half-empty trailer — why cool the whole space when only half the load requires cooling?

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What is “3PL” and what does it mean?

Third-party logistics (3PL) is an organization’s use of third-party businesses to outsource elements of its distribution, warehousing, and fulfillment services.

Three Key Functions of 3PL

  1. Freight
    When it comes to freight transport, 3PLs can engage carriers, consolidate less than truckload (LTL) freight, keep track of freight payment and insurance documents, and work with private fleets. Working with a 3PL can also help efficiently lower transportation costs.
  2. Global
    Shipping globally can be complicated and stressful. A 3PL can take control of global shipping logistics. As a representative of a business, 3PLs work to require all trade compliance requirements are met, costs are managed, and plans are executed properly.
  3. Technology
    A 3PL often uses modern technology such as electronic data interchange (EDI), application programming interface (API), and cloud-based systems to manage customer relationships, transportation, and warehouse operations. The goal is to provide visibility to supply chain processes as well as shipments in transit.

Finding a 3PL Company for You

When businesses grow into new markets, a 3PL aids the growth in these regions. 3PLs are always looking for ways to improve every aspect of the supply chain. They can utilize management software and analyze supply chain procedures to eliminate inefficiencies. Engaging a 3PL company’s services is a tried and true manner to ensure continuous improvement to your logistics process.

Get in touch with PFL Logistics today to get started!

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Protect Your Cargo This 4th of July

Cargo theft is a year-round problem for the trucking, freight, and logistics industries. However, it becomes a much larger concern around the Independence Day holiday in the United States. It is estimated that over the past five years $5.9 million in cargo has been stolen.

The average heist is worth $128,415. Food and beverage items, household goods and building materials are some of the most stolen items.

There will be an increase in the targeting of cargo because thieves have a longer time to get away with it. They have an extended weekend, where they feel there are fewer eyes on it and an extra day before people will start looking for the missing cargo.

Highly populated states like Texas, California and Florida lead the list of July 4th cargo theft hot spots.

Cargo theft is most likely to occur in parking lots, unsecured yards and truck stops. There are two common types of theft: stealing the entire truck, often done by organized crime rings; or breaking into the back of the trailer when the driver is sleeping or away from his/her truck.

How could theft happen when the driver is literally inside the truck? Don’t forget, they are more than 50 feet away from the rear doors of the trailer. It’s much harder to hear that or feel any activity at this distance. They may not feel the trailer shifting or hear any unordinary noises.

In order to help mitigate cargo theft, CargoNet (The cargo theft prevention and recovery network) offers the following tips:

  • Ask local police agencies to make routine checks of facilities during holiday downtime.
  • Make sure that both security managers and drivers have an accurate license plate, VIN and descriptive information for tractors, trailers, containers and container chassis.
  • Secure all trailers, loaded and unloaded.
  • Secure all tractors with high-security locking devices, such as air-cuff and steering column locks. Remind drivers to arrive at the point of pickup well-rested, showered and fed and with a full tank of fuel.
  • Avoid having loaded trailers sit unattended when employees are not present.
  • Never treat any alarm signal as a false alarm. When targeting warehouse locations, cargo thieves tend to trip facility alarm systems multiple times before a break-in to give law enforcement and facility managers the impression that the alarm system is broken.
  • Encourage documentation and reporting of all suspicious activity that occurs in and around a facility to security personnel and the CargoNet command center. This information can be critical to law enforcement in the event of a cargo theft incident.

The best tip we can offer? Work with PFL Logistics to ensure the safety and retention of your cargo, and your paycheck, this holiday weekend. We guarantee theft prevention. Contact us today to get started!

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Video: PFL’s NEW Solar Farm

A business can choose to take action to operate responsibly each day no matter what effect it may have on the books. PFL Logistics is a shining example of a business making such a decision in “easier” times before the Corona Pandemic was set loose on the world’s population. Construction on a large solar array (or “solar farm”) began on land owned by the company directly behind their headquarters as the new year of 2020 rolled in. To get an idea of the scale of this new project, it can be said that PFL’s solar farm is the largest of its kind that is non-utility-owned in the Evansville area. With ideal sunny conditions, the new solar farm can output on average 5.3 megawatts of power per day. All the while, the 140,000 sq ft PFL facility utilizes on average 4 megawatts of power a day. Thus, the company is generating more than it uses. This essentially lowers their carbon footprint to zero. PFL has, in a nutshell, gone green.

Key business decisions are made both during times of normality and during times of devastation. Each has the ability to resonate positively with a company’s community and the people that populate it. PFL Logistics has taken two big leaps in the first quarter of 2020 alone. First in staying open to help fight the Corona Virus, and second in putting forth the capital to construct a solar array to make every operating day an eco-friendly day. It is because of this that PFL has risen to become an example of how a responsible business operates and leaves a lasting impression upon its community.

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Feeding Our Community

May 8, 2020: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today approved $1.2 billion in contracts to support American producers and communities in need through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

Each dairy box will contain items like french onion dip, sour cream, cream cheese, and a variety of milk options. Produce boxes will be filled with various vegetables and fruits. Evansville Cold Storage, PFL Logistics, Old National Events Plaza, and CRS One Source will supply cold storage spaces for these boxes.

“As part of the Evansville Mayor’s Reopen Evansville Task Force, we were called upon to help provide supply chain support in the form of warehousing. We are storing 3,000 boxes and helping distribute them every week for the next four weeks. This is something I have vowed to do at no cost. We have available resources, and I wanted to step up and help our community.”

-Dylan Rexing, President/Founder PFL Logistics & Evansville Cold Storage

Through this program, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is partnering with suppliers, whose communities have been significantly impacted by the closure of restaurants, hotels, and other food service businesses. The program will purchase $461 million in fresh fruits and vegetables, $317 million in a variety of dairy products, and $258 million in meat products. Suppliers will package these products into family-sized boxes and transport them to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.

“As we continue to reopen our community, we recognize some residents are still facing extreme hardships,” Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke said. “These food boxes will provide critical support to maintain our community’s food security.” 

– Lloyd Winnecke, Mayor of the City of Evansville

A great deal of credit and gratitude goes to all of the truck drivers representing PFL Logistics, Evansville Cold Storage, and sister company JR’s Expedited Freight. Because of the time and dedication of this motivated crew, the Farmers To Families program will prove to be of incredible value to residents of Evansville and surrounding communities.

“Feed Evansville is proud to be part of this wonderful program,” Feed Evansville organizer Lisa Vaughan said. “I’m appreciative of all participating community partners who are helping ensure Evansville residents have fresh and nutritious food.”

– Lisa Vaughan, Organizer of Feed Evansville

• Additional information on the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, including webinars and an FAQs, is available on the AMS website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/farmers-to-families-food-box.ww.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/farmers-to-families-food-box

• See the feature in the Evansville Courier & Press here: https://www.14news.com/2020/06/11/feed-evansville-task-force-distribute-thousands-food-boxes-june/

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Remaining Open During Pandemic

A business–just like a human being–when faced with an obstacle has the ability to evaluate, choose, and to take action. Businesses write their own unique stories day by day. Each day spent operating is another day spent making choices and acting on those choices. Each day is another opportunity to make an impact. The scale of the impact is often determined by the current state of the world, country, and community.

The early months of 2020 brought with them a global pandemic on a scale we have yet to determine. Known as the Coronavirus, this life threatening disease spread like wildfire across the United States and forced local governments to make the hard decision to shut down their respective states. Residents were ordered to stay at home whenever possible. Schools shut down. Churches were left empty. However, the government deemed a handful of industries as “essential” even during a pandemic. One such industry was the logistics and freight industry. In short, truck drivers would continue to drive, and the people behind the scenes coordinating deliveries would continue to do just that. PFL Logistics was one such company.

While a vast majority of Americans were forced to stay indoors and away from work, the PFL facility remained fully staffed throughout the seemingly never-ending span of the “lockdown”. Dispatchers at PFL worked every day to coordinate deliveries of essential products across the nation all while the shadow of the Coronavirus pandemic loomed. It was very apparent to every employee of the Evansville based business that operations at PFL needed to continue. People needed each truck and its cargo to reach the intended destination. Had operations ceased at PFL and other companies in the industry, Americans would have been faced with shortages on a grand scale. Fortunately, this was not the case. PFL remained open and trucks stayed on the road. The impact of this choice was monumental because of the dangerous state of the world during which it was made.


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What is a “Bill of Landing”?

What is a Bill of Lading (BOL)?

A Bill of Lading is one of the documents used in the transportation of goods by sea, land or air. It provides all parties involved in the delivery of the goods, the details of the delivery and the goods itself. Most company staff does not understand what a Bill of Lading is, let alone how to make use of it, so it is easy for them to get confused.

Whether it’s a short form bill of lading, or a long one, or any other variety, bills of lading are one of the most essential parts of the shipping and logistics process, because of its essentiality, it’s important to understand the bill of lading.

Types of Bill of Lading

There are two main types of Bills of Lading:

1. Negotiable Bill of Lading: A negotiable Bill of Lading is a document of title which may be used to transfer ownership of the goods from one party to another. The original consignee, by signing the back of the bill, transfers title in the goods to another party (the new consignee). The new consignee may transfer title to another party and so on.

The party to which the ownership of the goods is to be transferred must possess the required documents showing the endorsed bill of lading.

2. Non-Negotiable Bill of Lading: A non-negotiable Bill of Lading is not a document of title and therefore does not allow ownership to be transferred from one party to another.

There are many other types of bills of landing, these include:

• Ocean Bill of Lading: This is the bill of lading issued by the carrier from the carrier port and covers the goods sea transport to the receiver port. It does not cover land areas.

• Through Transport Bill of Lading: This may cover inland areas. It may include the collection or delivery of the goods in the exporting country or importing country. For it to include collection or delivery, it must state so in the bill of lading. The collection point or delivery point should also be stated.

In the through transport bill of lading the carrier only accepts liability while the goods are on board their vessel.

• Combined Bill of Lading: This type of bill of lading includes inland collection and delivery. Here the carrier accepts liability for the goods throughout the journey. So in the case of loss or damage, the carrier alone is held responsible.

• House Bill of Lading: This is issued by a party who is not operating the vessel or vehicle of transport but on the responsibilities of the carrier.

The Importance of a Bill of Lading:

1. Proof of Contract Existence:  There is an actual contract between the shipper and the carrier when the carrier is booked for the delivery. The bill of lading is proof that a contract exists. Bills of lading are only issued when the goods have been collected or received by the carrier.

2. Acts as a Receipt: The bill of lading acts a receipt given to the shipper in exchange for the goods. It serves as proof that the carrier has collected or received the goods from the shipper.

3. Entitlement to Ownership: The bill of lading gives entitlement to the holder if made to order to claim the goods. If it is not negotiable it is known as a straight bill of lading.

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Hidden Heroes of the Pandemic

It’s been six weeks and counting since the coronavirus (COVID-19) was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Lockdown orders have been put in place by states across the country to curb the spread of the virus. Businesses have shut their doors, shops have closed down, and millions are staying home self-isolating and just to stay safe. Truck drivers, however, are an exception to this development.

While most people have taken advantage of the situation to spend time with their family and build a stronger bond, truckers spend their days and nights driving across the country ensuring that we get the supplies we so need to keep going during this struggle. These men and women have been the backbone of the economy during this period of pandemic and uncertainty; bridging the gap between manufacturers and consumers. Saving us from hunger and starvation. They are the real heroes of this time.

 

Speaking with Indiana based drivers, the trials, struggles, and hazards they face on the road while they work became apparent, one driver had this to say:

“Honestly, I sometimes worry while I’m on the road. I wonder if I might catch the virus but know I have to keep going because people need our freight. If you need supplies and go to the stores but you can’t find them, that is a problem. That’s why we have to keep working.

Some days I’ll drive for 11 hours between states, delivering supplies from one convenience store or another. There are fewer and fewer places to stop these days because most of the restaurants and coffee shops are shuttered. I have even taken to carrying supplies to wash my hands because there are no stops to do so. I come in contact with a lot of material that could potentially be contaminated.

I am glad to be able to help at this time. I know I am on the frontline every day and risking catching an infection, but I’m just glad I can do my part.”

This story has become a common one amongst America’s truck drivers, hauling millions of tons of freights across the country. It is not farfetched to call them first responders. Each works under stressful conditions, all while adhering to safety measures and standards. Many drivers face economic and health risks that simply must be overlooked in order to get the job done.

The next time you are at your local grocery store stocking up, take a moment to consider and appreciate the truck drivers that have taken care of us so well. They are the hidden heroes of this pandemic.

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Video: Types of Semi Trailer

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YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/EIOF0TlEGls

Did you know there are is large variety of semi truck trailers out there?
Here at PFL Logistics, we utilize four of these trailers to serve all of the needs of our loyal customers.

Summary:

1. Dry Van
The most common type of trailer seen on the road today.

2. Reefer
Reefer trailers are cooled and insulated to safely transport food-grade cargo.

3. Flatbed
Having no sidewalls allows these trailers to safely carry large and oversized loads that are typically securely strapped down for transit.

4. Bulk
Pneumatic bulk tank trailers can haul any non hazardous material.

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What is “Intermodal”?

01. The Intro: What is that truck carrying?

It’s an occurrence, sometimes a daily one, that we’ve all likely experienced. Minding your own business in your car, truck, Hummer, or perhaps your Tesla — you see a semi-truck loaded down with a moderately beaten up corrugated metal container rather than a standard smooth-sided, often eye-catching, semi trailer. This metal container, let’s call it burnt orange, is emblazoned with a company name you outright skip trying to pronounce and is accompanied by the word “intermodal”. There’s that word. Intermodal. We see it almost daily without giving it  a second thought, but what does it mean? Put your worries aside. We’re here to help.

02. The Facts: Welcome to Intermodal 101.

An adjective pronounced in-ter-mode-uhl, this somewhat mysterious word finds its roots circa 1960 according to dictionary.com. It is a combination of “inter” meaning between or among and “modal” meaning of or relating to mode, manner, or form. A little bit of word smithing and we’ve created the word intermodal which means switching between different modes. In our case, we are referring specifically to shipping and freight. Bearing this in mind, we can infer that the word then simply means “using various different modes of transportation”.

03. The Example: Real world freight.

It’s all starting to make sense now! Truck drivers haul a metal container that was shipped amongst mountains of its peers on a hulking beast of a cargo ship — likely from overseas — and was then picked and dropped on the bed of the waiting truck.

And there we have it folks: intermodal. We went from land, to ship, to truck, and will likely end up hitching a ride on a locomotive or airplane somewhere down the line. In a nutshell, many modes of transport all working together to move a single container across the globe = intermodal transportation.

04. The Benefits: Saving big bucks.

Intermodal transportation allows for increased efficiency when shipping freight long distances because of the container being well-suited for transport by any means time after time. The trucking undergone between the railway and the sea port is a unique type called “drayage“. It is most often provided by companies who specialize in this type of driving only.

Just a few benefits of intermodal include: lower costs, predictable pricing, and the flexibility of reduced cargo handling. This hands-off approach improves security, reduces damage, and allows freight to be transported faster. Generally priced lower than over-road trucking, intermodal is ideal for inter-continental use.

05. The Outro: Bringing it all together.

Fun fact: intermodal transportation helped aid the growth of global trade by drastically reducing the cost of transportation between sources of cheap production and locations where demand existed for those goods produced. It was a win-win kind of situation and remains so today. So, the next time you see a train or truck carrying an industrial metal container, just picture the plethora of journeys that simple box has completed. Remember: it made them via intermodal transport.

Any questions? Feel free to reach out to us anytime by clicking here.

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