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HEALTH & BEAUTY

We specialize in the health and beauty industry and offer scalable e-commerce solutions, retail consolidation services, and vendor compliance processes for mass retailers.

Logistics for Food & Beverage Industry

FOOD & BEVERAGE

We partner with prominent food and beverage labels, and offer frozen/cold, temp-controlled, and ambient/dry storage for efficient shipping to major food retailers.

 

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CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS

We partner with a variety of fast-moving retail brands spanning from footwear to apparel to small electronics.

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INDUSTRIAL & AUTOMOTIVE

Our strategic solutions are customized to meet the unique requirements of various industrial and automotive sectors.

Private Equity

PRIVATE EQUITY

From corporate carve-outs to management buyouts, we have experience scaling supply chains for private equity firms and their portfolio companies.

About ODW Logistics

ABOUT

We are a 3PL provider driven by our culture and focused on Delivering the Difference with purpose-built logistics solutions.

 

Why ODW Logistics for your 3PL

WHY ODW LOGISTICS

Accelerate your growth with a 3PL that adds value to every link in your supply chain.

ODW Making a Difference

ODW MAKING A DIFFERENCE

ODW Logistics is dedicated to serving the communities in which we live and work and engaging with our associates.

Careers at ODW Logistics

CAREERS

Our growth is fueled by our extraordinary people delivering the difference to our clients every day.

3PL Services Case Studies

CASE STUDIES

Learn how we've helped our clients to deliver them logistics solutions that produces results.

3PL Services Blog Insights

ODW BLOG INSIGHTS

Read our latest blogs that give you insight into a variety of logistics topics.

ODW Logistics News and Press

NEWS + PRESS

Learn about our latest awards, partnerships, and featured trade publication articles.

ODW Logistics Videos

VIDEOS

Watch our latest videos that share more about who we are, our services, and more.

COMMON LOGISTICS QUESTIONS

We know you may have many questions before outsourcing your supply chain to a 3PL. We've compiled a list to provide instant answers and will gladly answer any specific questions relating to your business when you contact us.

FULFILLMENT AND DISTRIBUTION

Are there benefits to having one 3PL manage all warehousing and transportation?

The advantages of having a single 3PL manage your warehousing and transportation include improved communication through a single point of contact, greater insights into inventory management and transportation data due to the fact that all your data is under a single data portal, and potential cost and service benefits through strategic supply chain solutions such as retail compliance processes, retail consolidation, and optimal load planning. By having a single resource or team to oversee your supply chain, you can ensure a streamlined approach to managing your supply chain operations.

Dedicated warehousing, shared warehousing, and public warehousing. What's the difference?

A dedicated warehouse, also known as contract warehousing or contract logistics, involves a scenario where a single client exclusively uses a distribution facility. This dedicated space encompasses all aspects, including labor, value-added services (VAS), technology, and capital equipment, which are specifically allocated to the tenant. The primary advantage of a dedicated distribution center is its complete dedication to a single tenant. Contract terms for such arrangements typically span from 2 to 7 years.

Shared warehousing, alternatively referred to as multi-client or shared warehousing, is where multiple clients leverage the same distribution center and jointly utilize resources such as labor, capital equipment, material handling equipment, IT infrastructure, and other essential elements needed for an effective distribution and fulfillment operation. Shared warehousing solutions are typically tailored for mid-size businesses, with contract terms ranging from 2 to 7 years.

Public warehousing shares similarities with shared warehousing in that it also accommodates multiple clients within a single distribution facility. However, public warehousing solutions often feature short-term, month-to-month contracts. They primarily offer basic pallet in-out services, and pricing is usually structured based on a per-pallet cost. Public warehousing solutions are commonly chosen by small businesses and those with seasonal or fluctuating storage needs.

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How will partnering with a 3PL deliver efficiencies and cost savings to my business? Partnering with a third-partner logistics provider (3PL) can enhance your supply chain efficiencies.  Here are a few benefits to consider:
  • Labor Management: One of the primary advantages is achieving cost savings through efficient labor management. Additionally, 3PLs can optimize labor resources by sharing them among multiple clients, resulting in further cost reductions.
  • Space Optimization: You can adjust your network and have multiple distribution nodes to serve your customers.  Additionally, a 3PL will help you reduce charges by optimizing space utilization.
  • Enhanced Speed-to-Market: A 3PL can streamline your supply chain, reducing lead times and improving your ability to quickly reach your customer. This can be crucial for meeting customer demands and staying competitive.
  • Optimized Shipping Costs: Through their network and experience, 3PLs can negotiate favorable shipping rates and optimize transportation routes, ultimately lowering freight costs for your business.
  • Technology: Leverage leading supply chain technology from a 3PL that include warehouse management systems, order management systems, labor management system, transportation management systems that drive efficiencies to your operation. 
Where should my warehouse be located?

The location of your warehouse or distribution center can make the difference between a satisfied customer and an unhappy one. Speed-to-market, fast shipping to your customers, reduced transportation, and parcel costs are all cost-saving measures that are critical factors to selecting the right location. One key factor to consider is the proximity of your warehouse to your manufacturing facilities. Being situated close to your manufacturing plants can provide significant advantages, such as minimizing lead times, reducing transportation costs, and streamlining the supply chain.

Additionally, it's crucial to assess access to transportation hubs, including ports. If your business relies on importing goods from overseas, distance to your primary port can expedite the movement of goods, reduce shipping costs, and enhance overall supply chain efficiency.

When working with a Third-Party Logistics (3PL) provider, they should help you evaluate all these factors and determine your optimal locations for your distribution centers. Ask your 3PL if they offer network analysis and supply chain design services, including location selection studies, which will provide an objective, cost-driven analysis and offer multiple location scenarios tailored to your specific needs.

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How can partnering with a 3PL help our organization?

A Third-Party Logistics (3PL) company specializes in warehousing, distribution, and transportation solutions. A 3PL operates with the goal of maximizing cost savings to your supply chain and helping you grow and scale your business. A partnership with a 3PL will allow you to leverage their expertise while letting you focus on your core business competencies. Here are a number of ways a 3PL can help your business.

 

  1. Cost Efficiency: A 3PL can help your business control costs. By outsourcing logistics operations to experts who have economies of scale, you can reduce operating costs including transportation, warehousing and inventory, labor and technology investments.
  2. Scalability and Flexibility: As your business grows or experiences fluctuations with seasonal demand, a 3PL can scale their services to meet your needs. This adaptability enables your business to respond quickly to changing market conditions without the burden of substantial infrastructure investments.
  3. Expertise: 3PLs are logistics experts. They possess specialized knowledge and experience in supply chain management and execution. Expertise can extend to navigating complex regulatory issues, mass-retailer compliance, and optimizing your processes to drive cost and service advantages.
  4. Focus on Core Competencies: With a 3PL handling logistics, you can concentrate on your core business activities. This not only streamlines your operations but also frees up your time and resources for innovation and strategic growth.
  5. Improved Service Levels: Partnering with a 3PL can lead to improved customer service. They can offer faster and more reliable delivery options, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction. Your 3PL can help you optimize inventory levels to reduce stockouts and excess inventory costs.
  6. Technology and Tools: 3PLs will have access to warehouse management systems (WMS), transportation management systems (TMS), order management, labor management and advanced technology solutions to drive efficiencies in your supply chain. They can also offer data analytics to provide insights into your supply chain performance, supporting data-driven decision-making.
  7. Reduced Labor Costs: Outsourcing logistics tasks to a 3PL simplifies administrative work associated with transportation, warehousing, and order fulfillment. This streamlining of operations can lead to increased efficiency and productivity.
  8. Competitive Advantage: Speed-to-market is another advantage of partnering with a 3PL. They can design an order fulfilment process to meets the demands of your customers and provide you with an competitive edge in delivering products quickly and efficiently.

What should I consider when choosing the right parcel program for fulfillment shipping?

Speed & Cost and what expectation have you created with your end customer. Based on the message you have conveyed to your customer, if they believe they will have your product within 2-3 days, you should choose a program and carrier that can meet this expectation, but be ready to pay a little more. Every carrier and parcel program has different advantages. Your 3PL may have a program you can participate in and receive speed and financial benefits from. You should ask.

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Should I use one 3PL to fulfill my business to business (B2B) and direct to consumer (DTC or B2C) orders? You may ship business to business (B2B) and direct to consumer (DTC). If you integrate these different shopping methods (an omnichannel strategy) you can realize benefits from having one 3PL and a single distribution point. The biggest advantage is maximized labor usage. Order volumes can shift between retail and ecomm and having all fulfillment with one 3PL will allow for a flexible labor strategy to maximize efficiency. Furthermore, a single point of distribution will help improve inventory accuracy, increased fill rate percentages, and reduced backorders as all inventory is managed within one operation.
What are the benefits of a warehouse management system (WMS)? Your 3PL is managing and controlling your inventory which reflects sales and revenue for your company. You likely are reliant upon accurate, real-time visibility to make proactive decisions, and need to know where your items are at, when they are shipping, and how day-to-day operations are flowing. A WMS can provide this and allows for 3PLs to actively track KPI's which are critical for you in creating accountability of your 3PL partner. A WMS in most cases will allow for you to more accurately answer customer questions and stay ahead of any potential customer issues.
What are some factors that I should use to determine racking versus bulk storing in a distribution center? Ability to stack, stack height, pallet dimensions, pallet weights, inventory through-put, willingness to invest in capital, and your products value. Your 3PL should be able to assist you in recommending the right solution that fits your needs and provides the greatest value to your business.
How do I choose the right 3PL?

Do we "fit" - culturally, values, relationship, and ambition. It's key to be aligned on what's important. With this, you likely will experience a 3PL that continuously improves and always has your organization at front of mind. You should ensure they have the capabilities you need and confirm they truly have experience with this. The location to where you believe you need to be may be important, are they located there currently? If they aren't asking questions and trying to dive into as much of your business as possible, you may get a transactional relationship that may not be everything you were looking for in the end.

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Why is the location of your fulfillment center so important?

Speed-to-market, speed-to-consumer, reduced transportation and parcel costs, relative proximity to your headquarters, and more. Location can deliver the difference between a satisfied customer and an unhappy one.

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How do I find 3PL's that can help me? One, talk with colleagues, friends, and network partners. If you have a relationship with someone who understands and has experience working with 3PL's, they likely aren't going to risk losing a relationship with you and are going to provide you truthful and honest direction. Two, the internet is a powerful tool. Search for providers, but put keywords in for what you are in need of. Once you narrow in on a few, you can dive into other sites.  There are typically reviews, associate feedback, etc. You should spend time calling and talking with organizations. It takes time to find the right fit and it should, because you are putting your fulfillment and product in their hands.
What benefits can a shared client facility offer to your business?

Many of the premier logistics cities in the US have competitive labor markets. Shared facilities allow for labor to be shared across clients and facilities. The benefits can be cost savings, the ability to quickly react to your increased demands, and more.

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Can a 3PL help me reduce retail compliance chargebacks? Retail compliance can be challenging. Every customer has different requirements, regulations, paperwork, labeling, and more. You should work with your 3PL to ensure they have experience shipping to destinations and customers you are currently selling to. This in itself won't remove all chargebacks though. You should ensure your 3PL has all information and requirements that your customer is requiring and pass these to them regularly. In most cases, chargebacks are occurring based on a lack of knowledge and accountability or inexperience of your 3PL.

TRANSPORTATION

Why outsource LTL transportation if I can ship directly with the carrier?

Transportation management services can bring significant value that cannot be discovered working directly with the carriers:

  • One-click access to multiple carriers, services, and rates.
  • Consolidated access to a portal that contains all freight shipments.
  • Business intelligence and baseline information to ensure best in market costing.
  • Tracking resources to perform exception management and increase on-time delivery and customer satisfaction.

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How can a 3PL bring value into transporting e-commerce shipments?

There are 5 big opportunities for value-added capabilities a 3PL can bring:

  1. Reduce cost through the scale of a leveraged contract with parcel providers.
  2. Improved options through rate shopping individual packages.
  3. Consolidated audit and reporting capabilities.
  4. Real-time tracking and alerts.
  5. E-mail / text customer notifications.
How does my transportation benefit from Freight Consolidation?

Freight consolidation is a natural driver of freight cost. The more freight that can be loaded into a trailer, the more cost-effective. Freight consolidation also ships more directly than LTL, which reduces touches (less cross-docks), which will reduce the likelihood for claims. Consolidation is also the "green & sustainable option." Trailers more fully loaded reduces congestion on our overcrowded highways.

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How can I benefit from an integrated warehousing and transportation solution?

Time, money, and potential. Integration maximizes time to the planning horizon, which will directly correlate with reduced cost and improved partner management. Integration eliminates blind spots. There are dozens of decision points in the supply chain process - collective alignment reduces mistakes in handoffs, enabling a constant flow of goods and information. Finally, end-to-end supply chain visibility of tracking and cost is only available through a very solid integrated solution between warehouse and transportation.

What can you find in a parcel audit process?

Parcel contracts and tariffs can be rather complex and sometimes overwhelming. An audit will allow you to better understand where your money is going while uncovering surcharges, fees, or other shipping inefficiencies that drive up shipping costs.  

How do I achieve a Cost-to-Serve model to evaluate my customer relationships?

Key ingredients include applying costs for inbound material, manufacturing, warehousing, and outbound transportation. Combining each of these without integrated systems and reporting can be very challenging.  A great 3PL can align systems and processes to enable a true and verifiable cost-to-serve model. Beyond a one-time report, great system integrations can deliver a repeatable and sustainable model.

Why would I outsource my transportation management system (TMS)?

Insourcing a TMS is always an option - however, it can be costly to purchase, implement, and maintain. Over the last decade, dozens of niche providers of transportation services have evolved with technology.  A one-time implementation will likely not deliver the breadth of services (tracking, rating, network capacity, automation) that you are targeting. 3PLs that have invested in the base TMS, outsourced specialization software and proprietary integration will have best-in-breed and current technology that can keep your company ultra-current on the cutting edge of managing your freight.

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HOW DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION SUPPORT OTIF & RETAIL COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS?

GENERAL

ARE THERE VISIBILITY TOOLS THAT YOU OFFER THAT ALLOW ME TO MANAGE PERFORMANCE AND MY BUSINESS MORE EFFECTIVELY?
WHAT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS DO YOU WORK WITH?