The Logistical Lowdown

On June 1st 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released a statement saying, "The unemployment rate edged down to 3.8 percent in May." This is the lowest unemployment rate since 2000 and a sign that the job market has become even more competitive and "manufacturing employment continued to expand over the month (+18,000)." Additionally, their workforce statistics have preliminary job openings in manufacturing at 451,000 for April 2018.

As the competition for qualified workers continues to grow, manufacturers are needing to come up with outside of the box solutions for labor and staffing in order to meet customers' product demand. One way to combat the shortage in the labor market is to outsource aspects of your manufacturing to a contract packager.

I’ve often heard that a Procurement or Logistics Director’s least favorite part of his or her job is 3PL selection.  Why? 

It’s simple; selecting the wrong 3PL can cause repercussions throughout the supply chain, ultimately leading to delays or outright failures in getting product into the hands of consumers, impacting sales and profits. It is your life line and one that many people depend on; stockholders, employees, their families, your customers, and their families. A broken link in your supply chain could cause loss of sales due to lack of trust and downtime, not to mention the effect it can have on your business' cash flow.