LCL Express
1 : A US retailer's overseas supplier has unexpected production delays which cause their goods to miss the cut-off for their scheduled ocean shipment. We are all aware that this is common in the industry, and know the goods are on a tight marketing schedule and must be on the store shelves for maximum consumer impact. Not to mention you don't want the retailer to handle and inventory the product. However, the next ocean sailing will not be able to deliver the goods in time, and traditionally, the alternative was to choose air freight. Unfortunately, their margins are tight and product costs were built around shipping via ocean and just in time delivery to the store. But these delays have forced the shipment to move via air and the discrepancy in the cost has now surpassed the budget. They were unaware of other options.
2 : A hi-tech manufacturer has changed their order cycle to smaller, more frequent shipments in order to reduce carrying costs and to more closely match actual sales. In order to keep the supply chain moving quickly and consistently, air freight has been the only available mode of transport. Traditional ocean LCL is often too slow, too unreliable or both. You need better choices.
At Expeditors, we hear variations of these stories every day; production problems, stock-outs, marketing commitments, samples, direct to retail stocking programs and changes to smaller, more frequent shipments.
All of these situations have traditionally led to one shipping option: air freight. Our customers are telling us, "I don't need the cargo in five days, I just need it in less than 30 days. Do I need to pay air freight rates, just to avoid the time and inconvenience of traditional ocean LCL service? Give me a better option."
"Express" and "Ocean LCL" are two shipping terms not typically heard together. However, to help bridge the gap between air freight's speed and consistency and ocean freight's economy, we have created LCL Express.
Our LCL Express program was created on the basis of our existing Ocean LCL global network. With dedicated weekly service from 20 origin points in the Asia Pacific region to any door location within the continental United States, this service is designed to be simple, fast, secure and reliable.
Expeditors' LCL Express service is easy to use. There is no need to call multiple providers or make separate arrangements; simply book the shipment at origin as LCL Express and let Expeditors do the rest. With the need for reliability, speed and visibility in mind, LCL Express is integrated into our technology network.
After we mark your shipment as LCL Express at the time of booking, we will urgently push it out from origin. Before arrival at destination, we confirm the final door delivery address and pre-clear the shipment. Our domestic cargo team is ready with premier LTL carriers to deliver your shipment as soon as it arrives. This enables transit times to be a third less than traditional LCL services.
LCL Express is also more cost efficient; pricing is per kilogram from origin CFS to destination door in four US delivery zones. There are no hidden or additional fees and no additional invoices. Rates range from a third to half the cost of traditional full service air freight.
Expeditors is also committed to creating environmentally friendly and sustainable transportation programs. LCL Express is a cleaner shipping option with fewer carbon emissions. If maintaining an environmentally sound supply chain is part of your company's goals, LCL Express is another option.
To ensure the security and efficiency of your shipments, all LCL Express shipments are managed by Expeditors' people, in Expeditors' systems and completely under Expeditors' control. You can follow your shipments every step of the way via Expeditors' visibility tool, exp.o®, from booking all the way through to final door delivery. As with all services, custom reporting and auto-alerts can also be set up to meet individual customer needs.
LCL Express is faster and more time definite than traditional ocean LCL, and can be a cleaner, lower cost option than other modes. The service is 100% managed within Expeditors' systems by well trained and dedicated Expeditors staff. As many of our customers are discovering, LCL Express is a good option to have in your transportation tool kit.
Contact your local Expeditors representative and ask for LCL Express. You will be surprised at how fast we'll go for you.
Brian Murphy
Manager LCL and Network Planning
Global Ocean Services
brian.murphy@expeditors.com
