Many businesses rely on the trucking industry to deliver their products to market. This assuredly applies to all manufacturers and producers who make their wares in central locations for delivery across the nation. However, countless small businesses use the United States Postal Service, United Parcel Service, or FedEx to ship their products even when they are created locally. And this works very well for many.
The problem for many of these operations becomes outgrowing what was originally envisioned, which means that new modes of delivery may be necessary and could be utilized to continue that upward growth trend. And the most obvious of those options is transporting goods via semi-trailers. Here are five reasons why this could be a solid business decision.
1. Increased Sales Capacity
Businesses that make products for retail outlets are often strained by shipping orders on an individual scale. While there are some small container options from their current carriers, utilizing semi-trailers can be an attractive alternative and often the obvious choice based on the amount of product needing delivery using a courier business. Growing a business is dependent on increased sales for most companies, and larger sales require larger carrying capacity that is provided by various types of semi containers such as dry vans.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
All business managers are concerned with operational expenses. The lower the operational expense, the higher the profit margin in most instances. Shipping orders individually can result in higher overall shipping cost when done per unit, and bulk shipment is not always available. Using a semi for transporting eliminates this problem because all shipments can be sent in bulk unless it is cheaper to continue the smaller order system, which is an option that should also be maintained even with the addition of semi-trailer utilization.
3. Transportation Insurance
Contracting a shipment with a carrier also provides insurance protection for the cargo in most situations. Accidents are common on the roadways, and many businesses cannot afford the financial hit when an accident happens. Most businesses have inventory insurance protection at their facility, but the coverage stops when the product leaves the plant. Contracting with a shipping company can provide that additional protection from beginning to end in the product sales cycle. Those choosing to purchase a container can still also carry insurance on their company property when the shipper is recognized by the Department of Transportation as a commercial carrier in any particular state.
4. Company Advertising
One additional opportunity a semi-trailer shipping system provides is an opportunity to advertise the company by painting a logo or company trademark on an owned fleet of containers. This is particularly true for those choosing to purchase one or more dry vans that can be picked up and dropped off at customer locations or even used in turn-around shipment contracts. Locating dry van semi-trailers for sale is not as challenging as one may think.
There are retail outlets available in many markets that offer various cargo containers suitable for a wide selection of products. The company logo or billboard-style sign can be painted on the side of the dry van to help with top-of-mind awareness that your product is available in the region. Signs are a highly effective and proven advertising method, and having your own company container fleet can be a real plus when the operational budget will allow the investment.
5. Helps With Infrequent Major Orders
Many growing companies see their business incline through major sales as opposed to individual sales. However, those that are designed primarily for individual sales will still want to maintain that primary mode of shipment. Sending a major order shipment via a semi-trailer even incrementally can help establish a positive ongoing relationship with a transportation company that is willing to work with the producer in getting their products to the ultimate destination point. This can still work for companies with in-house containers because shippers commonly dispatch trucks that hitch to company containers without providing the box itself. Many companies and even corporations find this arrangement to be the most effective because they can still utilize the container advertising model while having an ongoing contract with a dependable trucking company or private owner-operator.
These are just several of the advantages that business managers find when deciding to use a semi-trailer in shipping their orders. Major companies and corporations have used this delivery model for decades, but growing businesses should always consider this option when their operation sees significant growth.
