In the logistics and supply chain industry, a carrier is a company or individual responsible for transporting goods from one location to another. Transportation methods may be by road, rail, air, or sea, and performed by a range of global, national, regional, and local carriers.
The carrier you choose plays a vital role in the movement of goods in and out of your warehouse. Their effectiveness has a direct impact on your ability to deliver goods safely and efficiently.
What are the Types of Carriers?
Different types of carriers can help facilitate the movement of products throughout your supply chain, and may include:
- Trucking companies
- Airlines
- Shipping companies
- Specialized courier services
- Small parcel shipping services (UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS)
In warehouse operations, carriers are categorized by their service types, and each serves a unique purpose. Examples of carrier types include:
Common Carriers: A transportation provider that offers services to the general public for a fee.
Contract Carriers: A transportation provider that hauls goods or passengers for specific clients under contract, rather than the general public.
Private Carriers: A transportation provider that exclusively transports their goods or those of a specific company.
Third-Party Logistics Providers (3PLs): A company that acts as a partner, providing logistics operations such as warehousing, transportation, and fulfillment services to other businesses.
Services that Carriers Offer
Logistics carriers provide a range of services to manage the flow of goods from the place of origin to the end customer. Services may include:
- Loading and Unloading
- Transporting
- Warehousing
- Timely Delivery
- Safety and Security
- Documentation
- Tracking and Monitoring
- Inventory Management
- Returns Processing
- Customs Clearance
Benefits of Integrating with Your Carrier
Clear communication with your carriers is essential to streamlined shipping and customer satisfaction. When you integrate smart warehouse automation systems in your shipping operations, you can experience more efficiency and enhanced carrier partnerships.
Numina Group’s RDS™ warehouse execution and control software (WES-WCS) platform enables seamless communication with your carriers, optimizing the pick, pack, and ship order fulfillment flow for significantly lower end-to-end operational costs.
The partnership offers several key benefits:
- Seamless data flow
- Real-time insights
- Cost reduction
- Scalability
Blog: ShipWise and Numina Group Join Forces to Streamline Order Fulfillment Operations
Video: Warehouse Automation Integration Walk Through – RDS Warehouse Execution System