As we usher in 2015, we at On Time Logistics would be remiss if we didn’t look back at all that happened in 2014.
It was an amazing year of growth for both our company and our industry. In 2014, we opened satellite offices in both Tulsa and Little Rock, and we’ve added quite a few new contract couriers as well as expanded our executive staff. We’ve made improvements to our website and have worked to grow our overall sales.
We mention these accomplishments to say thank you. Thank you for trusting us with your logistics and warehousing needs. We’re also thrilled with the fact that our growth means our customers are growing. More companies are finding prosperity and we are proud to be a partner in that growth.
We aren’t the only industry leader that is growing. The increased focus on outsourcing logistics, as well as a drastic increase in e-commerce, has led to an increase in the number of logistics companies in Northwest Arkansas and our other markets. This is happening as the local employment rate is decreasing. Fewer available workers and more companies mean the need for qualified drivers is increasing.
In 2014 we also saw a growing dependency on technology as the shift to automated processes increased. This increased efficiencies and reduced errors, thus increasing many bottom lines. Our clients are able to track and manage their inventory both that is in our warehouses and what has shipped as part of our fulfillment services.
Logistics and warehousing in 2015
As we look forward to this new year, we at On Time Logistics believe we will see more of the same in many regards. We will see more growth in our own sales as companies strive to “do what they do best and outsource the rest.” This means more jobs both for our growing clients, and ourselves as everyone works to meet customer needs.
We also see that e-commerce growth will skyrocket and that means more warehousing space will be necessary. We talked about the warehousing shortages in China and while we don’t have some of the same problems here, we do believe the demand for warehousing space will increase. Onshoring efforts combined with growing e-commerce will drive the need for more warehouse construction probably sooner rather than later in the United States, including our market regions.
Another trend we see continuing is that the dependency on technology in logistics, warehousing, and fulfillment will increase even more. From inventory control to fleet management, our industry will thrive on its ability to more efficiently meet client needs. Technology is also a major factor in another global trend, which is to operate with the environment in mind.
Finally, we see that as 2015 progresses, there will be more specialized logistics plans. We at On Time Logistics are already experts at customizing our logistics and warehousing plans for each client. This will become even more necessary in 2015 and other players in the industry will work towards that specialization goal.
What trends are you seeing in your industry? Is there a way we can help you be successful? Give On Time Logistics a call!