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7 Ways to Make Your Chemical Cargo More Attractive to Liquid Bulk Carriers

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7 Ways to Make your chemical cargo more attractive to liquid bulk carriers

In an industry as competitive as trucking with many liquid bulk carriers often competing for the same lanes, its very common for liquid bulk trucking companies to develop “favorites” or premium shippers whose loads get preferential treatment over all others.  In a crowded market constantly strained by liquid bulk tanker capacity limitations it is more important now than ever to have an edge over the rest of the liquid bulk chemical industry competing for the same trucks.

In this article we will detail how you can do just that and give your chemical freight the edge it needs to move to the top of your broker and carriers load boards.

  1. Know Your Chemical Products

In order for your liquid bulk carriers to book trucks for your freight, it is important for you to know the ins and outs of the entire movement.  Liquid bulk carriers need to know things like the name of your chemical product, the loading and delivery hours, any special chemical trailer requirements and any other additional information you can provide. This makes your loads much more appealing to truck drivers and therefore more likely to be covered quickly.

Many liquid bulk carriers will ask you to provide an SDS (Safety data sheet) and to disclose any prior cargo requirements to prevent the possibility of contamination and to match your freight up with the proper equipment.

  1. Book High Volume Freight to Liquid Bulk Carriers

The most attractive freight to any liquid bulk carriers or brokers is freight that is recurring in nature.  Whenever you can present your liquid chemical freight as a recurring job, carriers will be more inclined to not only give you priority access to their bulk chemical equipment, but also premium rates because they know their trucks will always be loaded.

In addition, repeat business gives drivers the opportunity to get familiar with your product, customer, shipping and delivery staff to make for smoother pick-up and delivery processes meaning less surprise calls after hours.

  1. Pay Liquid Bulk Carriers Well.

Carriers care most about two things, getting paid well and getting paid fast.  Make sure you are always paying your carriers top dollar, especially if they continue to do a good job.  They will always pass on savings to you when they can.  If you work with a reputable liquid bulk chemical broker, make sure they have a strong credit rating so that you know for sure the carriers hauling your freight are being taken care of.

  1. Have Flexible Shipping Hours.

Remember, as well as brokers and liquid chemical freight carriers treat you, you are not the only customer in their portfolio.  There are many complexities to shipping each load to take into account such as driver time sheets, deadhead miles, drivers PTO, and more that need to be factored in to loading your chemical freight.

The more flexible you can be with your shipping hour requirements the more trucks that will be available to ship your loads at more competitive prices.

  1. Schedule in advance

The most successful supply chains are those planned well in advance.  This allows time for errors and to recover from unforeseen circumstances that plague any operation as complex as logistics.

Chemical freight booked in advance not only gives you chance to book premium carriers on your freight, but also the chance to recover a dropped load on the rare occasions that happens.  A good liquid bulk chemical broker will always be able to cover a dropped load at the last minute, optimally keeping your supply chain in check and on schedule.

  1. Keep yourself available

The crutch of the chemical freight industry is communication.  This can be used to your advantage or disadvantage on every shipment you book with a liquid bulk chemical carrier or broker.  The most harmful thing you can do as a chemical supply chain coordinator is to send your shipment to a carrier or broker and then disappear for the rest of the day.

Whether it’s time to close-up shop or you are taking some personal time off, its important that either you remain accessible while your shipment is in transit or you appoint someone to act in their place.

Reputable liquid bulk freight brokers like Total Connection employ a 24/7 event response team to monitor all loads in transit at all hours of the day and night.  If something happens, its important that we are able to notify you immediately to eliminate or minimize the possibility of unforeseen charges that can accrue very quickly.

  1. Build Relationships with Liquid Bulk Brokers

While it may seem great to work directly with liquid bulk carriers, there will be times that they do not have the capacity to cover some of your loads either due to scheduling or simple capacity shortages.  During time’s like these its important that you can rely on a reputable liquid bulk chemical cargo broker to help you source the capacity you need.

Brokers who specialize in liquid bulk freight like Total Connection have vast and extensive networks of carriers that you can tap into with a single phone call to double or triple the probability of getting your loads covered quickly and for the right price.  Having a single broker who is familiar with your freight requirements minimizes the time you need to spend searching for trucks and haggling with carriers over price.

Depend on Total Connection Logistics for your liquid bulk cargo shipping

Whether you are shipping hazmat chemicals, polymers, fertilizer, acrylates or any other liquid bulk chemical, Total Connection has likely shipped it over our 20+ years in business.  Our liquid bulk chemical experts have over 30 years of relationships and goodwill with the most reputable carriers in the industry.  Simply put, when Total Connection sends out a load list, our freight rises to the top.  We pay carriers quickly and let you enjoy the benefit of extended terms so that you can keep your cashflow strong and develop more business in the best interest of everyone.

Contact Total Connection today by phone or by any form on this website to see how we can help you move your liquid bulk chemical freight anywhere in the US or Canada.

Bulk Liquid Tanker Carriers

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Getting liquid production materials in bulk is non-negotiable if you’re a manufacturer or a large-scale producer. And that is why you have to pay attention to bulk liquid tanker carriers. They could make or break your business.

Bulk liquid tanker carriers are companies every production plant should have for the transport of their bulk liquid materials. These companies can impact your business by reducing your logistics costs if you partner with the right ones. Otherwise, they could get your business into trouble.

In this article, you’ll learn:

What are Bulk Liquid Tanker Carriers?

Bulk liquid tanker carriers are companies that handle the transport of bulk liquids. They are responsible for the safety and maintenance of the quality of the bulk liquid cargo during transit. 

Usually, bulk liquid tanker carriers are standalone third-party logistics companies because of the scope of the job. In one of such companies, there are a lot of departments. But the most common ones are the sales, finance, and dispatch departments. These departments may, in turn, have their sub-departments that handle more specific responsibilities. 

For manufacturing companies that only need the bulk liquid materials, having the extra burden of transporting and tracking the cargo could be cost-inefficient. This is why many manufacturers prefer to outsource the shipping of their bulk liquids to carriers who haul liquid bulk. 

Without a doubt, this requires a lot of trust on the part of the manufacturers. They get to leave the transport of expensive bulk liquids in the hands of other companies. It then becomes important to understand the responsibilities of bulk liquid tanker carriers and how they may benefit your company.

What Bulk Liquid Tanker Carriers Do

What bulk liquid tanker carriers do vary, depending on the carrier and some other factors. But in general, the basic responsibilities of a bulk liquid tanker carrier are:

Bulk Liquid chemical transport

Safety and Adherence to Road Rules

Proper Equipment Selection

Loading and Unloading Bulk Liquid Tanks

Tank Washing and Proper Product Disposal

Let’s take a closer look at these responsibilities.

Bulk Liquid Chemical Transport

Bulk liquid chemical transport is the first responsibility of any bulk liquid carrier. When the carrier is unable to fulfill this responsibility, it is no longer a carrier. However, it is not enough that a carrier is only able to transport your bulk liquid chemical. The carrier has to be capable of doing it with maximum effectiveness and efficiency. 

Efficiency is important because large-scale production often requires a lot of keeping to time. A slight delay could lead to a ripple of negative consequences for the manufacturing company. 

Maintaining the quality of the bulk liquid freight is also as important as its timely transportation. Some bulk liquids, such as oils and fats, could suffer quality deterioration during transit due to the carelessness of the carriers. So, it is in the best interest of the shipper to only use reliable carriers.

  • Proper Equipment Selection

Once you contact a bulk liquid carrier, you get to discuss the nature of the bulk liquid freight. This helps to make sure that the carrier prepares the proper equipment for the transport. Without the proper equipment, the carrier would be unable to perform this responsibility and some others. 

For instance, some chemicals are temperature sensitive. You have to keep them above a particular temperature during transit to either get them ready for use immediately after unloading or to maintain their quality. Oil is a good example of such a chemical, as it solidifies into fat at low temperatures. For this, the carrier would need an in-transit heat trailer. And proper communication of the nature of the bulk liquid freight could help the carrier select suitable equipment.

Other instances where the proper equipment selection is crucial are in offloading situations where you could use compressors or pumps, and volume and weight situations for choosing what tanker size to use.

As the shipper, you don’t need the details of the equipment the carrier is to use. All you need is to tell the carrier what you intend to ship. A competent bulk liquid carrier should already know what equipment to use.

  • Loading and Unloading Bulk Liquid Tanks

It is also the responsibility of the bulk liquid carrier to see to the proper loading and unloading of the bulk liquid. But you may need to supply the carrier with some important pieces of information to help them serve you well. The pieces of information include the layout of your warehouse and the structure of your storage tank.

During the loading of the bulk liquid, you and the carrier must have personnel on-site to confirm the cargo quality from the supplier. These persons are also to make sure all the necessary tools and equipment are in place to transport the freight. Doing this should make the transport easier and less risky.

And when unloading a tanker, the two main methods are the use of a pump or a compressor. One of the differences between them is that the storage tank at your warehouse must be closed at the top when a compressor is being used. When using a pump, however, the tank should be open to ensure that the vacuum generated in the process does not damage pieces of equipment. 

Also, the unload points of tanker trucks sometimes differ. Some tanker trucks offload from the rear while others offload from the center. Unloading from an inclined surface, a rear offloading tanker truck could lead to waste when the liquid remains stuck at the front end. This waste could be expensive if there’s no way to get it out.

  • Safety and Adherence to Road Rules

Safety and adherence to road rules are the responsibilities of bulk liquid tanker carriers that ensure that the liquid freight is not a risk to lives and properties during transit. 

Many bulk liquids are hazardous materials, and they require extra care during transport. Mishandling them could bear catastrophic consequences for the shipper, the carrier, and innocents around. And that is why there are a lot of regulations from national regulatory bodies concerning the shipping of these materials. One of these regulations includes the proper regular training of every person involved in the transport of bulk liquids. :

Hazardous materials aren’t the only materials that require safe shipping and adherence to road rules. Every bulk liquid freight does. And the carrier company is to ensure that all their workers do the right thing.

  • Tank Washing and Proper Product Disposal

Bulk liquid tanker carriers have to ensure that their tankers are washed clean after every offload. 

Some chemicals must not mix, even in negligible quantities. In fact, some chemicals can only be transported in the same tanker two or three cargoes after the shipping of some other chemical. But when a carrier does not clean the tanker properly before shipping another chemical, they risk reducing the quality of the bulk liquid, and this is in the best-case scenario. At worst, some catastrophic reactions could ensue, leading to equipment damage or even loss of lives. 

Proper product disposal is also a huge responsibility of the carrier because we can’t have harmful chemicals sitting around. We also can’t have them destroying our dear Earth when they are not properly disposed of. 

What Could Go Wrong When Shipping Bulk Liquids

A lot of things could go wrong when shipping bulk liquids. These things include product contamination, faulty bulk liquid tanker equipment, and the mishandling of hazardous materials. When these things go wrong, they bring losses of all kinds to both the carrier and the shipper. Hundreds and millions of dollars are lost, for instance, brand trust takes a hit, and lawsuits may sprout.

Here are some ways things could go wrong when shipping bulk liquids:

  • Product Contamination

Product contamination is bad for everyone, including the shipper and the carrier. On the shipper’s end, product contamination leads to a reduction in the quality of the final product in the best-case scenario. And in the worst-case scenario, the bulk liquid becomes unusable. Even if insurance covered these losses, valuable production time would have gone to waste. 

The carrier can have it just as bad when the product contamination results from the carelessness of its workers. This could get them in trouble with regulatory bodies, insurance companies, and the shipper. It is also bad business for the carrier because it may affect its ability to attract new clients.

Bulk liquid tanker carriers can avoid the risk of product contamination when they are careful, use the right equipment, and have an expert-level understanding of the nature of their bulk liquid freights.

  • Mishandling of Hazardous Materials

The mishandling of hazardous bulk liquid materials is usually catastrophic. Nothing but catastrophe. That is why this challenge is one all carriers hope to never have. It could get them in trouble with the shipper or/and the government. It gets worse if the carrier is at fault, because it may not have the full cover of insurance then.

The proper training of all personnel involved in the handling of hazardous materials by the carrier is non-negotiable. This way, the workers know what not to do to avoid potential disasters, and what to do in emergencies.

  • Production Plant Shut Down

Production plants often work based on schedules. They need the supply of their bulk liquid materials to be timely or it could lead to massive delays and charges. And that is why the inconsistencies of a carrier could affect a production plant to the point of shutdown. 

  • Untrained and Irresponsible Carriers

Carriers bear the responsibility of training their workers. Without proper training, these workers may fumble in situations that require the competence of a well-trained worker. And when a carrier falters in this responsibility, it exposes its business and shippers to unnecessary risks.

In some cases, the lack of training is not the problem. Instead, it is the deliberate irresponsibility of the workers. When workers who know the right thing to do intentionally neglect them for the wrong things, disaster is always around the corner. And this could be just as costly as any other challenge bulk liquid tanker carriers may have.

Just as it is with the mishandling of hazardous materials, the proper training of all workers can solve this problem. Besides that, the recruitment process for carriers should be thorough to filter out potentially volatile and/or incompetent workers. This is important, as they would be in charge of bulk liquids worth hundreds or thousands.

  • Faulty Bulk Liquid Tanker Equipment

Faulty equipment could lead to the loss of the chemical shipment. Imagine a leaking tanker truck traveling across hundreds of miles. Depending on the frequency of the leak, the tanker truck could get to its destination with only half of the product it had at the loading point. 

That is why it is imperative that the carrier checks all tools and equipment before any shipment. And all faulty equipment should not be managed in that state, but be fixed as before use.

Summary

By now, you should already have a good understanding of what bulk liquid tanker carriers are about. They are companies that handle the transport of your bulk liquids, from the loading to the transit, and finally to the unloading. It is also their responsibility to ensure that your bulk liquid freights get to your warehouse with no significant diminishing in quality. 

However, things could quickly go wrong when your bulk liquid tanker carrier is incompetent. They could mishandle your cargo and cause the quality to diminish. Or they could waste your chemicals through their faulty tanker equipment or irresponsible workers. And when these happen, your business could suffer for it. Fortunately, these issues are avoidable when you partner with the right bulk liquid tanker carrier, such as Total Connection.

How Total Connection Makes a Difference

Total Connection is a third-party logistics company that deals in bulk liquid transport of all kinds. We have the experience, expertise, and equipment to administer any kind of bulk liquid logistics solution to your needs, without causing you to dig holes in your pocket. You can rest assured that your liquid cargo will always get to you whenever, wherever, and however you want it. No delay, no reduction in quality.

You too can add your business to our growing list of businesses that never have bulk liquid logistics issues when you contact us. Start by filling out the quote form below.

5 Tips For Finding Reliable Chemical Tanker Capacity

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Finding Reliable Chemical Tanker Capacity can be a Challenge…

It should come as no surprise to the bulk liquid manufacturer that finding reliable chemical tanker capacity is becoming increasingly demanding.

This is to say that they want the right product at the right time at the right time and at the right cost.

What should prove even less surprising to the manufacturer of bulk goods that include everything from biomass and foodstuffs to petrol and adhesives (just to name a few) is the increasingly constrained shipping environment.

Not only are there not enough skilled carriers or third-party contract drivers, but there is far fewer chemical tankers on the road, which means higher costs for producers since demand for certified carriers far outweighs the supply.

So, and is similarly the case in the housing market, when carriers have the market advantage, they can charge exorbitant rates regardless of whether the truck goes LTL or cubed-out.

What’s more, not only can this erode relationships and partnerships between manufacturers and drivers, but it can also result in delayed customer shipments and broken contracts that hurt both parties’ bottom lines.

But what can bulk liquid producers do in order to avoid these less-than ideal outcomes so as to ensure that both carriers and customers are left with nothing but a high-quality, affordable, reliable experience with their chemical tanker capacity?

This brief guide will not only provide the manufacturer with a critical first pass at rebuilding relationships, but help educate carriers and the bulk-shipping industry, writ large, on how best to partner in this increasingly constrained operational environment.

Tip 1:  Increase communication and establish a reliable cadre of liquid bulk carriers

Sometimes less is more.

Too often manufacturers and liquid bulk shippers look for the lowest cost carrier for reliable chemical tanker capacity, which can cause more headaches than it solves.

As an analogy, think about flying a budget airline. The idea here is that the customer (you and your end user) usually gets what is paid for, which is to say a less-than reliable experience that may or may not hold quality and safety above all else.

As previously mentioned, the number of carriers out there at the moment is very small and some charging the least may not understand the need to be ISO 9001 compliant as well as the importance of maintaining their wash records, among other critical information.

That said, it’s important to communicate deadlines and schedules as far in advance as possible so as to hold one another accountable.

Both of these aspects will be discussed still further, below, but are important when initially seeking to find a new, or more reliable bulk liquid carrier.

Tip 2:  Create contingency plans to account for liquid tank carrier service failures

This is to say that manufacturers should plan for the unexpected. Just one ‘miss’ in the shipping process, be it paperwork or a late arrival, can have shockingly large ripple effects felt most often by end users.

Thus, it is absolutely imperative for both the biomass producer as well as the dairy farmer to think about all the things that might go wrong by performing a comprehensive risk analysis alongside their trusted carriers.

Additionally, and before signing any contracts, liquid bulk producers should look to write their own contracts around standard operating procedures that include, but are not limited to what carriers are responsible for in case of a plant shutdown, equipment failure, product loss or shrinkage, and compliance violations.

In setting clear operating procedures and having carriers sign or initial each line item, it will be far easier to hold the drivers accountable in the event of a missed delivery or pickup.

Tip 3:  Safety, Quality, and Accountability 

Not only are standard operating procedures critical when building, rebuilding, or crafting partnerships between bulk product suppliers and carriers, but so are other process-related aspects of ensuring a smooth shipping process from start to finish.

It should go without saying, therefore, that liability insurance should be at the fore of any contract as well as who is to be responsible for the safe loading and hookup process during pickup and delivery as well as which party is meant to provide the data-driven and live-tracking updates for the end user.

Additionally, and in terms of safety, emergency procedures should be in place as well as practiced annually, if not more frequently.

Tip 4:  Build flexibility into your bulk chemical supply chain!

With couriers maintaining the upper hand in the bulk transportation environment, being honest and flexible makes every step of the brokerage process easier, which means the producer is likely to receive preferential treatment when it comes to last-minute or urgent scheduling changes when securing reliable chemical tanker capacity.

This is not to say that producers should stop building and communicating their 3-, 6-, and 12-month forecasts, but that collaborate with end users as well as couriers in order to ensure that all schedules are met and that no excessive shipping constraints are being added to already overtaxed drivers and manufacturers.

Again, this goes back to effective and transparent communication as well as the removal of all buffering and stockpiling so that all parties know the true cost of doing business (and can act accordingly!).

Tip 5:  Build long-term, strategic partnerships with bulk chemical brokers

Knowing who to trust and which carriers can be trusted with hundreds of thousands of dollars in liquid product is a challenging business decision that many production facilities face daily.

Add to that the new brokers and drivers trying to get in on the good times afforded by the current operational environment, and the complexities surrounding the selection of responsible liquid bulk chemical tanker capacity can start to feel overwhelming.

That said, building long-term, or strategic, partnerships should focus on process and not the person.

Making sure that carriers have their ISO certifications in place alongside quality work references only means that everyone is protected should their be a miss in shipper, receiver, carrier, manufacturer, or end-user responsibilities.

While some drivers prefer to nickel and dime carriers to get the cheapest rate, this not only results in a lost channel in which to deliver bulk goods, but also tarnish a company’s image, brand, and reputation. This puts companies in a very weak position to secure the most reliable chemical tanker capacity.

It takes time to find the right bulk freight broker, but taking the time upfront with research will pay dividends in the long-run. Simple consider the following key takeaways:

  • Lower rate: Loyalty goes far in the transportation industry and often this will be rewarded with lower rates
  • Exclusivity: Brokers and carriers favor familiar customers. Having a strong relationship will typically jump your freight to the front of the line when capacity is tight.
  • Lower workloads: As a broker learns your business, you’ll have far fewer business-related and paper-work oriented responsibilities, which means you will see more time spent doing value-added activities such as looking to grow your customer base or scale your product offerings.

If you have a liquid bulk shipment and would like to partner with total connection to find the most reliable chemical tanker capacity, simply give us a call in the office today to discuss your specific needs or fill out the form on this page and we’ll get back to you right away!