PartnerShip is proud to recognize manufacturing and celebrate MFG DAY 2016. MFG DAY was started five years ago to celebrate manufacturing and to help inspire the next generation of manufacturers. Its main purpose is to educate and inform students, teachers, and community leaders about how important manufacturing is to the economy and to local communities. We’re proud to partner with NTMA, NATM, MAPP, PMPA, Wire-Net, and many other organizations that support manufacturers!

There is a growing skilled labor shortage in the manufacturing sector, and MFG DAY gives manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show what manufacturing is, and show that manufacturing offers high-quality jobs and career choices.

Consider these statistics:

·         US manufacturing is the 9th largest economy in the world. (Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis)

·         There are 12.3 million manufacturing workers in the United States, accounting for 9 percent of the workforce. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

·         In 2014, the average manufacturing worker earned $79,553 annually, including pay and benefits. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

·         Over the next decade, nearly 3½ million manufacturing jobs will likely be needed. (Source: Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute)

Last year, over 2,600 MFG DAY events were held, with a total of 400,000 participants.

PartnerShip works with hundreds of manufacturers and we’re proud to spread the word about the importance of manufacturing. To learn more, visit the official site of MFG DAY. You can find resources to help you get involved, host an event, view sponsors, and get up-to-date news.

FedEx recently announced changes to its shipping rates for 2017. In a surprising move, these new rates do not match the increases that UPS announced earlier this month. FedEx and UPS typically announce similar rate increases annually, making this year rather unique.

The new rates for FedEx will take effect on January 2, 2017. FedEx Ground services will increase an average of 4.9%, matching the announced average increase for UPS Ground that will take effect on December 26, 2016. However, while UPS Air services will be increasing an average of 4.9%, FedEx Express rates will only be increasing an average of 3.9%. This is the first of many differences between the announced changes from the two major carriers.

FedEx will also be lowering the dimensional (DIM) divisor to 139 for domestic shipments, matching the divisor currently used for international shipments. Many shipments that were not previously charged at the DIM weight will now be affected, which will have a significant impact on overall shipping costs. In 2011, the dimensional divisor decreased from 194 to 166, and in 2015 both FedEx and UPS began applying DIM weight pricing to all ground shipments. At this time, UPS hasn’t announced any changes to its DIM weight pricing.

In addition, FedEx announced a change to its fuel surcharges. Effective February 6, 2017, the fuel surcharge percentage will be subject to weekly adjustment, rather than monthly. There’s currently a two month lag time between the US government fuel indexes and the fuel surcharges. This change will better align them by reducing the lag time to two weeks.

As a shipper, it’s important to understand how these changes will affect you and your business. As we’ve done in past years, Partnership will conduct a full analysis to help you make sense of these changes. Be on the lookout for our white paper on the topic before the New Year!

In the meantime, it's important to start evaluating how you can combat these rises in shipping costs. Through a PartnerShip-managed shipping program, you receive significant discounts on select FedEx services - resulting in savings that can offset these rate increases. If you're not sure if you qualify for one of our small package shipping programs contact us and we'll find the solution that's right for you.

It’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week!

“This week is about raising public awareness and support for the important work professional truck drivers do in our communities year round,” said American Trucking Associations (ATA) President and CEO Chris Spear. “These men and women are safety-minded professionals who deserve our respect and praise. We’re fortunate that truck drivers have dedicated their careers to delivering critical goods like medicine, food and school books.”

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week happens September 11-17 to honor all 3.5 million professional truck drivers for their hard work and commitment to deliver our goods safely, securely and on time, and keep our highways safe.

PartnerShip is saying “thank you” to these hard-working men and women that keep our economy moving with a Dunkin' Donuts gift card for drivers that move a load for us during the week. Yep! Free coffee delivered via email or text! It’s one way we can express our appreciation for drivers that allow our customers to stay competitive by shipping smarter.

If you would like to learn more about National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, visit trucking.org for more information. To become a partner carrier please contact one of our Carrier Procurement Representatives for a setup packet at carriers@PartnerShip.com or visit our Becoming a PartnerShip Carrier web page.