• Debra (The Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America)
  This organization is dedicated to finding a cure for EB, which affects 1 out of every 20,000 live births in the United States. EB is a genetically based disease characterized by chronic, painful blistering. The skin and mucous membranes are so fragile that the slightest touch can cause severe blistering inside and outside the body. The mission of DebRA of America is to improve the quality of life for all people living with EB, their families, and caregivers through programs and services while funding research to find a cure and treatments for EB. 
• Special Olympics
  The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and competition opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics contributes to the physical, social, and psychological development of the athletes. Through successful experiences in sports, they gain confidence and build a positive self-image which carries over into the classroom, home, job and community. 
• Angels for Kids Foundation 
  Angels for Kids Foundation (located in Medina, Ohio) is dedicated to bringing joy into the lives of underprivileged children and families of Northeast Ohio by providing gifts, clothing and support following tragedies and hardships. Founded by Shayn McCourt, who had lost both parents by age 18, the foundation throws a festive and fun party each Christmas that truly captures the meaning of the holiday season. Angels for Kids prides itself on not just giving any Christmas gift, but truly aiming to give each child “the gift” – the one from their list, that they want the most. 
• Blessing House 
  Blessing House (located in Lorain, Ohio) started as an idea in the fall of 2001 as Sr. Mary Berigan and Donna Humprhrey, both guardian ad litems in the children’s advocacy program, Voices of Children, began wondering about an alternate way to help families before they became involved in the child welfare system. They felt too many parents just didn’t have enough help when dealing with the emergencies in their lives. Those children come and stay at Blessing House while their parents are working through tough times and are reunited once they are able to take care of their children again. 
• Mary Lee Tucker: Clothe a Child 
  The annual Mary Lee Tucker Clothe-a-Child program provides several hundred needy school-aged children in Lorain County with warm, new winter clothes. Volunteer shoppers donate their time to take the children shopping at designated area stores for coats, boots, gloves, hats, shirts, pants and other apparel. Every dollar donated goes directly to buy clothing for these children.

Efficiently managing your freight costs is key to keeping your bottom line in tip-top shape. One of the more common ways your freight costs increase is by the reweighing or reclassification of your freight. Carriers have the right to inspect your shipment if they deem necessary and these incidents can trip up even the most experienced shippers.

When it comes to avoiding reweighs and reclassifications, the best defense is a good offense. Doing your homework on best practices for shipping your freight and closely following these practices will give your freight the best chance of getting to it’s destination without being hit with unexpected charges.

Below we have some points of emphasis to remember before shipping your freight:

Know your freight classes: Less-than-truckload Freight Class refers to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) and it is the category of your LTL freight as defined by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). Your shipment's LTL freight class determines the carrier's shipping charges. It identifies the size, value and difficulty of transporting your LTL freight.

We know determining your freight class is one of the more cumbersome aspects of freight shipping, and that's why we've developed an entire ePaper on the subject, and a helpful Find Your Freight Class' tool for our customers. We ask a few simple questions about your commodity and point you in the right direction.

Stay up-to-date on industry changes: Like any industry, the freight industry is constantly changing and adapting. For example, NMFC changes evolve to accurately reflect a commodity's “transportability.” The NMFTA will post any changes on their website - regularly reviewing these types of resources will keep you in the know on the important changes that affect your freight.

Pay close attention to your shipment’s weight: Obviously very important to not being hit with a reweigh is getting it right the first time.

• All weights on the BOL should be exact weights, not approximations!
• Remember to include the weight of the pallet and other packaging in the final total weight
• Have your scales tested and calibrated often – we would recommend annually, but there’s no harm in more frequent fine tuning.

Work with an experienced partner you can trust: Even after doing your homework and following guidelines, the freight industry can be a complicated world to navigate. Working with a 3PL partner like PartnerShip allows you focus on your company and us to focus on the freight. We have a team of dedicated freight specialists that can guide you to provide accurate shipment information that will avoid reweighs and reclassifications. As a free service, we even audit your freight bills for errors or unnecessary charges that sometimes arise, and we have the industry knowledge to fight to correct any discrepancies.

Keeping the above tips and advice in mind when shipping your freight will help you stay ahead of the curve and eliminate any unwanted billing surprises. If you have additional questions about reweighs or reclassifications, or would like to learn more about PartnerShip, contact us today at 800-599-2902 or email sales@PartnerShip.com.

Both FedEx and UPS announced their annual small package rate increases. The UPS rate increases will take effect on December 29, 2014, while the FedEx rate increases will take effect on January 5, 2015. As always, how much more expensive your particular small package shipments will be in the New Year largely depends on many factors, including shipment volumes, sizes, weights, and modes.

Here are some quick facts:

• Dimensional weight pricing will now apply to all FedEx Ground and UPS Ground shipments.
• FedEx Express package and freight rates will increase an average of 4.9% for U.S., U.S export and U.S. import services.
• FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery rates will increase an average of 4.9%.
• UPS Ground, Air and International rates will increase an average of 4.9%.

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses across the country and has grown into a powerful movement throughout the past few years. Falling this year on November 29th, this day has been celebrated on the Saturday after Thanksgiving every year since being founded by American Express in 2010.

Not only is PartnerShip a small business, but we also actively support thousands of other small businesses across North America with discounted shipping services and unique, value-added shipping solutions. We're glad to support this annual event which is promoted by American Express, and also supported by FedEx - one of our key alliance partners - and countless other organizations.

Visit the Small Business Saturday website to read some success stories, find out what you can do to promote your small business, and discover where to shop small this weekend. For more information on PartnerShip services and how we can help support your small business, click here to contact us.

Last week a couple of our team members joined NSRA and Soles4Souls for a special community service event that provided hundreds of pairs of shoes to homeless men, women, and children at the Chapman Partnership in Miami, Florida. Harry Centa, Senior Program Manager, and Brian Ferancy, Vice President of Sales and Business Development, woke up bright and early to participate in this event, which kicked off the 2014 NSRA Annual Leadership Conference in Hollywood, Florida.  

PartnerShip is the endorsed shipping provider of both NSRA and Soles4Souls. We've had a long established alliance with NSRA, and within the past year we started a new partnership with Soles4Souls. PartnerShip now coordinates the shipping from Soles4Souls donor drives like the "NSRA Gives Back" event to distribution points across the country. 

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Soles4Souls is a global not-for-profit institution dedicated to fighting the devastating impact and perpetuation of poverty. The organization advances its anti-poverty mission by collecting new and used shoes and clothes from individuals, schools, faith-based institutions, civic organizations and corporate partners, then distributing those shoes and clothes both via direct donations to people in need and by provisioning qualified micro-enterprise programs designed to create jobs in poor and disadvantaged communities.

Overall, the "NSRA Gives Back" community service event this year was a great success and provided hundreds of pairs of shoes to those in need. Our employees were very proud to be a part of such an amazing opportunity. To see pictures of the event, check out the photo album on our facebook page! 

Do you have a truckload shipment ready to be sent out? Looking to expedite the process of obtaining a quote for that truckload shipment? One way to quickly and efficiently get your truckload shipment on its way is to have all the information necessary before calling PartnerShip for a quote. Below is a list of tips to follow before picking up a phone or shooting out an email about your truckload shipment.

1.       Know the Basics – Where is the shipment picking up and where is it going? Are appointment times necessary – does the shipment need a specific pickup or delivery time/date? How many pieces, what type of packaging is being used, and what is the weight of the shipment? All of these questions need to be the answered before getting a truckload rate.

2.       Equipment Type – Truckload shipments can have many different requirements - dry van, flat bed, refrigerated, to name a few. Determining the correct option for your specific shipment is an important part of the truckload shipping process and can affect variables like carrier availability. Need more help determining which equipment your shipment requires? Check out our truckload equipment options post for more information.

3.       Commodity – What are you shipping? A basic description of the contents of your shipment is enough to get you an accurate rate on your pending truckload shipment.

4.       Value of the Shipment – It is important to know the value of the goods you are transporting. Even though most carriers have cargo legal liability coverage, typically these policies have limits of $100,000 per trailer; there is no longer any federal requirement for motor carriers to carry cargo insurance. If we know the value of your move, we can ensure the carrier that moves your load has adequate coverage or even obtain additional coverage if necessary. The good news is that PartnerShip has a stringent carrier on boarding process ensuring the safe, most reliable carriers. All of our partner carriers are fully insured with industry standard cargo coverage.

Keeping these tips in mind when obtaining a truckload shipment quote will help ensure quick and accurate quotes.

Do you have a truckload shipment you would like to quote today? Visit PartnerShip.com/TLQuote for a free, no obligation quote today!

Truckload shipping is the movement of large amounts of freight - usually exceeding 10,000 lbs and enough to fill an entire semi-trailer. Every shipment is different and needs the proper equipment to ensure a safe and efficient trip from pickup to delivery. Determining the correct option for your specific shipment is an important part of the truckload shipping process and can affect variables like carrier availability. Below is a list of some of the more common equipment choices, what they are, and how they are used.

Dry Van – This is the most common form of truckload shipping and is the option best used with standard packaged freight that does not need to be temperature controlled. The typical 53-foot van trailer can haul 44,000 pounds or up to 26 standard sized pallets of cargo.

Flatbed – Flatbed trailers are used to haul shipments of large, heavy, and oversized loads that cannot easily fit within a dry van. While flatbed shipping may sound straightforward, there are different options within the flatbed category that can throw you for a loop – single-drop, double-drop, and stretch trailers, to name a few. The PartnerShip team of shipping experts is here to make recommendations based on your flatbed shipping needs.

Refrigerated – Often referred to as “reefers”, refrigerated shipments require temperature controlled trailers. This equipment is often used to haul perishable food, beverages, medicine, plants, or even sensitive equipment. The refrigeration unit on the truck keeps the cargo at the exact temperature specified by the customer.

Chances are that your truckload shipment fits into one of the categories of equipment above. If your shipment falls outside of the above options, our team of dedicated representatives and our truckload brokerage department stand ready to help you find the best option for your shipment. We’ve been helping companies with their shipments for 25 years and we have a wealth of experience transporting all commodities and materials at all weights and sizes. We were even named one of NASTC’s best brokers!

Do you have a truckload shipment you’d like to get a quote for today? Visit PartnerShip.com/TLQuote to get a free quote on your dry van, flatbed, or refrigerated shipment today.

We recently posted about the new package laboratory that FedEx opened to test and design packages for a wide variety of products that their customers ship. This new facility will prove to be very beneficial for customers with specific packaging needs. However, even the simplest packages need to pass one basic test – getting your shipment to its destination safely and securely. Here are some tips for packing your FedEx small package shipment like a pro:

Boxing
When you select a box for your shipment, make sure to match it appropriately to the size and weight of the items you are shipping. Avoid using a box that would leave an abundant amount of empty space as this could cause a cost increase if your shipment is subject to DIM weight pricing. It will also make it more difficult to ensure your product is secure in the box, helping to prevent any damages. For heavier items, use double-walled or thick corrugated boxes. If you are reusing a box, be sure to remove all old labels, and make sure it's high-quality, with no holes, tears, or dents.

Cushioning
Choose cushioning with enough density to keep items from shifting. It’s also good practice to wrap and tape all sharp or protruding edges on the items you’re shipping. You will also want to bind printed material together or secure any loose items together. These precautions help to prevent any damages to your product or to the packaging itself.

Labeling
Place your label on the package's largest surface and secure it firmly with your hand. When using a pouch, remove the peel-off strip and firmly seal the flap. For luggage, travel cases, or other containers with handles, label your item with a tie-on tag (available at FedEx Office locations). For wood, plastic, or metal containers be sure to use labels with extra adhesive. While not required, it is also a good idea to put a copy of your label inside your package. This way FedEx can still make the delivery in the event your outer label comes off.

Sealing
With your box properly packed, apply at least three strips of packing tape (no duct or masking tape) that is at least 2" wide evenly across all flaps and seams, top and bottom, using the H taping method. You will also want to avoid taping over your FedEx label.

Through an association shipping program managed by PartnerShip, you can receive exclusive discounts on select FedEx services. If you belong to an association we work with, take advantage of our free shipping benefits today. If you’re not sure if you qualify for one of our FedEx small package shipping programs, contact us and we’ll find the solution that’s right for you.

Earlier this year, FedEx opened a new package laboratory to better serve their customers. With more than 30,000 square feet of space, this facility allows FedEx to test and design packages for a wide variety of products that their customers may ship – perishables, glass, electronics, and any other items that require special attention.

This new industry-leading facility is the result of three years of design and development work. It uses the latest technology and testing protocols, including equipment that drops, squeezes and shakes various forms of packaging to test their strength and effectiveness.

The facility’s advanced environmental controls maintain the temperature and humidity in the laboratory’s preconditioning room and materials testing room. In fact, they can simulate any place FedEx ships, from the desert to the rainforest to the Arctic.

The lab’s unique features include:

• Altitude chamber  (Site level to 100,000 feet)
• Temperature chamber (-90°F to +350°F)
• Humidity chamber (within 2% tolerance)
• Two drop testers
• Three vibration tables
• Compression table
• Automated sample table
• 5-ton crane for testing skidded freight
• Forklift course for testing skidded freight
• Material testing laboratory
• Wood shop
• Other specialty design and testing equipment

You can take advantage of this new facility by submitting a sample of the packages you currently use for a variety of performance tests; or you can even request package-design assistance by downloading and completing the FedEx Packaging Design Application.

PartnerShip customers come from a wide variety of industries and this new package lab has the versatility to meet the needs of customers of all shape and sizes. Through an association shipping program managed by PartnerShip, you can benefit from these services and receive exclusive discounts on select FedEx^® services.  If you belong to an association we work with, take advantage of our free shipping benefits today. If you’re not sure if you qualify for one of our FedEx small package shipping programs contact us and we’ll find the solution that’s right for you.

Yesterday Crain's Cleveland Business announced its inaugural Crain'sFAST 50 class - and PartnerShip LLC was selected as one of the companies recognized! According to the announcement, Crain’s FAST 50 recognizes the entrepreneurial spirit, innovative business tactics and skyrocketing revenue growth of the 50 fastest-growing companies in Northeast Ohio.

To be eligible for the Crain's FAST 50, businesses could be either publicly traded or privately-held, at least five years old, have a had at least $5 million in 2013 revenues, and be located in Northeast Ohio. Also, eligible businesses could not have more than 1 year of declining revenue. 

Crain's will be hosting a live event on November 5 to announce the top #10 among the FAST 50. Additionally, the full rankings will be revealed in the November 10 issue of Crain's Cleveland Business magazine.

PartnerShip, along with many of the other FAST 50 companies, will be sharing our newfound status via social media channels using the #Crains50 hashtag. You can follow PartnerShip on Twitter at @PartnerShipLLC and you can followCrain's Cleveland Business at @CrainsCleveland.

We're very proud to have been named to the first-ever Crain's FAST 50 class. PartnerShip® has been serving the shipping needs of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio area businesses for 25 years. We are more than a Cleveland area freight broker – we are a team of dedicated Ohioans that share that same passion for community, and for the shipping services we provide. If you're located in Northeast Ohio and have shipping needs, please click the button below to learn more about how PartnerShip can help.