The shipment reached the consignee in Caucedo successfully thanks to the coordination of both Coop members
Consolidacion Integrada, a Coop member in Guatemala City, moved an ex-works shipment of Modelo Malt Beer via ocean freight, on request from Maritima Dominicana S.A.S, a Coop member in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The beer was packed in boxes and loaded into 16 dry containers. For this cargo, they used the services of the carrier COSCO Shipping Lines. Since the shipment was on ex-works terms, the items were in a bonded warehouse facility before being loaded.
Collaboration shipment by Consolidacion Integrada and Maritima Dominicana
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The beer was packed in boxes and loaded into 16 dry containers. For this cargo, they used the services of the carrier COSCO Shipping Lines. Since the shipment was on ex-works terms, the items were in a bonded warehouse facility before being loaded.
To quote Mr. Javier Giraldo, the Manager of Consolidacion Integrada, “This shipment was a re-exportation from Guatemala to the Dominican Republic. Our team was delighted to join forces with a professional company such as Maritma Dominicana S.A.S., which helped us manage the shipment within the deadline. We also had to coordinate in advance with the shipper, ocean carrier, and our transportation units to avoid any delays or possible extra charges.”
“Moreover, our expertise in handling complicated sea freight projects has gained us the trust of our customers. We look forward to collaborating with Maritima Dominicana, as well as with other Coop partners on many such projects in the months to come!”
Congratulations to Consolidacion Integrada and all the best for their upcoming projects!
Members will be able to download the document by accessing their Members Area
In a bid to digitize their services, improve the network and offer the best and most innovative advantages to its members, The Cooperative Logistics Network is now offering an Online Certification. In order to do so, the IT Department has put together a new section in the intranet. This will enable The Coop members to download their network certificate with the date on which the network accepted them.
The Coop’s membership certificate
This document accrediting membership will be available for download and print from the Members Area. Moreover, freight forwarders who belong to the network will only need to access its intranet and click on the “Certificate” tab to find it in the Dashboard.
In the words of Antonio Torres, President and Founder of The Cooperative Logistics Network “We are working hard to digitize all our services to make our members work easier. With just a click, they will be able to download the Online Membership Certificate. This will be an official Certificate of Membership that proves that the company is a member of The Cooperative Logistics Network and has passed through a rigorous selection process”.
The Coop has created a new e-learning platform to offer logistics certification courses for enhancing the expertise and industry knowledge of the members and their employees
The Cooperative Logistics Network has created an online academy for enabling over 320 network members to boost and upgrade their industry knowledge. Moreover, the freight forwarding courses will augment the work skills of the employees of the member companies and help to prepare them for greater responsibilities. The Coop has partnered with two internationally recognized course providers- Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) and Container xChange.
The news about the launch of The Coop’s online academy has been covered by AJOT, Ecargolog, Diario de Transporte, Logistics Business, and Vientepies.
Freight forwarding courses
AJOT
AJOT aka American Journal of Transportation is a popular online magazine. It is entirely dedicated to news related to the transportation and logistics industry. Moreover, as a trusted supply chain news resource for over 100 years, AJOT published the latest news and insights from this sector.
Logistics Business
Logistics Business is a pioneering logistics news web journal based in the UK. It publishes pertinent news, reports, and opinions from the international transportation and logistics sector.
Ventepies
Veintepies is a Spanish language logistics news portal. It publishes relevant news and articles for people working in the logistics industry. Furthermore, with a large audience in Spain and Latin America, it covers news, articles, and opinions from the sector.
Diario de Transporte
Diario de Transporte is an independent news medium that brings its readers pertinent supply chain news in the Spanish language.
Ecargolog
Ecargolog is a logistics news portal providing comprehensive coverage of all supply chain topics. They publish topical news, opinions, interviews, and live programmes on the latest happening in this industry.
The news on the above websites talks about the launch of the online academy and its benefits for the members. Additionally, the news also gives an idea of the course details.
The Coop has teamed up with CIFFA and Container xChange to offer 2 different level logistics courses and a Masterclass on SOC containers
The Cooperative Logistics Network has teamed up with esteemed organizations like CIFFA and Container xChange to provide online freight forwarding certificate courses for the members and their employees. Training will provide the much-needed training required to keep pace with the demands of logistical operations in 2022. The courses will allow the agents to learn and execute complex supply chain processes. Additionally, it will help them enhance their knowledge of the workings of this sector to prepare for effectively dealing with the industry challenges.
The Cooperative Logistics Network’s freight forwarding courses
To this end, The Cooperative has joined forces with The Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA). They are an organization with over 6 decades of experience in education. They are also a certified training provider for IATA, FIATA, and ICAO. Additionally, The Coop has partnered with Container xChange, a neutral platform connecting hundreds of logistics companies. They offer an array of online educational course materials to help freight forwarders get a better knowledge of container leasing.
The Cooperative members can go for two levels of freight forwarding courses provided by CIFFA. The first course is on the topic of International Transportation and Trade. It is ideal for people who want to get a deeper understanding of the basics of global freight forwarding. It includes topics like risk management, quotations, Incoterms rules, freight costs, etc. Registration for this course is open till 30th March 2022.
The second course is called the Essentials of Freight Forwarding. It focuses on topics like packaging, documentation, cargo insurance, regulatory compliance, dangerous cargo, alternative transport solutions, and more. Enrollment for this course will be open from 14th June to 14th September 2022.
Additionally, The Coop members registering for one or more of the above-mentioned courses will get free access to the SOC Container Masterclass provided by Container xChange. This masterclass is an exhaustive training regarding the handling of Shipper Owned Containers. The course seeks to make the process of owning and transporting container equipment easier for freight forwarders.
Moreover, the Coop’s career enhancement programmes are not just suitable for professional forwarders and logistics managers. They will help experienced forwarders to stay updated with the latest industry trends. Most importantly, the courses would also help the newcomers in this sector to get a better understanding of this industry. Lastly, these courses can be completed at the students’ suitable pace. CIFFA will provide the participants with interactive classes, audio, video lessons, and a downloadable e-book.
To quote Antonio Torres, the President and Founder of the Cooperative Logistics Network, “We believe in fostering the development of the essential skills for our members in every possible way. Moreover, the logistics industry is currently facing a shortage of skilled and trained workforce globally. For this reason, we are partnering with esteemed organizations such as the CIFFA and Container xChange. This will enable us to provide our members with the much-needed training to keep pace with the demands of logistical operations in 2022.”
Andrea Martin, The Coop’s FreightViewer Coordinator, will be speaking in one of the Roundtable Panel Discussions during the event
The Cooperative Logistics Network has partnered with Logistics Business Show– an international virtual exhibition cum conference for the logistics and materials handling industry. The Logistics Business Show will take place from 15th to 17th of March. This event offers a collaborative platform for supply chain professionals. The Logistics Business Show takes place twice a year in March and October. Over 5000 industry professionals will be attending the March and October events.
Logistics Business Show 2022
Andrea Martin, The Coop’s FreightViewer Coordinator, will be speaking at the Roundtable titled ‘Road Transport Challenges’. The Panel Discussion will be broadcasted live at their show on Tuesday 15th March at 10.00 am UK/11.00 am CET. Other topics for the Roundtable include- Software for Real-Time Visibility, Automation Systems in the Distribution Centre, Robotics Affordability & AI, Delivery WISMO & Inventory Management, Warehouse Worker Health & Safety, Track & Trace: Rugged Mobile, Sustainable Supply Chains, Forklift Innovation & Components.
Registering for the event will allow the participants to network with several renowned supply chain decision-makers. Additionally, the attendees can watch the conference and meet the panelists and exhibitors via live video calls and chats. They will also get to purchase products and solutions and ask questions to the panelist speakers. Most importantly, attending the event will enable the participants to enhance their networking and get an idea about the opinions and suggestions of industry experts and conference speakers.
The Coop members can register for this event by clicking on this link.
The project involved the collection of the gas tanks from China and reexporting the same to Costa Rica by land transportation
Consolidacion Integrada, a Coop member in Guatemala City, Guatemala, has recently moved a project cargo consisting of eight cryogenic gas tanks. They were in charge of land transportation of the cargo from Guatemala to Costa Rica. For this shipment, they worked for a distinguished client- Ingasa, a highly reputed supplier of industrial gases and safety products in Guatemala.
They received the eight gas tanks from China which they stored in a bonded warehouses facility. Then they reexported this cargo from Guatemala to Costa Rica. They loaded the tanks onto the transportation platforms and secured the cargo with lashing chains and tensioners. Additionally, they used cranes with 80 tons capacity to load the cargo.
Consolidacion Integrada’s project cargo shipment
As stated by Mr. Javier Giraldo, Manager of Consolidacion Integrada, “Moving a project cargo of this size surely entails plenty of complexities and challenges. We had a limited loading area for the crane to work and our team had to be very careful during the loading process. However, we handled this part of the job very professionally. Thankfully, we didn’t face any problem during the land transportation to Costa Rica and the tanks were handed over to the consignee safely.”
Congratulations to Consolidacion Integrada wishing them good luck in their future endeavours!
A competitive market, increased client expectation, and the need for seamless, visible, and more efficient work processes are some of the factors prompting traditional freight forwarders to take the digital stride. New technologies like blockchain, IoT, TMS, Digital Twins, and Big Data are reshaping the future of the freight forwarding industry. The digital transformation is happening at this very moment in the transportation and logistics industry. Independent freight forwarders are racing to adapt to the big changes and come up as digital freight forwarders. In this background, the companies that don’t adapt to the changes necessitated by Logistics 4.0 are running the risk of losing out their businesses to their competition.
Our topic for this week is a special report on the beginnings of the Coop’s member-exclusive TMS FreightViewer where Mr. Manual Cardona, the IT Manager of The Cooperative Logistics Network and the Developer of FreightViewer has provided us with valuable insights.
Manuel Cardona- The Coop’s IT Manager
The factors that motivated The Coop to create a Transport Management System
The need for a digital transformation
Back in 2018, The Coop’s President and Founder, Antonio Torres, understood the importance of the digital transformation for small and independent freight forwarders. After exhaustive research on the up-and-coming technologies setting new standards in the freight forwarding industry, he concluded that investing in a digital tool would allow hundreds of Coop members to increase operational efficiency, cut down costs and explore new avenues of business.
In that very moment, Manuel Cardona, the IT Manager of The Cooperative Logistics Network, starts developing a software that applies the more than 20 years of Antonio’s experience as a freight forwarder. “The freight forwarding industry introduced technological innovation at a much slower pace than the other industries. It has been stuck for decades in outmoded customer interfaces, and age-old manual processes. Nevertheless, the situation was rapidly transforming. We understood that forwarders were risking getting weighed down with ineffectual resource utilization, and slow response time. These are two crucial factors that can erode the customer base of freight forwarders. This encouraged Antonio Torres to figure out a way to allow The Coop members to initiate the digital change. This was when he got in touch with me”, explains Manuel Cardona.
The digital strategy
However, digitization is not just about investing in expensive software and creating an IT team for automated workflow. It is more about creating a foolproof digital strategy that is sustainable over the long term. The process requires exhaustive research, preparation and continuous customer engagement to invest in the right tools and obtain the desired outcome.
After years of diligent effort and considerable private investment, The Cooperative Logistic Network came up with FreightViewer in 2018. “It was a very exciting moment for me! We knew that we were taking a very important step that would transform the mode of operation of independent freight forwarders. Above all, we were allowing more than 320 members to create an online showcase of their door-to-door freight rates, instantly send a quotation and share shipping documents effortlessly in real-time… and all on one professional platform!”, continues Mr. Cardona.
FreightViewer: from an idea to a ground-breaking TMS
The beginnings
The Coop’s 5th Annual Meeting was the first time where FreightViewer was first presented to members. It was held in Abu Dhabi in March 2019 and it broke an attendance record. “In the first few months since the launch, we had to put in a lot of effort. FreightViewer was going to be presented in the Annual Meeting to more than 180 members and everything had to be ready. I remembered the nervousness I felt in the months leading to the Event. Andrea Martin, The Cooperative’s FreightViewer Coordinator, was the person responsible for the FreightViewer demonstrations and for instructing members about the utilities and features of this platform. However, everything went well. She came back with some positive feedback from members which encouraged us to keep improving”.
The evolution
After the Meeting was over, FreightViewer was already a reality and more and more members started doing tests in the platform to see how it could create quotations instantly. “We devoted considerable time explaining to members how to use it, its advantages and features. They began realizing how it could improve their day-to-day tasks. However, there was still some reluctance. It was then that we started to realize that there was a lot of space to improve the tool. I must say that Andrea was the key in the development and update of the software. She was -and still is- in constant touch with members who helped us to make FreightViewer more convenient and practical, and easily adaptable to the work reality of forwarders.”
The next step for the Cooperative’s team was to look for industry-leading companies to partner with. The first one happened in 2019 when FreightViewer established an agreement with SHIPCO, one of the world’s leading neutral NVOCC’s. “This was a huge move since it enabled the agents to access the LCL rates in over thirty countries right from FreightViewer. Thus, this meant that they could automate a considerable chunk of their day-to-day paperwork”.
After this, the Coop’s team decided it was time to expand FreightViewer’s accessibility and offer as many opportunities as possible to all users. That was when in January 2019, the Coop’s IT department added a new feature to FreightViewer that enabled members to send and receive quote requests to any of their partners both within as well as outside the Network. This update allowed them to store all quotes provided by any freight forwarder on a unique platform. Afterward, came other partnerships in project, such as the one with Onus Cargo Services, an insurance broker or BlueX an API developer.
FreightViewer nowadays
A TMS can be defined as a tool that manages and optimizes the daily operations of logistics companies. That is exactly what FreightViewer does. Its primary aim is to process all the freight forwarding operations within a unique channel. This enhances visibility for all the stakeholders of the shipping process. In a sector when an instant response is absolutely crucial, FreightViewer could add operational efficiency.
FreightViewer is reducing The Cooperative’s members’ expenses, saving their time, eliminating manual error, augmenting visibility and security, and minimizing the steps involved in shipping operations.
“FreightViewer not only helps members with instant quote generation. It can also help them to simplify the tasks of an extremely complicated business. Furthermore, it can improve their customer service by enhancing the response time they give to their clients”.
The future of FreightViewer
The updates and projects
Presently, The Cooperative is negotiating new strategic partnerships with other industry-leading companies. “We have initiated conversations with Webcargonet to enable us to upload and update more than 14 million buying airfreight rates to FreightViewer. We are also working on the process of reaching competitive insurance rates for members. Furthermore, we are planning to find a way to help members upload their rates without any effort”
Every year, The Coop’s IT department works hard to improve the tool. This will greatly enhance its potential as a mighty online tool to accelerate the operations of freight forwarders.
Why digital transformation is the need of the hour?
At the moment, it has become imperative for logistics companies to enhance the level of customer engagement. By minimizing the response time, FreightViewer will give freight forwarders the required capacity to meet their customers’ expectations. It allows them to effectively manage rates and profit margins, create personalized quotations, and send them instantly through email or PDF. Additionally, they can set up a customizable quoting webiste to offer to their clients.
The rise in the number of digital freight forwarding service providers
More than 14 years back, Maersk launched Maersk Spot Booking, their online booking platform. In the present competitive scenario, eight out of the top ten carriers have created their personal quote generation platform. Digital freight companies like Freighthub, Flexport and Freightos came into the picture in the last few years.
According to a Freightos report, only 25% of the world’s top 20 logistics companies are providing LCL online quotes. Customers wait at least two days before receiving a freight quotation. This shows the lack of visibility and transparency in the operations of most forwarders even today.
The freight forwarding industry is evolving very fast. There will be more and more digital freight forwarding service providers. One of the prerequisites of the implementation of technology is hefty investments in software and an IT team. However, independent freight forwarders often lack the enormous assets needed to implement a digital change. This is why The Cooperative decided to offer members a highly useful online tool that allows them to start the digital transformation without any investment.
“Our TMS is a dynamic tool with upgraded capabilities which is adapted to the freight forwarders realities. Moreover, it has an unbeatable advantage over any other software. Unlike the rest, The Coop is a network with more than 320 members across 135 countries. This allows our members to have rates from almost every corner of the world. We really believe that in FreightViewer rests the future of freight forwarders and our own future,” explains Mr. Cardona.
They have established themselves as a leading provider of logistics solutions and are now working on a vast project consisting of a network of highways and railways across Pakistan
Infinity Shipping Services, a Coop member in Karachi, Pakistan, completes 15 years in the industry. As a company specializing in handling breakbulk cargo and heavy machinery, they obtained several projects that allowed them to achieve their targets in the last two years. Some of these projects consisted of handling breakbulk vessels, minerals and iron ore for export from Pakistan to China.
New projects of Infinity Shipping Services
To quote Mr. Faizan Sattar, the CEO of Infinity Shipping, “I am proud to announce that our business has been growing by the day. Moreover, even during the pandemic, we not only met our targets but even surpassed our forecast targets. This is largely due to our close relationship with carriers and airlines that has enabled us to offer the best rates and find space even in the busiest season.”
15th Anniversary of Infinity Shipping Services
Infinity Shipping is presently handling project cargoes for the building of a vast network of highways and railways across Pakistan. The $62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a collection of infrastructural projects across the country. For this project, they are mostly moving items like poles and street lights.
“Recently two sea ports are operating in Pakistan- Karachi Port and Port Qasim. We are one of the few forwarders in Pakistan with a shipping license for the above two ports. Moreover, we also have the license to operate in the newly established Gwadar port in Balochistan. The Gwadar port will be responsible for all vessels required in the movement of CPEC logistics to/from worldwide.
Congratulations to Infinity Shipping Services and wishing them all the best for their future projects!
Since their inception in 1996, they have made substantial investments to enhance their services, and deliver seamless transportation solutions to their clients
Delpa Group, a Coop member in Santiago, Chile, has recently celebrated their 25th anniversary. They started as a freight forwarder in 1996. Soon they began the expansion of their services in Latin America, and became the first company to establish weekly land transport services from Brazil and Argentina to Chile.
To quote Daniel Urra, the President of Delpa Group, “We celebrated our anniversary by changing our corporate image. We want all our clients and the world to know that we are celebrating and that we continue to move forward as a company. In the last 25 years, we have come up as one of the best land cargo transportation companies in Latin America. Moreover, another great milestone has been the incorporation of new technologies to automate our work processes.”
Delpa Group’s 25th Anniversary
For 25 years, they have worked with a strategic plan which they have been able to achieve progressively and successfully. Delpa Group presently has offices in 11 countries in addition to their branch offices in Chile. After working with several large national and multinational brands, they understood the importance of digitizing their operations. They have created their own CRM and constantly invest in state-of-the-art technologies that improve the productivity of their logistics processes.
“The scenario of the world economy has changed and we have had to adapt to the paradigm shift of how users buy. Additionally, we need to be updated with the new technologies that have been developed, with the time that we must spend in the dispatch of merchandise, and lastly with the logistics communication process to fulfill the expectations of all our customers,” adds Mr. Urra.
Congratulations to Delpa Group on their 25th Anniversary and all the best for the future!
This international certification will greatly boost the reputation and prestige of the company and lead to increased industry recognition
Ilogs Corporate SAS, a Coop member in Bogota, Colombia, gets the IATA accreditation. This much-coveted accreditation enhances the prestige of logistics companies and helps them obtain greater industry recognition. The achievement of Ilogs Corporate is all the more praiseworthy because the requirements for this accreditation have become a little more demanding in the face of COVID.
Ilogs Corporate becomes IATA certified agent
Moreover, obtaining this accreditation by freight forwarders in Colombia has become difficult and requires several guarantees. Thanks to the experience and expertise of Ilogs, they were quite vigilant in complying with each and every one of the requirements. To quote Ms. Martha Mora, the Founder of Ilogs Corporate, “We are delighted to have become an IATA accredited Cargo Agent. Furthermore, this accreditation will secure our position as one of the best air freight forwarders in Bogota.”
The international airlines give free rein to agents who strive to obtain this important accreditation. Ms. Mora further adds, “The IATA accreditation has opened up an important opportunity for Ilogs in terms of enhanced service. Additionally, our expertise in the field of air cargo will make us the chosen forwarder of our customers and network partners from all over the world. Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my teammates for their dedication and effort which were the most important factors responsible for the success of our company!”
Congratulations to Ilogs Corporate and wishing them the very best for their upcoming projects!
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