CHEMICAL LOGISTICS
experience brokering liquid bulk shipments of chemicals, paints, and other substances. As an ISO-9001- certified liquid bulk freight broker, it knows how to provide consistently safe, compliant shipments. The company’s bulk freight experts understand the details, from tank washing to unloading. They also can provide emergency services on demand. Similarly, Bulk Connection offers deep experience in dry bulk shipments, including plastic pellets, silica sand, and other products. Its employees have developed strong relationships with the limited number of trucking companies that have proven they can handle these shipments with expertise and care. When rail interruptions occur, Bulk Connection can lean into its network and knowledge to access and deploy the carriers and equipment that best match its customers’ needs. While this service typically costs more than rail transportation, it allows time-sensitive shipments to begin moving again. ENHANCING EFFICIENCIES Five years ago, Bulk Connection launched its proprietary Tank Wash Finder, an online tool that provides a comprehensive directory that includes information about cleaning and maintenance services performed at
security, and sustainability standards, now incorporates a sustainability code. Understanding evolving sustainability practices and incorporating the standards into business planning have become critical to ACD members’ success, Byer says. TECHNOLOGY PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES The chemical industry is a data- driven space. Yet few large chemical manufacturers have access to granular, actionable data that can help them make informed decisions, Schweda says. Many providers work from multiple ERP systems, so information often is scattered across different solutions. In addition, it’s often difficult to access data that can inform actions, Schweda adds. For instance, companies may have visibility to their full logistics costs, but not costs at the shipment level. “Without this data, it’s difficult for companies to take action to improve operations and manage costs effectively,” Schweda says. Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to help. In the logistics industry, success often lies in speed and adaptability, says Maneet Singh, chief information officer with Odyssey Logistics. Artificial intelligence can help by enabling companies to efficiently optimize complex processes to add value for their customers. One key to the successful deployment of AI is an organization’s data science capabilities, or its ability to extract knowledge and insights from data, Singh says. All systems, from ERP to billing solutions, generate quantities of data. AI can offer a streamlined way to analyze and optimize it. “You don’t have to rely on a person knowing, for instance, the best route to get from Chicago to Memphis,” he says. While the current economy is difficult for many businesses, the outlook for the chemical logistics sector, which employs more than 75,800 and has a direct economic impact of $27.55 billion, is promising. New chemical production in the United States will result in more than 1 million more shipments annually, the American Chemistry Council
estimates, citing announced investments of more than $200 billion, along with 330 manufacturing projects slated for the next decade. The chemical logistics providers profiled here offer safe, resilient, sustainable, and cost-effective services. Bulk Connection: On-Demand Freight Capacity for Bulk Shipping No matter when clients reach out to Bulk Connection’s headquarters in Mystic, Connecticut, they will connect with a person. “We’re a bit old school in that we like to use the phone and provide as much assistance as our customers require,” says Cordock, the company’s president. Phone calls leave less room for uncertainty, a vital benefit in the chemical logistics business, he notes. Bulk Connection boasts one of the largest networks of bulk trucking companies in the industry. Since 1987, when the company was founded by executives with tanker truck companies who saw an opportunity to streamline sourcing for liquid bulk freight, Bulk Connection has leveraged its network and specialized knowledge of chemical products to offer shippers a one-stop solution for their bulk shipping needs. Over the past three-plus decades, Bulk Connection has gained extensive
Bulk Connection has one of the largest networks of bulk trucking companies in the industry, providing chemical companies with a one-stop solution for their bulk shipping needs.
74 Inbound Logistics • June 2024
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