The Absent Minded

Should any supply line in your logistics operations be at odds for a security risk, you could easily lose resources and stand to lose a considerable sum. The trick is to keep your supply chain running smooth, but also secure so that you won’t lose your hard work to the negligence of others.

You should start your intelligence gathering for security purposes with the facility in which your products are assembled or created. This facility needs to exhibit proper safety standards as if it was in your home country, or you could face negative flak from media outlets and customers. A facility that isn’t secure could also stand to be at risk for theft of your products, which for many reasons could be a disaster.

Security is hard to maintain when the country your products are formulated in is under war or general unrest. Fighting or regulations could shut down a factory in this instance, and without any warning at all. It’s worse than just losing money from the ordeal, you could also lose an entire shipment of inventory your business depends on for keeping availability to your products consistent.

Ensure that security is enabled at all parts of a logistics operation- especially the port. Thieves can easily make off with products if you aren’t careful, and corrupted employees may do the same. Check the history of satisfaction and any recent new stories associated with a 3PL transportation line before trusting it completely. If your goods get stolen, it’s hard to say who is liable, and you may foot the bill.

Even your own operations should be audited to verify security. If you are exporting goods that could be used for military purposes, you have a limited list of countries you will be able to ship to. Even normal consumer goods, such as a hydraulic pump, may be banned from shipment to a country due to its dual use in military operations. A third party logistics company will be able to handle this side of the business for you, so it shouldn’t be a hassle.

In its simplest form, security should be all about responsibility. Always have a tight knit operation in which you check inventory and shipments at every opportunity. If you find that you have had a problem with security in the past, it’s time to shape up your business the right way, because in its current state it is very clearly flawed.

In Conclusion

Expanding a business takes a lot of work that will be stressful. You can reduce the stress you put on yourself and your employees by outsourcing your logistics. A third party logistics service will be glad to handle the logistics of your business, and this includes the security tactics that will keep your business running safe.

Learn more about Walmart Fulfillment Services and Emerson Electric Logistics.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 at 2:31 pm and is filed under General, Reference And Education, Society, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.