SBS sbsworldwide.com
The driving force behind freight management
SBS Worldwide
SBS Worldwide Bulletin

Welcome to the SBS Worldwide May Bulletin.

In the current volatile transport market, with fuel hitting US$135 per barrel, the effects are widespread over all trade lanes:-

  • Airlines going out of business
  • Steamship lines have been transferring larger vessels to the Far East market to the detriment of capacity and now demand from the USA
  • Trucking companies endeavouring to recoup rising fuel costs with constantly increasing surcharges

    • These factors make the combination of services we offer more demanding.

    Our response is to automate where we can which allows us to invest more in Customer Service personnel and to change our work patterns to meet the daily demands. Whereas our warehouses have always been flexible in working the required hours, our offices now ensure that details of any overnight delays are to hand when customers arrive at work.

    We are instigating several major changes in our work processes in the coming 45 days. The launch of a new IT operating platform which will offer single reference visibility of your consignments throughout each SBS office, a Management Overview of daily operations through our bespoke software, Virtual Manager and, by 1st October, our own ‘SBS Freight Visibility’ programme.

    Huge resource has been spent in developing these automated processes, but not to the detriment of human interaction! We will be contacting you in the weeks ahead through the operational Customer Service teams and Sales staff to redefine your needs as well as taking the opportunity to introduce other services that you need to know about! We will shortly be offering an on-line Standard Operating Procedure where you will be able to define your changing needs in your own time. Further details of this function will be announced shortly.

    And I will not be replaced by voicemail either, so please feel free to contact me with any comments!

    Thank you for your interest and continuing support.

    Steve Walker

    Please forward your suggestions for any additional information you would like to see in our monthly bulletins to bulletins@sbsworldwide.com.

    If you have any comments regarding our service, either good or bad, these should be sent to feedback@sbsworldwide.com. This enables us to recognise our staff if the feedback is positive or, if you have had a bad experience, it gives us the chance to look into the problem.

    Index to May Bulletin

  • Introduction
  • Service Information
  • Industry News
  • Holidays
    		•

    Service Information

    Media

    Following the success at The London Book Fair in April, staff from the media division of SBS, UK and USA, will be in attendance at the Book Expo America. This is being held at the Los Angeles Convention Centre from 30 May to 1 June.

    Anyone wishing to make an appointment to meet a representative of SBS should contact Suzanne Timms on suzanne.timms@sbsworldwide.com.

    New Media Appointment

    We are pleased to welcome Lawrence Wright as Customer Service Manager for the UK Media Division. Lawrence joined us on Tuesday 20 May and will be based at the Dartford office, contact information below. He is looking forward to acquainting himself with our media customers and ensuring we meet your needs!

    DDI No.: 01322 424735
    Email:lawrence.wright@sbsworldwide.com

    Courier

    Can SBS handle your distributions?

    SBS handles thousands of its clients’ bulk distributions every year. Service levels can vary, from taking delivery of your stock from suppliers, to boxing and labelling, to airway bill creation and shipping. It can be a completely managed solution taking the strain away from your resources, especially when time and space are an issue.

    Clients can be confident that the first priority is to get your distribution processed and delivered to its final destination as fast as possible so that you get maximum benefit from your product or services. Our experienced courier team can provide a service which suits your specific needs. Contact couriersales@sbsworldwide.com for further information.

    Solutions

    We launched the SBS Solutions Division in mid February this year creating a new portfolio of services offering customers a seamless end-to-end managed service across all segments of the supply chain.

    Our customers' supply chains demand dynamic and innovative solutions with flexibility and the ability to operate throughout the world. That's why we have worked hard to build a global network of logistics partners strategically placed to ensure we provide a first class service and an all encompassing support network. Tony Leach and Steve Walker recently attended the biggest logistics fair in South America to expand our network of qualified and experienced providers.

    By offering solutions beyond traditional logistics and transportation services to provide customers with added value and effective supply chain management, we have successfully won two new contracts and negotiations are ongoing with a number of other clients to service their individual requirements.

    We have just begun a new project with a specialist engineering parts supplier based in the Far East, who faced a number of challenges to ensure they were aligned with the supply chain processes of their principal customer in the UK. The end customer made the strategic decision to eradicate waste from the supply chain where possible and introduce a "just-in-time" logistics model. In short, the "just-in-time" inventory system is all about having "the right material, at the right time, at the right place, and in the exact amount", without the safety net of vast amounts of reserve inventory.

    The contribution of SBS Worldwide has provided the client with a streamlined end-to-end solution with significant improvements. The solutions team has certainly hit the ground running, working closely with all sections of the business and establishing strong relationships with overseas partners. They wish to build on the foundation of this early success and would welcome the opportunity to discuss your requirements.

    To provide you with an overview of the services within Solutions, we have created a PDF link below. Please download and have a browse....Tony and Lisa look forward to receiving your call.

    PDF link

    Industry News

    Expansion of Felixstowe Port

    Phase 1 has now started of the Felixstowe South Reconfiguration and it is scheduled that just over 400m of quay should be available for April 2010 with full completion of this phase due by September 2010. This will then provide 730m of deepwater quay and, with seven quayside cranes, will be able to accept the world’s largest containerships.

    As there is a shortage of deepwater container terminal capacity, this is a welcome development and should bring relief to the current shortage in UK deep sea container capacity.

    Earthquake in China

    It is believed to have been one of the worst earthquakes in many years that struck central China earlier in May with an estimated 75,000 people having been killed. Some analysts have said this may pose a challenge to the Chinese government, whilst others have even suggested it may affect preparations for the Beijing Olympics later in the summer, although the Olympic venues in Beijing were not actually affected by the earthquake.

    It is reported that it is unlikely this natural disaster will have any real impact on the country's economy because it happened in a region which has little involvement with China' external trade but we will, of course, keep you advised.

    Olympic Games - Beijing

    As the Olympic Games in Beijing draw closer we are being advised that more ports and cities are being affected by restrictions. In particular we have been made aware that measures will be introduced relating to port control on certain dangerous goods and anti terrorist security control for the period 18 July to 25 August. These have been imposed by the Transport Department of the Shanghai Municipal Government. We recommend that you check with your shippers as to the local area restrictions and we will keep you advised of any potential delays as we are informed of them by our overseas partners.

    Rate Adjustments

    Ocean Freight

    Asia Import BAF June = USD 546/TEU and 18.2% CAF

    Indian Sub-continent BAF June = USD 362/TEU and 20.44% CAF

    US Haulage Fuel Surcharge Increase

    The charge for US inland trucking has increased to 37% with immediate effect.

    International Holidays

    To enable you to view international holidays, please click on the link below and select country/date of interest. This will provide up-to-date information on local public holidays.

    http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar

    SBS Website | Air | Ocean | Courier | European | Solutions

    All business is conducted subject to the BIFA standard trading conditions, latest edition. These are shown on our website at http://www.sbsworldwide.com/bifa/bifa.html or we would be pleased to send you a copy on request.

    To unsubscribe from future SBS Bulletins please click here