Looking for ways to boost the bottom line is a continuous effort by small business transportation owners. According to findings by the American Trucking Association, higher costs will take its toll on profit margins for many carriers.

For smaller companies in the petroleum industry, maintaining the working capital to compete with larger corporations can be difficult. Temporary cash flow difficulties can potentially cripple operations and reduce the production of these firms, causing disruptions in the supply chain and delaying deliveries on contractual obligations

Supply chains are becoming more complex while at the same time disruptions to this distribution process are increasing in frequency and severity. A recent report by the World Economic Forum indicates that significant disruptions can reduce price shares of affected companies by an average seven percent.

Improving fuel economy in the trucking industry can have a major impact on future profitability in this competitive sector of the economy. New technologies are making it easier and more cost-effective to reduce the fuel expenditures of big rigs and to manage gas mileage requirements more easily.

Are you aware of the changes, if any, are needed for your distribution center? Are current activities at-capacity or over-capacity, which indicates that something needs to change? Has senior management pondered whether to retrofit or expand current facilities?