Paul Günther

Blog Post written by Ohad Azgad, CEO of Cinch Logistics leaders must control costs while maintaining service quality, but hidden freight charges often erode profits due to poor visibility. Cinch analyzed over 7,000 line-item charges from 30+ freight forwarders, brokers, and carriers in FMCG and manufacturing, uncovering three major cost drivers: The Frequency-Impact Paradox Frequent charges like fuel surcharges appear in 14.4% of invoices but contribute just 4.2% of hidden costs. In contrast, customs duties—though present in only 5.8% of invoices—account for 52% of hidden costs. Identifying these patterns helps logistics teams focus on impactful cost reductions. Inconsistent Invoice Terminology Charge names like “Fuel Surcharge” vs. “Bunker Adjustment Factor” vary between carriers, reducing cost visibility and negotiation leverage. Standardizing terminology improves tracking, clarity, and vendor negotiations. Hidden Budget Risks: Customs, Duties & On-Carriage Fees Customs duties account for 46% of hidden costs, while on-carriage fees add 26%, despite appearing in only 4.3% of invoices. These charges are often underestimated during quoting, leading to budget overruns. Proactive management prevents unexpected expenses.   Strategies to Optimize Freight Costs Real-Time Data Analytics: Platforms like Cinch provide charge visibility during quoting, improving cost forecasting and negotiation leverage. Standardized Terminology: Consistent charge names enhance cost…

Stay in the loop with Supply Chain Now! We’ve got all the latest episodes, interviews, conversations, and livestreams from this week right here. On Monday, we released 2 new episodes! On Supply Chain Now, hosts Scott Luton and Ben Harris welcomed two bold and innovative CEOs to the podcast: Cloe Guidry-Reed with Hire Ground and Pierre Laguerre with Fleeting. On This Week in Business History, guest host Kelly Barner remembers key innovations, inventions, and firsts that took place between April 12th and the 16th, including Metallica’s legal stand against Napster, the relative advantages and costs of the Pony Express and postage stamps, and two ‘Titanic’ operations – the RMS Titanic and McDonald’s Inc. On Tuesday, we released 2 new episodes. On this episode of Logistics with Purpose, powered in partnership with Vector Global Logistics, our hosts Scott Luton, Enrique Alvarez, and Kevin Brown sat down with Good360 CEO Matt Connelly to learn more about delivering goods – and good – in the era of disruption, globalization, and digitization. On TECHquila Sunrise, host Greg White sat down with Peter Stangeland, Chief Commercial Officer of DB Schenker, to talk about the exciting progress his teams have made in clearing the path to…