Trey Griggs

Stay up to date on all the latest conversations, interviews, and episodes we released this week here at Supply Chain Now. On Monday’s episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and Greg White discuss the U.S. Bank 2021 Q2 Freight Payment Index with Bobby Holland of U.S. Bank & John Janson with Sanmar. On This Week in Business History, Kelly Barner shares the best and most interesting bits of historical business trivia, all occurring during the first week in August. We also released an episode of Supply Chain Now en Español with Enrique Alvarez and Demo Perez featuring Felisa Preciado. On Tuesday we released another Logistics With Purpose episode! Hosts Enrique Alvarez and Kristi Porter welcomed Alice Brown with GoodSteps to the show. Another show that was in the mix this week was TECHquila Sunrise with Greg White. This is the 2nd part of a great conversation with RateLinx CEO Shannon Vaillancourt, where they discussed 3 Keys to turn supply chain visibility into action. On Wednesday, Tim Nelson with Hope for Justice joined Scott Luton and Greg White. They discussed their noble efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking in the supply chain throughout the world. On Thursday, we released…

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…