When people or businesses need to ship freight from one place to another, they may think that they must look for a company that specializes in shipping freight. While this may be one way to accomplish the goal of moving freight, it may not always be the best one. There are times when searching for freight forwarding firms may offer a better solution. Learning why this is the case requires learning what these firms are.
How they are Different
While there are many similarities between a freight company and a freight forwarder, they do share one common goal. They both are capable of getting a freight shipment from one place to another. The biggest difference between the two is the freight forwarding firms do not own the modes of shipment. They do not have a fleet of trucks, ships or planes that can get the freight from point A to point B.
What the freight forwarders can do is to make the arrangements needed to ship the freight. They contract with the businesses that have the trucks, ships or boats to move the freight. They earn money by charging a fee for making the arrangements to ship the freight.
What do they Do?
The freight forwarders are very good at making sure all the arrangements that are needed for shipping freight are taken care of. They make sure all the paperwork for the shipment is in order. This can be especially important when freight is moving internationally or when it is travelling through different states. When the paperwork is not in order, the shipments can get delayed.
The freight forwarders are also able to arrange for different types of shipping. If a shipment needs to travel part of the way on a boat and then part of the way on a truck, the freight forwarder makes the arrangements. If there is a need for storage of the shipment during the transition from one method of transportation to the next, that will also be arranged.
The biggest difference between the freight forwarders and a freight company is their ability to manage the entire shipment, from the time the order is picked up, until the time it is delivered. For many businesses, the management of the shipment that is provided is worth the extra cost. It is also possible that using a freight forwarder can save money as they will have a list of the shipping companies that will do the job the right way and at the lowest cost.