Most people show up to an office, restaurant, resort, hospital, retail store, hotel, or even a casino with little understanding of how the space was planned, organized, and created. The reality is that many hours went into the design, procurement, purchasing, transportation, storage, and installation of all the products and items contained in each of these spaces. For those responsible for outfitting these spaces, the tasks involved can be overwhelming and expensive if they aren’t handled correctly. That’s where an experienced FF&E logistics and supply chain partner can help.
FF&E stands for Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment, and it comprises everything that is not connected structurally to a building. FF&E refers to items such as chairs, tables, desks, cabinets, beds, decorative lighting, artwork, shelving, technology equipment, data servers, and more that designers choose to place throughout a building to achieve various purposes such as design or functionality.
The Difference Between FF&E and OS&E
(Download our FF&E Flyer)
Another phrase synonymously used when discussing FF&E logistics is OS&E. Operating Supplies and Equipment is primarily used within the hospitality industry. FF&E usually refers to items that must be unpacked, assembled, and placed, such as technology or lab equipment, stools, couches, conference tables, beds, dressers, and lamps. In contrast, OS&E are those items that are essential to make the space functional such as towels, glassware, linens, trash bins and liners, coffee makers, and pillows.
There’s a common vision that’s often used to describe FF&E and OS&E. Imagine that you were able to pick a building up, flip it upside down, and shake it. Everything falling out would be identified as FF&E or OS&E.
Why Choose Logistics Plus for FF&E Logistics?
The Logistics Plus FF&E and Project Installations teams have years of experience minimizing customer complexities and creating successful projects. Logistics Plus not only understands FF&E and OS&E, but we have also perfected the process. From purchase order (PO) to install, we do it all! Our teams listen, then design customizable and comprehensive supply chain solutions for our clients. With over 25 years of growth and experience, we have proven that we are dedicated to our customers and know how to get things done right. We have processed, transported, stored, and installed millions of pieces of furniture, fixtures, technology equipment, accessories, and operating supplies globally. Additionally, our FF&Eplus™ management system makes it easy for logistics and supply chain managers to gain control over their projects.
The entire process of managing FF&E projects can be a daunting task, but that is where the Logistics Plus FF&E experts shine. Regardless of what stage our clients are in with their projects, we have fine-tuned the how, when, what, and where to accomplish every step necessary to deliver results.
If you are curious about FF&E and OS&E or would like to learn more about how we can help with a current or upcoming project, click the button below. We have key services to help every business streamline and scale in nearly every country around the world.
There’s an article we saw posted last week on the Global Trade magazine website entitled “What Makes a Good Logistics Provider?” written by Chris Hale, the Founder & CEO of Kountable, Inc. Mr. Hale’s company operates a platform that vets trade service providers, constructs deals and manages trade execution for a large volume of trades into challenging markets. As result, his firm has learned by necessity to identify the hallmarks of high-quality logistics providers and to note the red flags that signal ineffective ones. These are the qualities they look for in logistics partners they recommend to their clients, along with some comments about how Logistics Plus is an example of a logistics partner who has those same traits.
Experienced – A wave of brand-new companies have sprung up looking to fill the demand created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Always work with logistics companies that have been in operation for a number of years. Not only does this show that the company has a history of success, but experienced logistics providers will have a better understanding of local regulations and possible sticking points.
Logistics Plus will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. We were “born from the ribs” of GE Transportation as a lead logistics company. We have enjoyed growth every year, and today we have over 500 employees and over $300 million in global sales.
Good Customer Service Team – A professional, knowledgeable and robust customer service team will not only facilitate clear communication but is a sign of a quality company. Clear and effective communication from logistics providers also saves traders time and energy building and executing trades.
Logistics Plus humbly prides itself on providing award-winning customer service. In recent years, our services have been recognized as best-in-class by distinguished industry resources, such as Global Trade, SupplyChainBrain, Multichannel Merchant, Transport Topics, and others. Although we have transformed into a technology company as much as we are a logistics provider, it is still the quality of our people and the support they provide that sets us apart.
Responsive – It is important that logistics providers respond to messages quickly and are proactive in providing updates. When goods arrive at the right place on time, this should be communicated quickly. When communication is slow and sporadic, it is often the case that the company is unorganized, or goods are not where they are supposed to be.
Logistics Plus maintains a very flat, nimble, and responsive organizational structure. This allows us to be very responsive to our customers’ needs. Every employee is provided a company-issued mobile phone and we make it known that our customers expect 24/7/365 service to ensure their goods are delivered on-time. Our technology supports responsive communications by providing proactive tracking reports, weather impact dashboards, and other business intelligence that allow our employees and customers to more effectively manage their supply chains.
Diligent – The logistics of international trade are complicated. Attention to detail is necessary as goods change hands and pass-through ports. A diligent company will have the correct documentation for the goods and communicate effectively with the necessary parties, avoiding tax penalties, delays, and confusion that cut into revenue.
Logistics Plus is a global company with employees and offices in over 30 countries around the world. As a prominent international freight forwarder, we manage hundreds of thousands of import and export shipments around the world. We know diligence is important, which is why we also have a full-service customs brokerage and global trade compliance team to help keep us and our customers on pace with the changing rules of global trade.
Registered with Appropriate Government Agencies – Logistics providers must be registered with the necessary agencies to do business in the jurisdictions in which they operate, such as the local revenue authorities. It is important to confirm that the company is registered to conduct business in the countries where the goods are to be picked up and delivered, and anywhere they may land in between.
Logistics Plus maintains transparent certifications and compliance with all domestic and international agencies. Additionally, we are participating in many governmental programs focused on security and sustainability, such as CTPAT and SmartWay.
Global Presence – A global presence is both useful and a sign of a reputable logistics provider. However, many logistics providers do not operate globally. Minimally, the company you choose should operate in the countries relevant to the transaction. Established companies with a large presence are often more experienced, and may be able to offer additional services, or deal with complications more quickly and easily than smaller operations.
Logistics Plus has a network of people and resources that touch over 30 countries worldwide, and we have additional contacts and connections in many other countries. Whether it is standard freight forwarding cargo or big heavy-lift project cargo, we have engineers and logicians around the world making it happen.
In addition to the comments noted above, check out the “What it means to be A 21st Century Logistics Company” article we posted last week which includes additional traits shippers should expect from contemporary logistics providers.
Check out the Global Trade magazine website at www.globaltrademag.com for other good articles on global trade and logistics. Global Trade has named Logistics Plus a Top 50 3PL the past two years and there is an active Logistics Plus Profile in the Global Trade “Find a Partner” online directory.
Yesterday we announced that Logistics Plus is being profiled in the Inbound Logistics2021 Logistics Planner. The profile and accompanying advertisement introduced our newest descriptor … A 21st Century Logistics Company ™. So what does it mean to be a 21st-century logistics company? First and foremost, it means that Logistics Plus is a reliable partner known for developing creative solutions to critical challenges. It also means that Logistics Plus, over the past 25 years, has developed key traits to address contemporary supply chain opportunities and problems. As it pertains to you and your business, that means:
We manage your logistics so you can focus on your core business.
We have been in business for nearly 25 years, and our teams have a wide variety of skills across many disciplines – we can do pretty much anything needed across your entire supply chain.
Our teams can integrate with your company in various ways, from full-time onsite resources to offsite logistics management of multiple locations.
We manage inbound and outbound domestic freight and international cargo.
Using technology, business intelligence, and global supply chain control towers, we can connect all the links in your supply chain, from vendors to end customers.
Our services are customized to your needs, so you always get exactly what you want and need.
We have offices in close to 30 countries throughout the world, and we have valued partners in dozens of others.
Our professionals keep up with the constantly changing logistical landscape – after all, this is still very much a people business.
We are big enough to be effective but small enough that your business will be important to us – we call this the ‘Goldilocks Zone.’
With a Passion For Excellence™, we are the company that is focused on solving problems and taking away your headaches!
If you haven’t already, we invite you to watch our introductory video below. As we explain in the video: Logistics is in our DNA … this is what we do. Let us do it for you too!
Logistics Plus has been profiled as a top third-party logistics (3PL) company by Inbound Logistics for its 2021 Logistics Planner. In its 29th year of publication, the recognized industry planner helps companies find the right technology solutions and transportation and logistics partners to drive supply chain efficiency. With both print and digital editions, the annual issue is updated with profiles of leaders in transportation, technology, logistics, and more who stand ready to help businesses face upcoming challenges to optimize their supply chains.
The Logistics Plus profile appears on page 350 of the publication, and an accompanying advertisement appears on page 195. The profile and advertisement formally introduce our new but appropriate descriptor, A 21st Century Logistics Company™, to recognize the unique and contemporary ways that Logistics Plus develops creative solutions for today’s most critical supply chain challenges.
Working as your 3PL, 3½PL, or 4PL partner, Logistics Plus is the company that handles supply chain challenges from start-to-finish by doing what other logistics companies can’t or won’t do. We’re small enough to be agile and responsive to your needs, yet large enough to have a network of solutions that span your entire supply chain.
You can view PDF versions of the Logistics Plus profile and advertisement by clicking the two images below.
As a 21st Century Logistics Company™, Logistics Plus has built a worldwide reputation over the past 25 years as a safe, reliable partner for heavy-lift, break bulk, and project cargo logistics. It’s just one of our many supply chain specialties. So, we are again showcasing our project cargo expertise in the January-February 2021 issue of Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International (HLPFI) magazine. HLPFI is firmly established as the leading media presence for professionals involved in the logistics of over-dimensional and heavy cargoes. Written by an international team of award-winning journalists, HLPFI delivers essential information about the movement of such cargoes across the whole range of transport modes.
In the latest issue, Logistics Plus Global Projects Director Bahadir Erdil comments on the challenges 2020 brought to the logistics community. The issue also includes an updated Logistics Plus advertisement featuring our new ‘A 21st Century Logistics Company‘ descriptor. You can view a low-res PDF of the article and advertisement below, or you can read the full digital issue online at https://content.yudu.com/web/42n2u/0A42uap/HLPFIJanFeb2021/html/index.html?page=1.
Your cargo matters. You need to deliver every item on time and below budget to keep your project moving. With 25 years of experience in turn-key logistics projects and successfully delivering heavy-lifts around the world, we are your most suitable partner. You enjoy peace-of-mind assurance knowing that the move of every piece of cargo – from trains to cranes and turbines to transformers – is carefully planned, delivered, and completed to your exact specifications with our trademark #PassionForExcellence. Whether it is by moving a million big and small pieces to a solar farm or four massive prismatic tanks to a shipyard, we put the ‘plus‘ in logistics each and every time.
Most people show up to an office, restaurant, resort, hospital, retail store, hotel, or even a casino with little understanding of how the space was planned, organized, and created. The reality is that many hours went into the design, procurement, purchasing, transportation, storage, and installation of all the products and items contained in each of these spaces. For those responsible for outfitting these spaces, the tasks involved can be overwhelming and expensive if they aren’t handled correctly. That’s where an experienced FF&E logistics and supply chain partner can help.
