Posted in Warehousing

Summer is almost here, and that means homeowners wanting to build a new deck in their backyards. Hardware stores that offer delivery services face many unique challenges when it comes to transporting wood and lumber to their customers.

While offering this service can be a great way to boost sales and increase customer satisfaction, it requires careful planning and execution to ensure that the delivery process runs smoothly. In this blog, we will explore some of the challenges that hardware stores may encounter and offer solutions to overcome them.

Wooden Deck Market Size

The wooden deck industry in Canada is estimated at around $250-$300M for 2022, and is forecasted to grow at 2.8% through 2020-2027, according to the firm Market Research Future.

Challenge #1: Damage

One of the biggest challenges when delivering wood and lumber is ensuring that the products are not damaged during transportation. Lumber and wood are heavy and bulky items that require careful handling to prevent breakage or splitting. Even minor damage to the wood can compromise its structural integrity, either rendering it unsuitable for use in construction or unappealing to look at for the customer.

To mitigate this risk, hardware stores must ensure that the wood is properly secured and protected during transportation. This may involve using specialized equipment, such as straps or clamps, to keep the wood in place and prevent it from shifting during transit.

Hint: using a reliable transportation company like High Energy Transport Inc. is a great way to minimize damage risks.

Challenge #2:  Narrow Streets

The streets in many cities are narrow with a constant rush of traffic; there may be cars parked on both sides of the street, or you may need to deliver through tight alleyways where typical delivery trucks don’t quite fit.

If the trucks can’t fit, you can’t deliver, you have to find alternate methods of delivery, and the customer is now very upset. Do you invest in a fleet of smaller vehicles? Or do you try and rely on local couriers that have no real experience with wood or lumber?

Hint: High Energy Transport Inc. has a fleet of delivery trucks of different sizes to best accommodate your shipments, and has the expertise with large and heavy items like lumber and wood.

Challenge #3: Weather

Weather conditions can pose a significant challenge when delivering wood and lumber. Rain, snow, hail and extreme temperatures can all damage wood and compromise its quality or appearance. Bad weather also makes it difficult for delivery trucks to travel safely, further delaying the delivery process and upsetting customers.

Hint: The drivers at High Energy Transport Inc. all have many years of experience driving and delivering in all sorts of weather conditions, and can safely delivery your orders to your customers for you.

Challenge #4: Multiple Trips

As a hardware store, if you choose to deliver your customers’ wood and lumber orders yourself, you have to make multiple trips between your store and your clients to fill all of their orders. That’s a lot of trips back and forth; it takes more time and effort, decreases customer satisfaction and increases your overall delivery costs.

Hint: High Energy Transport Inc. has a centrally-located warehouse in the GTA and can not only pickup many orders at once, but we can actually manage your inventory for you and deliver the orders to your customers on your behalf. Save time, effort and costs while increasing customer satisfaction: it’s a win-win for your business!

Delivering wood and lumber can be challenging

But choosing a reliable partner that can not only move your products but actually manage your supply chain for you, shouldn’t be: High Energy Transport Inc. can help your business save time and money, and improve your operational efficiency as well.

We have a ton of experience handling non-conveyables such as gym equipment, bikes, outdoor furniture, mattresses, sheds and large screen TVs and delivering them to customers all over Toronto and many parts of Ontario.

We treat and value every single customer as if they were our very first client.

We are here and willing to help you and your business in any way we can; please rest assured that your shipments are in good hands with us. Please contact us for a quote.

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How a reliable transportation partner can help mitigate the delivery issues

In recent years, bicycles have become an increasingly popular form of transportation and outdoor leisure activity – especially during the pandemic – and as a result, the demand for bicycles has grown significantly, and demand for e-bikes has never been stronger.

The overall bicycle market in Canada is expected to grow from US$1.2B in 2022 to US$1.4B in 2025, according to Statista, and the North American e-bike market is poised for a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.5% between 2021 and 2026, according to ReportLinker.

Bicycle manufacturers, parts suppliers and retailers face significant challenges in delivering bicycles both to stores and directly to consumers due to on-going supply chain difficulties.

Bicycles and e-bikes are bulky and fragile

Even though bicycles are shipped to stores disassembled and in boxes, they are bulky items that cannot easily be handled by typical conveyor systems, and need special handling during transportation, which not every transportation company can do effectively.

Here are some ways a reliable transportation partner can help:

1. Streamline logistics: A transportation partner can help streamline the logistics of shipping and delivery, from warehousing and coordinating multiple deliveries to stores to ensuring that bicycles are properly handled during transportation. This can save time and reduce costs for both manufacturers and retailers.
2. Provide proper handling: Bicycles are non-conveyables that require specialized handling to ensure that they are not damaged during transportation. A transportation partner with experience in handling non-conveyables can provide the necessary expertise and equipment to transport them safely and securely.
3. Provide real-time tracking: Providing real-time tracking of deliveries allows manufacturers and retailers to monitor the progress of shipments and provide updates to customers. This can improve delivery transparency and customer satisfaction, as customers will know when to expect their bicycles.

High Energy Transport is Your Reliable Supply Chain Partner

If you’re a bicycle manufacturer or a retailer, and if you need a reliable partner that can not only move your products but actually manage your supply chain for you, then High Energy Transport Inc. is your ideal partner.

We not only have experience with handling non-conveyables - we have safely delivered approximately 50,000 large screen TVs over the past 5 years, claim free - we can also handle large shipments as they come in by boat from the Port of Montreal and get your products to your retailers quickly and efficiently throughout Ontario and the rest of Canada with our reliable transportation services, and we can even deliver the final assembled products directly to your customers as well.

We treat and value every single customer as if they were our very first client.

We are here and willing to help you and your business in any way we can; please rest assured that your shipments are in good hands with us. Please contact us for a quote.

Contact Us for a Quote

Running a business can be a complex and time-consuming task. Managing the various aspects of the supply chain can be one of the most challenging parts, and one that can impact your bottom line significantly. But with the help of full supply chain fulfillment services, you can streamline your operations and focus on growing your business.

There can be many benefits to using a trusted business partner to manage your supply chain:

• outsource many of the time-consuming and complex tasks
•  reduce operating costs and improve business efficiency
• improve delivery reliability
• accelerate delivery timeframes
• improve overall customer experience
• increase customer satisfaction

High Energy Transport Now Offers Full Supply Chain Fulfillment Services

With the opening of our new Cornwall container facility last month, High Energy Transport can now manage your entire supply chain from soup to nuts:

• Pick up your overseas shipments from the Port of Montreal
• Destuff your containers in our Cornwall facility
• Cross-dock your products slated for other destinations such as the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
• Warehousing for items that need to be store locally
• Shipping products to your warehouse, plant, office or industrial location with Middle Mile delivery services
• Shipping by rail or by truck as required
• Shipping directly to the customer with Final Mile delivery services

All these services are provided with full visibility and traceability, so you always know where your products are and when they can be expected at their destination.

Shipping Across Canada

Not only can we efficiently serve clients in the all-important Toronto to Montreal corridor, but with our Bolton (Toronto) and Cornwall facilities we can easily serve Southern and Eastern Ontario directly – think Windsor, London, Hamilton, Kingston, Ottawa.

We can also target major Western hubs like Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, effectively servicing most major Canadian cities across the country.

High Energy Transport is Your Reliable Supply Chain Partner

If you’re a manufacturer, a retailer, an OEM manufacturer or a small or medium-sized business, and if you need a reliable partner that can not only move your products but actually manage your supply chain for you, then High Energy Transport Inc. is your ideal partner.

We treat and value every single customer as if they were our very first client.

We are here and willing to help you and your business in any way we can; please rest assured that your shipments are in good hands with us. Please contact us for a quote.

Contact Us for a Quote

Although winter has just started in Canada, smart outdoor furniture companies are already planning their summer season in terms of getting their goods to their customers.

The staycation trend of the past few years is expected to continue in 2023, and consumer spending on backyard improvements and outdoor décor have increased substantially:

• The overall outdoor furniture market is projected to grow by approximately 6% compounded annually from 2021 to 2027 (Global Market Insights)
• Online sales of home furnishings in Canada have jumped 190% in the first quarter of 2020 (Statista)
• The worldwide BBQ market is estimated at US$5.1B (Statista)
• Deck construction is up 275% and hiring landscapers is up 238% (WFSU)

On-Going Supply Chain Issues

There is a continued high consumer demand for outdoor goods such as furniture (tables, dining sets, sofas, chairs, sectionals), BBQ grills, fire tables, heat lamps, etc., as well as deck building materials such as lumber, wood, composites, railings and decorative hardware.

The global supply chain issues we’ve been experiencing for the past few years are still with us and will impact getting these products delivered to consumers, especially when being shipped in from overseas. The overall transportation sector has been hit hard with staff shortages and rising fuel prices, so shipping costs have gone up as well.

Final Mile Delivery Challenge: Finding a Reliable Transportation Partner

Whether you’re an outdoor furniture OEM, an online seller, a home décor retailer or even a home improvement or hardware chain, getting your goods delivered to your customers quickly and cost-effectively remains a huge challenge to your business, and one that significantly affects overall customer experience.

You need a transportation partner that can:

• Pick up your shipment at the Port of Montreal
• Handle your rail shipments
• Destuff your containers
• Warehouse your shipments when required
• Cross-docking your shipments to save time and costs
• Transport your products to markets across Canada (e.g. Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver, etc.)
• Deliver directly to your customers’ homes or business locations

High Energy Transport is Your Reliable Transportation Partner

With our newly opened Cornwall facility serving the Port of Montreal in conjunction with our centrally-located warehouse in Toronto, High Energy Transport can easily accommodate your inventory as it transits to your customers with our Final Mile Delivery services.

Our staff has the expertise and the experience to handle your heavyweight and bulky non-conveyables and have done so reliably for many of our clients over the years.

We treat and value every single customer as if they were our very first client.

We are here and willing to help you and your business in any way we can; please rest assured that your shipments are in good hands with us. Please contact us for a quote.

Contact Us for a Quote

Exciting news: High Energy Transport is launching its new container business and opening a new facility in Cornwall, ON.

Our new state-of-the-art container facility and warehouse in Cornwall will be able to handle 20 and 40 ft containers that can be picked up from or shipped to the Port of Montreal.

The Cornwall container facility is slated to be fully operational in December 2022 or early January 2023, and we’ll be offering destuffing, warehousing, cross-docking and shipping services to our clients in the Cornwall facility.

With close coordination and daily hauls between our Bolton Head Office and our new Cornwall warehouse, we can effectively and quickly serve our customers between the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Montreal.

Port of Montreal – Did you know?

As the second largest port in Canada, the Port of Montreal is on the shortest shipping route between the US Midwest and The Great Lakes in North America on the one side, and Europe, North Africa and the Mediterranean on the other side.

According to Port of Montreal statistics, more than 34 million tons of goods were handled in 2021 from over 2000 ships. Up to 2500 trucks per day and 60 to 80 trains per week carry these goods to and from the port.

The Port of Montreal is seen as one of the most innovative ports in the world, and has won numerous international awards for its operations, the quality of its infrastructures and its sustainable development initiatives.

Your ideal transportation partner: High Energy Transport Inc.

Whether you’re a manufacturer, a retailer or an OEM manufacturer, if you need to move your products and shipments quickly between Toronto and Montreal, High Energy Transport Inc. is your ideal partner.

Why? Our experienced staff can handle high volumes and large shipments – and we specialize in large and bulky your non-conveyables that others just can’t handle effectively.

With our centrally-located warehouses in the Toronto area and Cornwall and our Final Mile Delivery services, we get you closer to your clients faster.

We treat and value every single customer as if they were our very first client.

We are here and willing to help you and your business in any way we can; please rest assured that your shipments are in good hands with us. Please contact us for a quote.

Contact Us for a Quote