The increased speed of trade and commerce over the years has led to an immense increase in the shipment of goods across the nation and the world shipment of medical products.
From food to clothes, drugs, and many other products, the mode of transport for goods varies widely, with most shipments carried by trucks or other large vehicles.
However, as supply chains grow longer and more complex, new transport modalities are emerging. What are these changes, and how are they redefining transportation of crucial products?
This blog post will focus on one particular mode of freight transport: shipping and transporting medical samples by air. How is this practice-changing and shaping the future?
Table of Contents
Major Trends to Watch Out For
Here are the top seven trends that will be impacting medical samples shipment in Chicago:
1. Collaboration is Key
Collaboration between manufacturers, transportation providers, and shipping companies is becoming more crucial now than ever before. A good example is shipping new york companies collaborating with Chicago counterparts to deliver exemplary services.
To better serve the market, many of these stakeholders must work together by communicating their expectations.
For example, medical device manufacturers may need shorter transit times from China or even colder temperature requirements from their end customers.
2. The Preference for Smaller Lots
Another trend likely to shape Freight Shipping in Chicago is focused towards smaller lot shipments.
Medical device manufacturers often split larger batches into smaller lots before shipping, with these small lots being more suitable for air freight. This is because the processing and handling time is smaller per shipment and lower paperwork requirements per shipment.
3. New Demand Source: Smaller Medical Device Manufacturers
Smaller medical manufacturers with fewer assets often find it difficult to bear the cost of over-the-road trucking, leading to these manufacturers resorting to medical samples shipment by air.
However, this is not always the case as it depends on the manufacturer’s location in relation to their end customer. Medical device manufacturers are also reaping benefits from other means of transportation such as medical samples delivery by trucks or smaller vessels.
For example, medical device manufacturers may need shorter transit times from China or even colder temperature requirements from their end customers.
4. Inbound Shipment of Medical Samples: The New Lifeblood for Air Freight Services
Many end-customers are beginning to source their medical devices or products from Asia and the far East, and as such, air freight services involved in this sector can expect a surge in demand.
The air transportation services will need to get restructured and redesigned to accommodate all of these medical samples.
5. Outbound Shipment of Medical Samples: A New, Growing Market for Air Freight Services
The lifeblood of many air freight services is often inbound shipment of medical products, with the outbound shipment being a new, growing market. Manufacturers are looking more at Asian countries to source their goods and, as such, expect their medical samples shipments to head in that direction.
6. The Preference of Speed Over Cost
This is one trend that remains consistent even to this day, with cost being a determinant factor only at the lower end of the spectrum for product shipments. It is common knowledge that air freight services are more expensive than other transportation modes.
However, the increase in demand for a quicker tempo of delivery ensures that air freight becomes one of the more preferred methods of shipment embraced globally, regardless of the cost to quality ratio.
7. Cross-Docking: A New Solution to Old Challenges
The U.S. is a hub for many freight forwarders; however, not all manufacturers operate from there, especially those based in Asia.
As such, cross-docking is becoming common. That’s because freight forwarders will often receive goods on behalf of their clients or customers before sending them out again on the same vessel.
Cross-docking can be advantageous as it allows these manufacturers to receive and send out shipments on the same vessel at the lowest cost.
As you can tell, much goes into shipping and transporting medical samples by air, making it one of the most dynamic forms of transportation today. Trend-watching remains a necessity for people looking to explore this industry.