Insights

So, what is it really like today? To illustrate the challenges and reality of today’s TPEB market, we follow the journey an actual container shipment of bicycles from Ningbo to final delivery in Kansas City and track the shipment from the supplier’s ready date in Ningbo through to the final delivery to the customer in Kansas City.

As ocean carriers limit intermodal destinations due to the severe congestion issues at the ports, major hubs such as Chicago, Memphis, Dallas, and Kansas City inadvertently saw a huge spike in volume. Fast forward to September 1st and we now have thousands of containers stacked in multiple lots waiting to be made available for delivery in Chicago. A severe chassis shortage coupled with warehouse and trucking labor issues created the ingredients for a “perfect storm” earlier this summer.

In a city that is known worldwide for its BBQ, using the right combination of seasonings, rubs and sauces can be the difference between great BBQ and BBQ that is, well, just ok…Pit masters work for years perfecting their craft, honing their skills, and developing their own secret sauces. Just like these BBQ legends, Laufer has been perfecting their KC Export Secret Sauce for years. While it’s always been a local favorite, during these challenging times for exporters, Laufer’s export program is in high demand