There was a time when moving and storing everything from raw materials to finished goods was simpler. Business owners face much more significant resource management challenges today. Why? In short, supply chain issues have complicated the processes of bringing supplies in and shipping products out.
Some supply chain problems are beyond a company’s control. If there aren’t enough of a particular product component available, for example, then there simply aren’t enough of it available. No matter how urgently you need it, you won’t be able to obtain enough of the item to meet your needs until the supply—and the ability to transport that supply—increases.
That said, you can often take steps to “even out” the flow of materials and goods. And many of those actions involve the use of rented or leased semi trailers.
Supply Chain Management and Semi Trailers
If you’re a business owner or decision-maker, you understand that supply chain management is very complicated. Many individuals, companies, intermediaries, government entities and other stakeholders are involved. Then, of course, there is a complex sequence of transportation segments and connections that must be completed correctly.
When you consider all the moving parts, it’s nothing short of miraculous that assets get to their destinations on time as often as they do! It’s only through the hard work of skilled and dedicated transportation professionals that the wheels of commerce keep turning.
Fortunately, businesses can provide a logistical “assist” through the effective use of rented and leased semi trailers. And that assistance is more critical now than ever before.
Semi Trailers for OTR, Cartage and Storage
In a perfect world, every company with transportation needs would have its own fleet of semi trailers. And they would have more trailers than they could ever need. However, maintaining a fleet is costly. And the cost increases, at least from a utilization standpoint, when supply chain hiccups cause semi trailers to sit idle.
Complicating a company’s logistical challenges is the fact that businesses tend to have different needs. They may require:
- Semi trailers for over-the-road (OTR) transportation
- Semi trailers for local cartage transportation
- Semi trailers for onsite storage
And with supply chains currently operating in spurts, those needs are likely to vary significantly and often suddenly. For instance, a provider notifies a company’s procurement manager that much-needed parts are now available, but that the company must retrieve them promptly, or the provider will sell them to another business.
Or, having retrieved the parts and built a large quantity of finished products, the company’s shipping department may learn that supply chain problems mean there’s no way to move them. As a result, the business will have to store the units until the need increases.
How can a business handle issues like these efficiently and cost-effectively? Increasingly, companies are utilizing rented and leased semi trailers.
Rented or Leased Semi Trailers: Available When and Where You Need Them
For transportation needs that are relatively consistent but still subject to change, leasing semi trailers is an effective strategy. This gives a company the capacity it needs without the significant investment required to purchase trailers. Plus, a semi trailer leasing company like Boxwheel handles the maintenance and upkeep of its equipment, taking care of that critical aspect so company employees can focus on other tasks.
When short-term transportation needs arise, renting semi trailers is an easy way to address those requirements. Boxwheel makes it particularly stress-free with a simple, three-step trailer rental process. All it takes is a quick phone call, a one-page rental agreement, and a trip to the lot, where a well-maintained, thoroughly inspected semi trailer is ready for pickup.
Finally, perhaps the most overlooked benefit of rented or leased semi trailers is their ability to serve as flexible onsite storage. When your company has more finished product than the outbound supply chain or your in-house storage capacity can handle, you can park trailers at your site or a nearby location, fill them up, and pull products from them as needed. And when economic conditions and your storage needs decrease, you can choose not to renew your rental or lease agreement. Then, you return the storage trailers until conditions change again.
Establishing a Relationship With a Semi Trailer Provider
Ultimately, your ability to respond to supply chain challenges is about more than the availability of rented or leased semi trailers. The key is to establish a collaborative relationship with Boxwheel. Our team gets to know your company, including how materials and products flow to and from your business.
That way, we have an in-depth understanding of your transportation needs and how best to meet them—both in terms of the equipment and whether renting or leasing trailers makes the most financial sense. Plus, over time, we learn about the ebb and flow of your business due to things like seasonal fluctuations and can help you not just respond to changing semi trailer needs but anticipate them.
Nobody knows your company like you do, of course. But our team can provide insights and serve as a “sounding board” to help you make the best decisions for your business.
Connect With Our Semi Trailer Experts Today
Maybe your company isn’t currently experiencing any supply chain pressures. Or perhaps those kinds of issues are keeping you scrambling all day and awake at night. Either way, calling or visiting our locations around the Southwest U.S.—including in the Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Reno and El Paso areas—can be beneficial.
Our leadership and team members have decades of experience helping companies of all kinds get the dry van, flatbed, reefer and other semi trailers they need, including equipment from industry leaders like Great Dane, Wabash and Utility.
It only takes a few minutes to contact Boxwheel Trailer Leasing and learn more about us, our extensive inventory and our exceptional service. Regardless of the supply chain problems ahead, we’re the trusted semi trailer provider you want behind you.