08 November 2021

Service Announcement | Australian Freight Volumes & Service Impact

Peak Season Transport Delivery Update

As we head into the pre-Christmas trading period, we are facing a unique combination of challenges that are having an impact on our traditional peak season freight planning and service processes.  As such, there is added pressure on our industry and our own Transport network to meet the service levels normally provided at this time of year.
 
Many of these challenges are well publicised, such as the cumulative effect of inbound shipping delays, port side industrial action and extreme hire pallet shortages putting pressure on stock availability and creating unpredictable surges in freight volume.  When these challenges are further exacerbated by a range of restrictive COVID workplace settings, supply chain efficiency is unavoidably impacted and unfortunately results in some domestic delivery delays.      
 
While our teams are working incredibly hard to maintain our normal service levels as we head towards Christmas, it is prudent to allow for additional days to transit times.  
 
We recommend early communication with your receivers.  Please liaise with your local Mainfreight branch who will be able to advise details of altered transit times as they may develop over the weeks ahead.

 

Specific Warehouse Supply Chain Pressure

Our Warehouses are also experiencing challenges.  Shipping and offshore manufacturing delays result in large numbers of containers arriving at irregular intervals with inbound inventories, creating pressure to discharge large batches of containers and fulfil back orders.   
We are seeing the reopening of retail and other businesses create further resupply challenges and urgency.  In addition to a number of team member COVID isolation events and vaccination mandates, the supply chain is finite in capacity (including resources), and we ask for an allowance of time as our teams manage this unique environment.

Please contact your Mainfreight warehousing sales executive to talk through any specific order despatch requirements that may be impacted by these delays.

  

In summary

We appreciate the pressure this may be placing on your normal business operations and we are working very hard to minimise any impact.  To assist, we ask that customers please:
 
Book early – When we receive consignment note uploads and freight early in the day, we can plan more effectively and improve segregation, linehaul capacity, etc.
 
Adjust transit expectations – Where possible, please communicate with your customers / receivers around when they need product. While our aim is to get consignments to receivers in line with expectations, there will be delayed shipments.  To avoid over-promising and under-delivering, it may be important that transit tolerances are extended for the reasons outlined earlier.
 
Urgent shipments – Please advise our customer services team of any urgent shipment details.  They can provide special service request options and tracking.
 
Home deliveries – Home deliveries slow down any network as seen with most courier and post operators. Simply providing us with a receiver’s mobile / SMS number allows improved communication to complete deliveries.
 
We appreciate the level of support and direction we are receiving from customers as all businesses navigate their way through these unusual supply chain circumstances.

We will continue to keep you advised if we experience any increased impact on our services and will provide more detail around Christmas delivery cut-off times. As always, if you need assistance or further details, please contact your local branch.