In logistics, “milk runs” are planned, recurring delivery routes where a supplier picks up or delivers materials across multiple locations on a consistent schedule. The name hearkens back to the days when actual milkmen delivered fresh milk directly to homes. Keep critical materials flowing to field crews and service centers In infrastructure-dependent industries, late deliveries cause work stoppages and project …
Flexible Polymer Bagging and Re-Pack Solutions
January 15, 2026Looking to optimize your polymer distribution or manufacturing operations? Work with a 3PL expert to provide custom re-pack and bagging services to help you meet different customer requirements and handling needs. Whether you or your customers require resin to be bagged directly into 25 kg volumes; bulk shipments to be broken into smaller quantities; smaller bags to be …
The Importance of Pellet Control
January 14, 2026Having been a logistics partner to the plastics industry for over four decades, we understand the importance of pellet (nurdle) control, which is preventing plastic resin loss throughout the supply chain. That’s why we are a member of Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS), a global plastics industry-led initiative founded in 1991. OCS encourages best practices in plastic resin handling, …
The Post-Holiday Pivot:
Managing Returns and Replenishment January 5, 2026January isn’t downtime for retailers—it’s reset time following the surge of the holiday peak. Along with fulfilling ongoing orders, they must balance processing a high volume of returns with positioning inventory for the spring and summer seasons. Reverse logistics is employed to determine what returned items are re-stocked, refurbished, offloaded for resale by secondary …
Understanding Responsible Chemical Warehousing
Chemical warehousing requires trained personnel, clear information, appropriate storage practices, and consistent execution from the moment product enters the facility until it is shipped back out. Responsible handling starts before the product arrives. Workers handling chemical products need to be trained to understand any hazards associated with the materials in their work areas; know where to find relevant safety information; …
Overflow Warehousing Helps Manufacturers Manage Production Spikes
One of the greatest benefits of overflow warehousing is that it helps manufacturers keep their own facilities focused on production. Overflow storage gives manufacturers a way to manage temporary or recurring capacity pressure without slowing production, overcrowding their facility, or committing to additional long-term space. Production Spikes Can Create Space Problems Quickly Manufacturing environments are designed for production. However, when …
Cross-Docking Can Be a Retailer’s Best Friend
October 23, 2025Cross-docking can be a retailer’s best friend during seasonal peaks. This is because it speeds up the distribution process. Cross-docking refers to the transfer of product from inbound to outbound transportation in a relatively short timeframe without having to warehouse it. Usually, trucks carry the inbound and outbound shipments, but sometimes transfer occurs with other modes of transportation, …
CPG Kitting and Fulfillment
Business challenge: A manufacturer of a fabric dumpster bag needed a partner who could receive its product in bulk via floor loaded ocean containers from overseas, create kits, and distribute them to big box home improvement stores. ASW’s solution: ASW receives and inventories product in bulk, kits orders, and creates store displays. Kits and store displays are shipped to big …
ASW Polymer Services Packaging Types
What kinds of containers are used to package plastic resin? ASW’s Polymer Services can package or re-pack plastic resin into various types of containers depending on our clients’ requirements. Containers vary by size and material type. Larger containers can hold bulk quantities weighing several hundred to several thousand pounds. Smaller containers typically hold product weighing between 50 to 900 pounds. …
ASW Polymer Services Overview
Handling plastic resin has long been in our blood. This is easy to understand, as our headquarters sits in the center of the U.S. polymer industry and polymer research. The Greater Akron region’s early history in the rubber industry expanded to other polymers, including plastic. In the early 1980’s we created the Gilchrist Polymer Center, which is where our headquarters …