Fastenal Freight Services, 3PL-Third Party Logistics

In addition to their fastener business, Fastenal also has a shipping service. It is called 3PL. They can ship very heavy and bulky items like axles and engines.

We have a couple of trials going on with this service. Greg Long is shipping some axles and engine stuff from California to Michigan and Bob Jacobsen is sending me an axle. We think my axle is about 150# but I told them it was 250# and Greg is shipping about 800# if I remember.

The cost seems very reasonable, $150 from California to Atlanta for the axle. A quick SWAG puts it at about $0.50/# give or take, to ship across country. Weight doesn’t seem to be as much of a driver as does size. I was told so long as it was within 100# it didn’t matter.

Basic rules we have to date:

1. It must be shipped from a Fastenal location that has a forklift and a loading dock to a similar Fastenal location. Mine is about 10 miles from my house.

2. Item must be strapped to a pallet.

3. All shipments must be packed ready to ship when dropped off

4. All shipments must be drained of fluids

5. There should be ABSOLUTELY no overhang on each pallet

6. If shipment is cosmetic, it must be completely enclosed in crate

7. Quotes are good for 30 days

To make a shipment, you contact Fastenal (see website) and fill out the form. They will send a quote which you sign and fax back, at least that is how I did it, but I didn’t use the website. Payment is due at the receiving end. They take cash and cards. There is NO time frame, NO promise dates. It gets there when it gets there. They will call you when it arrives.

My stuff is shipping hopefully this week and I will advise what the outcome of the process is.

Thanks to Greg and Bob for their great assistance.

Bill

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