August 30, 2022

Chicago Logistics - Podcast Overview

Ryan Andjulis is the District Director at Crane Worldwide leading the operations of the logistics hub in Chicago (ORD).

In Chicago, Crane Worldwide is located next to Chicago O'Hare international airport operating a 185,000 sq.ft warehouse that is located within 2 miles of all major expressway interchanges and less than 40 miles to all major rail yards. The warehouse facility is a customs bonded container freight station with certified cargo screening availabile.

Ryan took part in our latest series of our podcast series 'Coffee with Crane', below you can read an extract of the conversation and learn more about our capabilities in Chicago.

You can also listen in to the full podcast via Spotify, Google Podcast, or Apple Podcast, or watch the full video below.

Can you give us an overview of Logistics in Chicago?

Chicago has always been a major gateway in the United States for logistics operations due to its location and accessibility to locations throughout the country as well as to the major highways.

Chicago has a tremendous amount of freight volume from both imports and exports as well as domestic due to the infrastructure in place to access the U.S. market. It's a dynamic environment to work in and a great city to enjoy. 

What have been the recent logistics challenges in the industry?

In Chicago, rail capacity, equipment issues, driver shortages, and chassis availability have all proven to be challenging for the logistics industry. There have been a lot of obstacles in the area in recent years but importantly it is how you overcome those challenges that has proved successful for our team in Chicago. 

Communication has been key through the COVID years and bringing news to a client as quickly as possible has been a key focus to ensure our business partners are kept up to date with the latest information relating to their logistics operations. Each situation is unique for a client, therefore it is really important to present solutions and options to enable quick decision-making when there is turbulence in the market. 

There is no 'one size fits all', therefore we take pride in working in partnership with our clients to establish the best outcomes as challenges have arisen. 

Bringing the news to a client and finding unique solutions to overcome given their business need, providing options. Each situation is unique. Providing options. There is no one size fits all, we need to be as flexible as possible and set expectations that are available. 

For example, with inflation rising, there have been labour strikes. So far in the Chicago area, there is no news to report, however, it is important to keep up to date and provide our clients with the latest information. Any disruption in a major gateway such as Chicago can have a ripple effect across multimodal services. 

Crane Worldwide is growing in Chicago, why is that? 

During the pandemic, quick action was needed for a variety of different clients. Having an international presence, we were able to operate charter operations from Shanghai into Chicago to provide additional capacity when it was needed most. 

The mentality of the people at Crane Worldwide is to find solutions, to always look for a way to say 'Yes' and we are constantly looking for new business partners. In Chicago, we recently opened a bonded CFS facility that allows us to accept non-cleared cargo as well as establishing a screening capability that reduces touchpoints of our client's cargo and allows for better lead times to final destination. 

Our contract logistics capabilities continue to grow with our strategically located warehouse next to the airport and the logistics experts that we have in Chicago have done an excellent job in a very challenging market. Again, it is the mindset of our people that makes a difference. 

How do you differentiate Crane Worldwide Logistics from other companies? 

It is the flexibility of our solutions that provides a great advantage to our clients. Having a flat structure with leadership that is involved in our day-to-day activities allows us to make very quick decisions to provide solutions for our clients.

Trust and communication are key elements to 'getting the job done' and we establish great partnerships with our clients to present scenarios for supply chain improvements. 

Listen in to the full logistics podcast here: 

Don't forget you can tune in to every episode of 'Coffee with Crane' on your regular podcast player: Spotify, Google Podcast, or Apple Podcast