Global logistics involves managing the movement of goods, services, and information across countries. It includes planning and coordinating transportation, storage, and delivery to ensure products reach their destinations.
In this article, we will explain global logistics and supply chain management, as well as how switching to a global logistics model can benefit your business.
What is global logistics?
Global logistics is the process of managing the movement of goods and resources from where they are produced to where they are needed worldwide.
This involves coordinating transportation, storage, inventory, packaging, freight forwarding, customs compliance, order fulfilment and distribution. It also requires consideration of factors such as international trade laws, borders control, economic conditions, and geography in different countries to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Understanding how all these elements work together helps businesses improve shipping effectiveness, minimizing down time, reduce costs, and provide reliable delivery service to customers.
Bertling is a global logistics and shipping company known for managing complex project freight forwarding, GFF, and resupply transportation. We will introduce ourselves further down in the article, or you can learn more about the Bertling team by following the link below.
Read more about the Bertling group.
4 major functions of global logistics
Global logistics companies help facilitate international trade more easily by handling several important tasks:
- Transportation and distribution: Moving goods through various transport methods (air, sea, rail, road), ensuring timely and efficient delivery.
- Customs clearance: Managing paperwork and fees required for customs, simplifying the import and export process for businesses, and providing customs compliance consultancy services.
- Warehousing and storage: Providing secured storage solutions and inventory management services for goods and ensuring they are easily accessible when needed.
- Supply chain management: Overseeing the entire supply chain, from sourcing materials to delivering the final product to customers.
Read more about supply chain visibility.
What kinds of companies operate in the global logistics industry?
Companies in the global logistics industry typically specialize in managing and coordinating transportation, warehousing, and customs clearance for international trade. One such company is Bertling – a logistics and freight forwarding service provider offering a wide range of services.
At Bertling, we specialize in safe, efficient, and timely delivery of specialized cargo to challenging or remote locations – whether across difficult terrains or seas.
Through initiative, foresight, and expertise, we have built a strong global business with a diverse client base and geographical reach, supported by financial stability and well-managed risk exposure. We offer a unique range of synergistic services designed to complement the expertise of our clients.
Learn more about Bertling's project management.
What is supply chain management?
Supply chain management (SCM) is the process of managing everything involved in creating and delivering a product, from gathering raw materials to getting the finished item to the customer. This basically means the strategic coordination of activities such as procurement, production, inventory management, logistics, and distribution.
Imagine it as a vast network of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and customers. Effective SCM ensures that all parts of this network work together smoothly. It makes sure that the right materials are collected, products are made, stored, transported, and delivered to customers on time and without problems. The goal is to make the whole process as efficient and cost-effective as possible.
Global logistics plays a key role in SCM by managing the transportation, storage, and movement of goods across different countries and regions, ensuring that everything reaches its destination on time and in the right condition.
Read more about how you can optimize your supply chain with air freight.
What is the difference between global and international logistics management?
The main difference between global and international logistics is their scope.
- Global logistics management involves managing the movement and storage of goods across the world. It includes handling transportation, supply chains, customs, and trade regulations in multiple countries and regions.
- International logistics management focuses specifically on moving goods between countries. It deals with transportation, customs, and import/export regulations, but is narrower in scope than global logistics.
In short, global logistics covers everything worldwide, while international logistics is more about moving goods between countries.
Read more about international shipping.
Why is global logistics important?
As the world becomes more interconnected, understanding logistics is crucial for staying competitive. With the right strategies, businesses can expand internationally without excessive costs or complications.
Global logistics involves more complexities than local logistics, as it requires managing a larger network of suppliers, customs fees, varying regulations, and customer expectations in different countries. To handle these challenges, businesses need advanced systems and intelligent solutions to ensure products are delivered safely and on time.
At Bertling, we use our transport management systems, BLU and BLU4U, cloud-based solutions that streamline logistics operations. These systems provide real-time visibility, track shipments, optimize routes, and manage costs more effectively. Using the right technology and expert advice—such as our BLU solutions—simplifies global logistics, saves money, enhances business operations, and allows ease of access to crucial data for effective analytics of SCM performance.
Also read: 5 reasons why your business should invest in TMS.
3 benefits of global logistics
- Broader market reach: Expanding globally allows you to reach more customers, creating additional opportunities for revenue and growth.
- Improved supply chain efficiency: Global logistics enhances supply chain efficiency and cost-effectiveness by diversifying supplier networks and promotes business continuity.
- Competitive edge: Operating and delivering goods or services on a global scale gives businesses an advantage over competitors that only serve local or regional markets.
At Bertling, delivering exceptional service is central to our business philosophy and sets us apart from other providers. Whether in shipping or project logistics, we focus on performance and best practices. By staying informed, flexible, and responsive to client needs and market trends, we ensure that we are always prepared to adapt and evolve.
For more insights, check out our case studies or contact us – We are happy to answer!
