Books for Africa organization is one of Vector’s recurrent non-profit partners as part of our commitment to support the local communities wherever we are present through our business activity.

The final destination in Swaziland, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, was located in a remote area.

Poor ground conditions due to the lack of road infrastructure and recent rainy weather required specific coordination and ground transportation expertise.

Working together with Books for Africa local representatives, our local team made the decision of using a crane truck to transport the container, rather than the usual container truck.

Adding additional stability on the ground, once at the final destination, the crane truck team managed to lift the container over a fence to place the cargo safely at the receiver’s property.

Up to date, Vector has proudly managed to deliver more than 50 million books to kids in Africa, aiming to support local education needs in the continent.

With a regular flow of paper bales being transported from three different origin locations in Texas (Houston, Dallas and San Antonio), to the city of Altamira in Mexico, our client asked Vector to look at potential ways to reduce costs while increasing logistics flexibility for future growth.

Enticed by the challenge, Vector’s team got together with the client to listen and understand all requirements and nuances involved in the project.

Our logistics digital-assessment team studied all variables and possible scenarios, including:

-Routes variabilities.

-Fuel and time consumption.

-Cargo’s tagging and labelling system requirements.

-Cargo’s upload and download process.

-Additional paperwork requirements.

By analyzing all data inputs, our team was finally able to make a 3-step plan recommendation to the client, achieving the cost reduction goal while setting up the business for the growth requirements they had in mind.

Three steps to reduce logistic costs while gaining flexibility for future growth.

The client asked us to move a World War II airplane from San Juan’s international airport to its final destination in a museum in Australia.

Moving the fuselage given its height and the very challenging route as there are no easy/short ways of shipping out of Puerto Rico to Australia.

The project was successfully completed as the wing middle section arrived in Sydney, and was forwarded to the museum near Newcastle.

To our client’s delight, they can begin the reassembly and refurbishing process. It may take several months in order to complete the process, but we are all very excited to see the completion of this project and the rebirth of a rich piece of history. Catalinas were made famous in World War II for defending Australia from Japanese invaders.

You can visit the Catalina Memorial at: https://rathmines-catalina.com/ for more information.

Our client needed Vector to pick up and deliver two components from a production line that would be used for an exhibit.

Under an extremely tight timeline, the cargo had to make it to the final destination within 24 hours from pick up time.

Following a listening session with the client to analyze all aspects of the request, our route’s digital-assessment team evaluated several options considering timing, logistics and cost.

Hand-carrier recommendation was approved by the client and sub-sequent logistics arrangements were deployed, involving:

– Packaging preparation.
– Pick up and drop off coordination.
– Back up plan readiness.
– Paperwork arrangements.

By working closely with our client, the Vector team delivered on time, within budget and defect-free.

While transporting 2 pallets of aluminium bars, under a tight timeline, from Toronto, Canada to Laredo, US, the truck suffered major mechanical issues, potentially impacting on delivery deadline for our client.

In a dedicated truck. Everything was set up and was running smoothly until the trucking company notified us that the truck broke down. It wasn’t until 9 pm that the truck was “fixed” and on its way. At 11 pm the manager finally got back to us and said that it was an LTL, not a dedicated truck. We arranged with him to make the LTL truck stop in St Louis, MO (halfway between Detroit and Laredo, TX).

After the truck’s mechanical issue was temporarily fixed, we asked the driver to stop over in St Louis, Missouri.

At the same time, Vector’s ground transportation team quickly made arrangements to have a backup truck ready to pick up the cargo in St Louise.

We managed to deliver the cargo to the final destination and within time expectations.

Our client needed Vector complex-regions expertise to help them move an Auger Sampler from Pikeville (US) to Kazakhstan.

One of the main roadblocks was that the route requested, ended in Russia, and then we needed to move the cargo from Russia to Kazakhstan. This was especially challenging due to the huge dimension and delicacy of the Auger Sampler.

Large cargo item involving US-Russia project logistics with complex clearance processes at destination.

Our team and local representatives seamlessly arranged all logistics and paperwork requirements, including back up plans, at both origin and destination.

Logistics involved a flat rack 40’ container, a double drop extended truck and tailor-made wrap from port to port.

The cargo arrived on time, safely and punch-free to Novorossiysk, Rusia. The clearance process was swiftly managed by our local representatives.

Vector provided the full project logistics scope of work for these operations, which demonstrated the breadth of Vector internal expertise and the ability to provide a complete service package, with unique and tailored made solutions.

When an overnight fire burns down a small school in the northern city of Kaktovik in Alaska, our client asks Vector to lead an urgent shipment that would help local kids and teachers resume school activities.

12 modular buildings needed to be delivered from Edmonton in Canada to Kaktovik.

The plan required gathering in record time multiple documentation involving several stakeholders, including shipper, consignee, broker and truckers.

Rapid coordination and teamwork between all the parties involved made it possible to expedite a process that otherwise could take a much longer timeline.

By working together with the local community and our representatives at the destination, the modular building successfully crossed the border helping the kids to resume their school activities.

Fumigation of cargo at the port of origin requires a well-orchestrated plan to avoid missing the tight timeline and strict requirements of this process inquired by the export authorities.

A cargo of credential clothing ready to make it from Cleveland, via New York, to the port city of Iquique in Chile, called for fine-tuning team and vendor’s plan execution involving the three geographies.

Missing the short window of time following fumigation would mean an increase in cost due to unplanned detention and storage.

From rail to port, our logistics team in the US coordinated all the steps in perfect timing so the container would be handled to our local fumigation vendor, all within the required short time window.

The container was successfully placed back on track without missing any steps or delays.

We delivered to the final destination on time and in compliance.

By partnering with our client, Vector’s role was to deliver safely the medical cargo, while supervising and expediting a complex physical inspection of the entire load at the destination.

Through the re-distribution of medical supplies and equipment, Matter is increasing access to health and quality of life in some of the hardest to reach corners of the world.

Our experience in designing and managing logistic challenges in Central America helped to ensure the medical equipment would arrive safely and on time to the beautiful department of Francisco Morazan in Honduras.

Vector’s local representatives worked together with customs agents at destination, ensuring the inspection process was duly performed and within the expected timeline.

Vector and Matter continue to work together to ensure rapid and safe delivery of medical equipment to remote destinations around the world.

An expedite medical shipment needed to be delivered from Cleveland to the city of Mixco in Guatemala. Delivery within the committed timeline was critical.

Last-minute software issues in the booking system caused unplanned delays potentially impacting the committed timing of delivery. Our client asked us to move an air shipment of medical supplies to a client of theirs in Guatemala.

Vector’s agents at both origin and destination worked seamlessly with the airline and our client to find a quick solution without jeopardizing the deadlines.

In a record time, the team managed to secure the cargo on a flight departing less than 24 hours later.

Our client received their shipment in time and was incredibly pleased that everything was delivered in a timely and efficient way.

Importing face masks from China to the US amid Covid-19 pandemic required Vector to work closely together with trading authorities to comply with new regulations and unforeseen logistics challenges.

Leveraging on Vector’s speed, logistics experience and expertise in China we managed to quickly overcome logistics roadblocks such as cargo flights overbooking, significant delays and last-minute changes in regulations.

By working together with [our clients and] the local import/export authorities Vector’s team proudly delivered over 1 million face masks in just 3 weeks.

To date, this is one of the most fulfilling and encouraging achievements that makes us feel proud and an active member of our local communities.

With a stop-over in the middle of the route, required for overhauling, our client asked the Vector team to deliver a potato chip manufacturing plant from Arizona in the US to Saltillo in Mexico.

The stop-over in Guadalajara, Mexico, added additional complexity while challenging Vector to deliver within the required timeline and punch-free for the client.

Our team in Mexico, working closely with the client, quickly deployed local team members to scout both geographical points.

This allowed us to make a further route and logistics analysis and make a final recommendation.

Vector’s logistics knowledge and expertise in both Mexico and US helped Pepsico to make it on time and within the expected quality standards.

This high-expectations client was looking for a business partner that could excel at cost-effective project logistics involving complex logistics in two countries.

The project involved mobile office buildings to be delivered from Florida to Haiti to support those impacted by the tornado that hit Port Au Prince.

Following our assessment process, Vector’s team met with the client to carefully analyze the requirement, risks and expectations.

With that information at hand, our digital logistics team run multiple route scenarios, factoring the potential roadblocks and constraints due to the tornado disaster that hit the country.

The final route recommendation was executed per plan. Cargo made it to the final destination within the client’s cost and timeline expectations.

Vector has supported disaster relief for years by tapping into our partnerships and innovative logistical expertise to those impacted by terrible catastrophes around the world.

One of the shipments in which we’re experts is dangerous cargo (HAZMAT).
The client asked Vector to pick up at the origin 2 tons of toxic paint, from two different suppliers.

The cargo had to be repacked as per IATA rules for HAZMAT materials before shipping them to Mexico.

Leveraging on Vector’s expertise in dangerous cargo (HAZMAT), our team delivered a thorough logistics assessment helping us to make a final routing recommendation to our client.

Our plan included flying the cargo specifically to Laredo, US, then using ground transportation to deliver to the final destination in Monterrey, Mexico.

The goods were picked up on a private truck in Italy and repacked as per IATA rules for HAZMAT.

Vector’s route analysis and execution helped to reduce delivery time without impacting the overall shipment cost.

The client asked us to move a paper mill plant coordinating and overseeing every step of the move from Snowflake, AZ to Saudi Arabia. Vector’s highly trained operations team had to coordinate with different suppliers to guarantee a timely delivery as well as to minimize the project’s overall costs. We were able to accomplish this task by creatively using our contacts to package, crate and label each piece as well as to fumigate, stuff, block and brace each container. Everything had to be perfectly timed to securely transport all the over dimensioned parts and avoid any delays or extra charges.

Moving the drum pulper making sure the freight plans and route surveys were ok given the size of the pieces : large piece: 5280 mm (17.32′) H @ 62,142 kgs (136,999 lbs) , Small piece: 5230 mm (17.16′) H @ 44,906 kgs (99,001 lbs). In one township we travelled through, DOT required four police escorts and five bucket trucks to get through a five mile stretch of road.

After more than 30 containers, 3 months of planning and almost 45 days of execution we were able to load and ship all the different parts. The plant is now in Saudi Arabia and we just started our third project with this client.