Our members know transportation. They do it every day, distributing the chemicals we all depend on for life in the 21st century. That’s why National Transportation Week is a big one here at NACD – simply put, it’s what we do, and we do it safely and efficiently.
In 2016 alone, NACD members made nearly 4.4 million shipments and delivered product over 303.3 million miles. We moved 39.9 million tons of chemicals needed to make our daily lives safer and more convenient on trips that averaged 33.8 miles per shipment.
All of this product transportation means that business is booming for many NACD members, and we are seeing more and more invest in their own fleets. In 2016, member-owned fleets moved valuable chemical products over 149.2 million miles. On top of that, our shipments are growing in value as well. In 2016, the average value of each shipment was $7,323, a 17 percent increase over the previous year. This means companies are more profitable, enabling them to invest back into their employees and communities.
More importantly, they are demonstrating a robust commitment to safety and security. Participation in NACD’s third-party-verified Responsible Distribution program remains strong. In 2016, NACD members delivered chemicals safely every 8.4 seconds and experienced fewer than one incident per every half million miles travelled by industry vehicles. Furthermore, companies invested nearly $18.4 million in environmental sustainability programs. Beyond our distributor members, NACD also requires third-party logistics providers to be verified under Responsible Distribution, meaning even distributors who don’t have their own fleets are certain they are transporting essential chemicals safely and responsibly through these vendors.
This National Transportation Week, we applaud all the hard work NACD members do to deliver the chemical products we all use every single day. Their commitment to safety has had tangible results - we are seeing fewer incidents, more valuable shipments and increasing investment in the economy.