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Specialty Retail Hits the Mark

What makes a successful retailer? To answer that question, Manhattan Associates, in partnership with Google Cloud and Zebra Technologies, examined data insight from real purchases, returns, and customer journeys across digital and physical channels to create The Unified Commerce Benchmark for Specialty Retail, a report conducted by Incisiv. The benchmark assesses retailers across 11 specialty […]

VERTICAL FOCUS: Raw Materials

Insight into the latest supply chain trends for raw materials.

Waste Eats Away the Bottom Line

Overproduction and waste may push margins in the wrong direction. A recent Avery Dennison report finds that 8% of stock perishes or is discarded before it reaches consumers–inventory losses worth up to $163.1 billion or 3.6% of annual profits. Of the 8% waste, slightly more than half (53.8%) is lost in the supply chain before products reach store shelves.

November 11, 2022 | Global Logistics | November 2022 | Research

Business as Unusual

A new IBM survey of 1,500 chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) reveals that supply chain leaders have accepted their fate: Business will continue to be anything but typical for the immediate future. The main focus for CSCOs now is to prepare for what happens next.

| Manufacturing | November 2022 | Research

Nearshoring Picks Up Steam

All of the global supply chain snafus that have taken place over the past two years have caused many manufacturers to reexamine their supply chain and production networks. The question they all seem to be asking is: Should we bring production closer to consumption? A new report from Accenture indicates that answer is “yes.”

| Global Logistics | Logistics | November 2022 | Research

Acquiring Minds Want To Know

A new report by Barclays Corporate Banking finds that nearly half of all UK logistics businesses are likely to make an acquisition in the next 12 months as they look to expand operations and become more competitive—the highest figure recorded in the survey’s 10-year history.

| Manufacturing | November 2022 | Research | Supply Chain

Manufacturers Feel the Disruption Burden

Supply chain disruptions over the past 12-18 months—including shipping delays and parts shortages due to truck driver issues and congested ports—have heavily impacted manufacturers (see chart). That’s the consensus of Deloitte’s new study, Meeting the Challenge of Supply Chain Disruption, which was conducted in partnership with Manufacturers Alliance. (see chart).

October 30, 2022 | Research

Get Ready for the Hype

Industry buzz usually surrounds the release of a new Gartner Hype Cycle, and the 2022 Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Strategy is no different. The annual findings detail important changes in which strategies, technology, and workflows are making an impact. Along the continuum are these categories: Innovation Trigger Peak of Inflated Expectations Trough of Disillusionment […]

| Public Policy | Research

Uncle Sam’s Infrastructure Spending, Explained

With several key federal bills that bring dollars to logistics and transportation infrastructure passing recently, it can be hard to keep track of which funds are going where—and what it all means for supply chain and manufacturing professionals. Commercial real estate firm Savills breaks it down: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Signed into law by […]

Against All Odds, Trade Going Strong

“Resilient” seems to be the key word to describe global trade today. Despite myriad challenges—the aftermath of the pandemic, inflation, the war in Ukraine, a rocky stock market—global trade is persisting at strong levels, according to the latest DHL Trade Growth Atlas, published by DHL and the NYU Stern School of Business. The report maps […]

October 24, 2022 | Food Logistics | Industry Associations | Research | Specialized Logistics

VERTICAL FOCUS: Agriculture/Bulk Agriculture Commodities

AG Outlook: Mixed Both clear skies and stormy weather are in the forecast for the agricultural sector. That’s the mixed-bag conclusion from a September 2022 panel discussion at the Ag Outlook Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. The panel of experts—including Kip Tom, former ambassador to the U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization, and Daniel Whitley, administrator […]

September 18, 2022 | Research | Transportation

Debunking 7 Misconceptions about Logistics Performance Metrics

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are an essential part of sound supply chain management — at least that’s what 83% of your peers think.

September 15, 2022 | Research | Transportation | Trucking

2022 Trucking Perspectives

Inbound Logistics’ exclusive yearly survey of motor carriers and shippers offers a close look at the state of the trucking industry in an era of inflation and supply chain volatility. In 2022, as shippers and their trucker partners have settled into what might or might not become the “new normal,” some are breathing a bit […]

2022 Inbound Logistics Perspectives: 3PL Market Research Report

Our 17th annual 3PL market research report takes a deep-dish dive into the dynamics of logistics partnerships in 2022. Rampant inflation, including high transportation costs. A tight labor market. Commodities shortages. Uncertainties tied to the war in Ukraine and the pandemic. There seems to be no end to the obstacles ready to frustrate shippers as […]

The Dairy Supply Chain: From Farm to Fridge

How milk and other dairy products moo-ve from tens of thousands of cows to store shelves across the country — with udder efficiency.

Alleviating Gridlock: A Chicago Case Study

To improve the flow of rail operations in the Chicago area, Amtrak CEO Joseph Boardman tasked Amtrak’s Gateway Blue Ribbon panel with examining rail congestion in Chicago and offering recommendations to improve traffic flow and alleviate gridlock. The panel derived its recommendations from extensive interviews with freight and passenger rails; federal, state, and local government […]

Doing Business in China

Q: What do I need to know about doing business in China? A: Most companies today know why China is a great place for business for manufacturing, regional distribution, and domestic consumption. What companies may not know is that the logistics costs of doing business in China are quite high. China’s trade rules and regulations […]

Trends—September 2015

Rising Labor Costs Eat Into Fast Food Supply Chains When New York State’s wage board voted to raise minimum pay to $15 in July 2015, it set tails wagging around the country. The wage hike, which will be phased in over the next three years upon approval by the state’s labor commissioner, only applies to […]

Positive Train Control: Negative Impact On Railroads?

The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA) mandates that Positive Train Control (PTC), a set of advanced technologies designed to stop or slow a train before accidents occur, be implemented across approximately 60,000 miles of the nation’s rail lines by Dec. 31, 2015. Class I railroad main lines that handle any poisonous, inhalation, or […]

Outsourcing to a Third-Party Logistics Provider

Q: From a shipping perspective, how can manufacturers best address today’s increasing regulations and demand volatility? A: Outsource your shipping to a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. The answer might sound a bit self-serving, but I believe most manufacturers would agree if they took the time to crunch the numbers. A 3PL is much more familiar […]

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