Archive: Feb 2006

Speeding Warehouse Operations

If speeding warehouse operations was one of your New Year’s resolutions, obtaining more accurate inventory information should be your first step. It is easier to quickly move orders out of the warehouse if you have accurate, high-quality data on inbound shipments, according to Steve Sensing, group director of customer logistics, Ryder System Inc. Sensing offers […]

Read More

Discrete Manufacturers Adapt to Global Economy

Supply chains are the lifeblood of discrete manufacturing—the production of distinct items. As manufacturing operations continue to transform to global enterprises, discrete manufacturers face new challenges. Orchestrating the movement of parts and components around the world is becoming as intricate as brain surgery, driving discrete manufacturers to information technology (IT) solutions to help manage global […]

Read More

Optimize ‘Obnoxious Freight’ With DC Bypass

Companies must continually think of ways to improve supply chain and distribution networks to bolster the bottom line and enhance service levels. With so many products today manufactured overseas, the ability to maintain a streamlined network, despite market volatility, is a key competitive edge. These challenges are magnified for retail and consumer package goods companies […]

Read More

Heavy Metal Control and Savings

When automaker Mitsubishi Motors began buying directly from steel mills, a logistics challenge loomed. It found a metals specialist to keep the coils rolling.

Read More

Learning for Earnings

When this magazine made its commitment to logistics education in 1990, few undergraduate or graduate logistics studies programs were available. That is not the case today. Logistics undergraduate, post-graduate, and continuing education programs have expanded a hundredfold. MIT, for example, has seen an application growth of 20 percent annually over the last five years, reports […]

Read More

Logistics Goes to the Head of the Class

Ten years ago, logistics education meant learning how to drive a forklift. Today, schools focus on teaching total supply chain management, and graduates are quickly snatched up by recruiters who know smart logistics managers can help the bottom line.

Read More

Reducing Complexity

Increasing globalization and demand for diverse product offerings puts supply chain complexity at an all-time high for many manufacturers and retailers. Some degree of complexity is inevitable, but too much causes a logistics double-whammy: increased costs and decreased efficiency. Companies are taking a hard look at product mix and processes to find ways to keep it simple.

Read More

Global Logistics—February 2006

Tough Talk on China Trade Policies On the heels of news that America’s trade deficit with China rose to $201.6 billion, the Bush administration announced its plan to step up enforcement of U.S. trade laws governing China. The move was widely lauded by businesses and lawmakers. Following a six-month, top-to-bottom review of America’s trading relationship […]

Read More

John Depew: High-Flying Logistics

As manager of distribution for a magazine publisher, John Depew faces an odd concern: his display racks won’t stand still. That’s because the “racks” are seatback pockets on commercial aircraft. Working for American Airlines Publishing, Depew’s job is to move newly published in-flight magazines from the printer in Jonesboro, Ark., to some 200 airports, making […]

Read More

Keep Your Business Out of Harm’s Way

Q: I am a logistics provider. In addition to a policy that protects me from cargo damage claims, I have a general liability policy that covers bodily injury and property damage claims. I know I could face a claim if someone trips and falls while visiting my office, but I rarely have visitors, and my […]

Read More