Today's News
Norfolk Southern VP Reveals How He Puts the Customer First: Talk Less, Listen More
Learn MoreStefan Loeb is vice president, business development, first- and final-mile markets, with Norfolk Southern Corporation, which operates a 22-state freight transportation network.
NOTED: Supply Chain Highlights
GREEN SEEDS: MSC and OOCL emerged as the most efficient carriers on the Asia-Northern Europe trade lane in OceanScore’s Scope 3 at Sea report, thanks to their combination of below-average carbon intensity, steadier speed profiles, and consistent vessel utilization.
Surprise: The World’s Biggest Shipping Power Isn’t China
It’s Greece—again. The maritime nation quietly commands the largest fleet by capacity, shaping global trade flows and influencing logistics costs from Piraeus to the Pacific.
Touchless Forecasting Explained; Top Transportation IT Investment Trends; Manufacturing Outlook 2026 & Other Global Logistics Insights
Logistics and supply chain news and highlights shaping the future of global logistics.
Sharpie Rewrites Supply Chain Strategy
Redrawing production lines and highlighting worker retention, Sharpie maker Newell Brands got ahead of tariff uncertainty and supply chain complexity.
Intermodal: A Smart Way to Ship (and Save)
Rail mergers, cutting-edge technology, and nearshoring continue to transform intermodal and multimodal transportation, slashing costs and boosting sustainability. Here’s how to navigate this dynamic landscape for maximum efficiency and resilience.
New Video: Turning Pallets Into Supply Chain Data Engines
Story and Interview by Amy Roach | November 3, 2025 What was once a simple piece of warehouse equipment is now becoming a data source for supply chain intelligence. That’s the takeaway from Inbound Logistics’ recent video podcast, “Pallets as Supply Chain Intelligence Tools,” featuring Jonathan Parks, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain at iGPS. […]
What is FIFO? First In, First Out: Benefits and How to Calculate
FIFO stands for “first in, first out.” It is an inventory accounting method and stock rotation strategy. Businesses use it to sell or use the oldest inventory first. If you are a business owner, FIFO is especially useful for managing inventory efficiently and ensuring accurate financial reporting. The FIFO method is used for accounting purposes, […]
3PL vs. 4PL vs. 5PL: Their Key Differences
Growing global demand and rising customer expectations have pushed many businesses to rethink how they manage logistics. Instead of handling everything in-house, outsourced logistics services have become a practical and scalable choice, especially for companies aiming to streamline their company’s operations and boost supply chain efficiency. Understanding the difference between 3PL vs 4PL vs 5PL […]
Macy’s Bets Big on Automation to Reinvent Its Supply Chain
By Amy Roach | October 30, 2025 When Macy’s Inc. cut the ribbon on its new automated fulfillment center in China Grove, North Carolina earlier this month, it signaled something more than a real estate expansion: it marked a strategic reset for one of America’s oldest retail brands. At 2.5 million square feet and with […]
IN BRIEF: New Services and Solutions
Sallaum Lines debuted its first LNG dual-fuel newbuilding, the Ocean Breeze, with a ceremony in the port of Antwerp. The Ocean Breeze is the first of six LNG dual-fuel pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs) to join the Sallaum Lines fleet by 2027, providing substantial reductions in CO2, NO2, and particulate emissions and boosting the RoRo carrier’s capacity.
Just in Case (JIC) Manufacturing: What It Is, Benefits, and Drawbacks
JIC manufacturing focuses on keeping extra stock to prepare for unexpected changes in customer demand or supplier delays. This inventory strategy aims to avoid production delays and ensure smooth manufacturing processes by holding more raw materials and finished goods than usual. Companies rely on just-in-case inventory to protect against supply chain disruptions and maintain supply […]
Featured Articles
Consumers Want More Action on Sustainability
Learn MoreThe Retail and Sustainability Survey from global business applications firm CGS illustrates the demand for sustainability, even at the cost of losing expedited shipping times.
What’s the biggest supply chain silo?
Readers shine a light on the most significant information lapses and data gaps in the supply chain, from transportation siloes to the lack of visibility into suppliers.
Higher Transport Rates on the Horizon
Fuel surcharges, market forces, and easing truckload growth rates are driving up parcel and LTL rates, says Cowen/AFS’s 2022 Freight Index.
What pandemic-era adjustment will have the greatest supply chain impact?
The acceleration of digital twins. The ability to digitally model a company’s manufacturing and distribution network will allow it to quickly assess the impact of large and small disruptions and take appropriate actions. —Allen Jacques Industry Thought Leader Kinaxis The use of data analytics to help suppliers really understand consumer behavior. Suppliers decided to eliminate […]
NOTED: The Supply Chain In Brief
The latest mergers & acquisitions, logistics contracts, sustainability initiatives, humanitarian logistics efforts and more. Good Works The Coca-Cola Company, based in Atlanta, donated $1 million to the Technical College System of Georgia Foundation’s Commercial Truck Driving Program. The donation funds driver training programs and helps ensure more drivers are in the pipeline to fill trucking […]
Supply Chain Helps Meet ESG Goals
As corporations become increasingly focused on ESG initiatives, their supply chain and logistics partners respond with tools and services designed to help them grow sustainability and other goals.
2022 75 Green Supply Chain Partners
Inbound Logistics editors select 75 companies going above and beyond to prioritize green initiatives and help global supply chains become more sustainable. These companies are dedicated to developing and implementing best practices that leave a positive footprint on the world.
Chemical Logistics: Critical Challenges Drive Creativity
Chemical shippers and their partners keep critical shipments moving safely and efficiently—refining their strategies and getting creative despite considerable challenges. Here’s how leading providers formulate solutions for the chemical industry.
Vertical Focus: Footwear
China SC Woes Have Footwear Industry Tied In Knots The impact on the supply chain from lockdowns in China was a major themefor footwear retailers in the first half of 2022. Largely reporting lower-than-expected earnings, many major footwear brands pointed a finger at the lockdowns to explain their disappointing performance levels. Strict and extended COVID-19 […]
To Efficiently Unload Trucks, You First Need to Dance: A Winning Collaboration Between DHL Supply Chain and Boston Dynamics
Boston Dynamics has established a reputation as one of the most innovative and advanced robotics companies in the world. Much of this reputation has grown through the many videos of its dancing robots. And, while the videos are fun, they also serve a very real purpose in spurring innovation and advancing robotic technology. The videos, […]
Supply Chain Knowledge Center
What is FIFO? First In, First Out: Benefits and How to Calculate
Learn MoreFIFO stands for “first in, first out.” It is an inventory accounting method and stock rotation strategy. Businesses use it to sell or use the oldest inventory first. If you are a business owner, FIFO is especially useful for managing inventory efficiently and ensuring accurate financial reporting. The FIFO method is used for accounting purposes, […]
3PL vs. 4PL vs. 5PL: Their Key Differences
Growing global demand and rising customer expectations have pushed many businesses to rethink how they manage logistics. Instead of handling everything in-house, outsourced logistics services have become a practical and scalable choice, especially for companies aiming to streamline their company’s operations and boost supply chain efficiency. Understanding the difference between 3PL vs 4PL vs 5PL […]
Just in Case (JIC) Manufacturing: What It Is, Benefits, and Drawbacks
JIC manufacturing focuses on keeping extra stock to prepare for unexpected changes in customer demand or supplier delays. This inventory strategy aims to avoid production delays and ensure smooth manufacturing processes by holding more raw materials and finished goods than usual. Companies rely on just-in-case inventory to protect against supply chain disruptions and maintain supply […]
Order Batching: What It Is, Common Methods, and Benefits
Order picking eats up more than half of labor time in most warehouse operations. Ignoring this drains productivity, inflates labor costs, and frustrates teams trying to meet rising customer expectations. Acting on that inefficiency matters. Order batching solves this by grouping orders in such a way that reduces movement, improves the picking process, and helps […]
Certificate of Analysis (COA): What It Is, Key Elements, and Why They Matter
Goods move fast in today’s global supply chain. But speed means nothing without quality assurance. In the complex world of supply chains and regulatory compliance, every handoff, from supplier to warehouse, then to customers, carries a risk: mislabeled, contaminated, or substandard products slipping through. A certificate of analysis plays a key role in stopping that. […]
5PL: Understanding It, History, and Key Functions
5PL refers to a logistics model built around full digital integration and strategic control. It supports businesses with complex logistics needs by managing the entire logistics function through advanced tools and connected platforms.
