Avoiding Transportation Chargebacks
Chargebacks are a fact of life that manufacturers have to deal with. For many of these shippers, how they get the product to their customers’ door is no longer under their control. Consignees and their routing guides are king. If shippers don’t comply with routing guide instructions, they pay, and pay big. Between five and […]
Read MoreTruckers Get Aggressive with Cargo Security
The transportation industry has never been without challenges. It is an industry that is extraordinarily complex and vital to the economy. For the last three years, warnings of terrorist attacks via biological, chemical, and strategic weapons have been a fact of life, with the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a frightening reminder that no industry […]
Read MoreAchieving Optimization with Closed-Loop Transportation Management
Today’s transportation managers face conflicting challenges and pressures. Regulatory mandates and security compliance create productivity and capacity issues. Companies are moving toward smaller and more frequent orders. Globalization continues to expand. While all these factors drive up logistics costs, a competitive economic climate puts downward pressure on pricing, even as shareholders seek improved profit margins. […]
Read MoreReducing the Cost of Cross-Border Compliance
In a global economy, the cost, speed, and certainty of crossing borders are all vital to maintaining competitiveness. Falling tariff rates and vanishing trade barriers create the illusion that customs compliance is now simpler. In reality, complex procedures, innumerable conditions set by free trade agreements, stringent security regulations and stricter enforcement, among other issues, result […]
Read MoreFlynn’s Folly
I am on my supply chain security rant again, but it’s not my fault. Someone recommended I read a new book that is touted as “riveting, chilling and gripping” by a segment of the media. America the Vulnerable: How Our Government is Failing to Protect Us from Terrorism was written by Stephen Flynn, a retired […]
Read MoreConsumer Products Logistics: Driving Shoppers to the Mall
Today’s consumers are demanding. They want lower prices, higher product availability and easier returns. Meanwhile, retailers continue to push inventory and costs back to the manufacturers. Consumer products logistics professionals meet these tough consumer and retailer requirements by developing supply chain innovations and breakthroughs that keep store shelves stocked and customers coming back for more.
Read MoreApple of Your IT: Technology at the Core of Food Logistics
Food retailers and manufacturers are struggling to cut costs as they battle various channel service requirements, customer demands, and excess inventory. Here’s how a steady diet of electronic commerce, data synchronization, electronic product codes and RFID is serving up savings.
Read MoreCargo Crossroads of the World: Alaska
Throughout history, Alaska has been the crossroads of human migration and exploration. When coastal tribes first ventured over from Siberia into present-day Alaska more than 10,000 years ago, they marked the first evidence of human habitation in North America. Since the discovery of petroleum reserves in Prudhoe Bay in 1968, and the completion of the […]
Read MoreCareer Solutions: Knowledge by Association
Regardless of your title or experience level, getting involved in an industry association could be one of the best career moves you ever make.
Read MoreIndustry Associations
Searching for a professional organization? Here’s a brief list to help you get started.
Read MoreCurtis Brewer: Master of the Schedule
As he works toward his MBA, it’s no wonder Curtis Brewer focuses on international logistics. Since his days as a college intern, Brewer has kept his eye on the supply chain challenges inherent in global trade. In fact, his biggest career challenge so far came during that internship, when a customer’s needs collided with a […]
Read MoreBracing for an End to Terrorism Insurance
Q: What’s the latest word on terrorism insurance? I keep hearing that this insurance might not be available soon. What does this mean to the transportation industry? A: The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, dealt a serious financial blow to the insurance industry. In the aftermath of the attacks, the industry retrenched itself by […]
Read MoreReconsidering the Role of RFID
Is RFID the best thing since sliced bread, another Y2K, or something in between? Is it yet another technology fix on top of all the others or is it a new and essential tool for doing business? Is it a go or a no go? Regardless of your attitude toward RFID, the talk surrounding it […]
Read MorePurchasing Management Software: A Smart Spend
Purchasing management software helps a Caterpillar dealer recover parts costs and make more profitable sourcing decisions.
Read MoreOutsourced Manufacturing Changes the Face of 3PLs
The debate over outsourcing American manufacturing jobs to overseas workers continues to stir controversy in politics and business. Economists argue that offshoring is the only way to save American industry; the money saved frees capital for research and development and creates top paying jobs. The political entities, in the interest of both the already and […]
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