Inbound Logistics Market Insight Survey: 3PL Perspectives
IL’s annual 3PL Market Insight Survey offers a penetrating perspective into the market drivers governing 3PL growth strategies – in terms of operational scope, as well as the types of services and technologies logistics providers are investing in to meet outsourcers’ evolving needs.
Read MoreHassle-Free Electronic Invoicing: Now That’s Hot
HVACR wholesaler heats up efficiency with a cool electronic invoicing system.
Read MoreRFID: A Tale of Two Cities
The current market for RFID supply chain applications reminds me of the opening line of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. According to RFID vendors, the market is poised for strong growth as active RFID solutions pick up speed, equipment prices begin to drop, and the industry continues to make progress adopting global standards. […]
Read MoreVimal Patel: Taking an Eagle’s-Eye View
When Vimal Patel speaks, everyone listens. As manager of merchandise flow at American Eagle (AE) Outfitters’ Warrendale, Pa., distribution center, his job is to make sure all departments – receiving, replenishment, packing, and shipping – pull together to achieve the facility’s goals. “Every department wants to do well individually, but they don’t always look at […]
Read More3PL: Tactical Resource or Strategic Partner?
When it comes to choosing a 3PL provider, what do you look for? Beyond competitive pricing, is it breadth of service? Specialty transportation capabilities? Global reach? Whatever your selection criteria, price is a critical factor once the must-have capabilities have been confirmed – but is price really the issue, or is it cost? When it […]
Read MoreOur Daily Mantra: Keep Those Containers Moving
Suppliers face many challenges as they work to fulfill the needs and interests of their customers. They have plenty to worry and wonder about until a job is completed. But there are two questions in particular that can cause sleepless nights if they don’t get the right answers: Where are my containers? When will I […]
Read MoreThird Party Logistics Mergers and Acquisitions
With almost 600 reported deals representing more than $79 billion in aggregate transaction value since 2005, the transportation industry has seen significant mergers and acquisitions transaction activity. Third party logistics is one of the most active sectors within the transportation industry for private equity investment and strategic buyer acquisitions. Consolidation Although the third party logistics […]
Read MoreExpertise and Location – The Ideal Pair
To a high tech service provider, whether an OEM or a carrier, the device is a big part of everything. Without the device in the hands of its customer, they have no subscription fee. Without the subscription fee, they have no revenue. The world’s largest providers look to find supply chain solutions and distribution channels […]
Read MoreConsigned Inventory Management: The Rx for Ailing Medical Profits
In matters of life and death, the last thing one should worry about is a supply chain. But when it comes to medical devices and healthcare services, supply chain headaches can change the abbreviation for Out-Of-Stock to RIP in a heartbeat. Like many other manufacturing industries, medical device makers face the need to streamline an […]
Read MoreMaterials Handling Update: Pleasing to the Pallet
Before businesses begin tinkering with state-of-the-art conveyor networks and automated storage and retrieval systems, they might want to reconsider the role of the warehouse’s most underrated asset – the pallet.
Read MoreHospitality Logistics: Supply Chains Made to Order
Welcome to hospitality logistics, where five-star supply chain management helps keep customers happy. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your stay.
Read MoreGlobal Logistics Spotlight: Dubai Flying High
With constant new development, soaring air cargo growth, and a busy port system, Dubai is shaping up to be the crown jewel of logistics in the Middle East.
Read MoreOutsourced Logistics: 4Ward Momentum
What is the real role of today’s 4PLs? How do they differ from 3PLs? Who’s driving the growth of this outsourced logistics niche? Inbound Logistics picks up the lead and explores the changing dynamics of the 4PL/LLP market.
Read MoreGo Ahead…Pile It On!
Today’s outsourcers expect 3PLs to offer a wide range of value-added services. 3PLs respond.
Read MoreWelcome to The 3PL Zone
There is a dimension beyond that which is known. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between demand and supply, between strategy and tactics, and it lies somewhere between the pit of an enterprise’s fears and the summit of its visibility and knowledge.
Read MoreBean There, Returned That
Building its business around high-quality outdoor equipment and clothing, L.L. Bean’s sales channels include seven retail stores, one dozen outlet stores, the Internet, and its nearly 100-year-old catalog. But it’s not just the product that Bean built its reputation on—it’s also the retailer’s 100-percent satisfaction guarantee. The roots of that guarantee trace back to 1912, […]
Read MoreMid-Size 3PLs: What Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger
Ah, conventional wisdom. Not long ago, observers of the third-party logistics segment predicted the demise of many Tier II and Tier III 3PLs. Smaller players could not keep up with the increasing complexity required to serve customer demands, they said. In addition, they predicted merger and acquisition activity would create a pool of large 3PLs […]
Read MoreGetting Government to Understand The New Science of Transportation
A freight transportation revolution has taken place in the past 25 years. Consumer demand, technology, expanding population centers, and vast global enterprises have combined to make intermodal the international standard for moving goods. Unfortunately, when it comes to U.S. government policy-making, ignorance of intermodal freight transportation is almost universal. The nation’s government agencies have not […]
Read MoreVisibility: Seeing is Believing
Take a look at this list of avoidable logistics problems: Time wasted manually scheduling shipments and tracking products from channel to channel. Missed opportunities from not knowing the exact quantity of inventory in transit and stock availability. Strained relationships after shipments fail to make their destination on time. The common element is a lack of […]
Read MoreSqueaky Wheels Get Political ‘Oil’
In March 2007, I was fortunate to travel to Washington, D.C., as a delegation member of the Illinois Trucking Association. I spent several days discussing issues such as diesel prices, alternative energy, taxes, and toll roads with members of Congress. In every instance, these issues directly correlate with the financial well-being of the trucking industry. […]
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