Supply Chain Continuous Improvement Requires Collaboration, Trust, and Tolerance for Failure
Q: How can a 3PL affect continuous improvement of their partners’ supply chains? A: Ruan’s approach to effective continuous improvement (CI) is centered around creating value within our partners’ businesses. CI begins with a clear understanding of each unique supply chain and baseline performance measures. Although tools and techniques vary, the first steps involve analyzing […]
Read MoreDeploy a Robotics-Driven Fulfillment Solution to Reach Peak Productivity
Q: 3PLs and retailers are planning for volume surges ahead of peak season. What is driving this? A: This peak season, as consumers regain financial confidence, e-commerce is expected to exceed a level of volume that exacerbated the supply chain the previous year. Warehouses are already experiencing painful labor challenges including high turnover and shortages […]
Read MoreRail Transportation: What Shippers Need to Focus On
Q: How have the recent rail mergers changed the rail landscape for shippers? A: Shippers have been averse to rail mergers due to concerns of a reduction in competition, imposed routing limitations, and an increase in service disruptions. The two most recent mergers between the CSXT-Pan Am Railway and Canadian National-Kansas City Southern are still […]
Read MoreReducing Inbound Freight Costs and Improving Accounting
Q: How can our company account for inbound freight costs on our month-end accrual reports? We prefer to route our own freight and use our own third-party carriers for these collect orders. A: Unfortunately, you are experiencing an industry-wide issue. Pre-rating based on purchase order information can pose a real risk. Your purchase order may […]
Read MoreNOTED: The Supply Chain In Brief-July 2021
Green Seeds Leonard’s Express adopted a new source of alternative energy for its national fleet of long-haul diesel trucks by using the SPI Energy Reaction System. The system alters the chemistry of combustion by reusing the exhaust gases that are being wasted. To reduce pollution and noise disturbance, GEODIS invested in a green fleet for […]
Read MoreIN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-July 2021
Technology BookYourCargo launched the Digital Drayage Platform to provide shippers with instant quotes and shipment visibility. Featuring machine learning engines, the platform integrates API/EDIs with existing third-party software platforms. Customers and vendors can search and compare rates by location, move type, and driver availability through access to a mobile device app. Shippers gain end-to-end digitization with […]
Read MorePeople Aren’t Going Anywhere
Although automation helps shippers meet unprecedented demand for faster and cheaper delivery, people are essential for a well-functioning network, says a Coyote Logistics report. As supply chains grow increasingly complex, technology is more efficient at sifting through large data sets in real time and running scenario analyses. However, people aren’t going anywhere (see chart). No […]
Read MoreVertical Focus | Energy, Oil & Gas
Offshore Wind Project Isn’t a Breeze President Biden recently approved the Vineyard Wind project—the first major U.S. offshore wind farm—off the coast of Massachusetts. The project, which would generate up to 800 megawatts of electricity from 62 giant wind turbines, is expected to produce enough electricity to power 400,000 businesses and homes in New England […]
Read MoreWinding a Way Through Supply Chain Education
Leading professors provide a map for navigating the labyrinth of post-pandemic supply chain education.
Read MoreHow has the pandemic affected supply chain partnerships?
The pandemic magnified the need for collaborative partnerships between service providers and customers. We have seen things happening in the market you almost couldn’t make up in Hollywood, and those that have remained transparent and collaborative in navigating these challenges have succeeded. —Matt Friedman Vice President, Sales, Warehousing Mainfreight Fluctuating production and consumer demand, coupled […]
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