On Manufacturing Pessimism
“Given current economic trends, it’s understandable that manufacturers’ optimism is declining. Yet, increased demand offers some promising news. To keep up, business leaders should diversify their material suppliers and challenge logistics providers to find ways to tighten delivery times. And, to address employee shortages, companies must revisit their talent strategies and implement comprehensive recruitment and […]
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Rail to the Rescue?
When the supply chain turns volatile and the trucking market grows tough, can these alternatives to over-the-road transportation save the day?
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NOTED: Supply Chain Highlights
From net-zero carbon initiatives to recent mergers and acquisitions, here’s what’s new and notable in the supply chain.
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What’s the Most Valuable Logistics Brand?
The answer is UPS, according to the 2022 Brand Finance Logistics 25 report. With a brand value of $38.5 billion, UPS has held on to the top spot as the most valuable logistics brand in the world. Since last year’s report, the company’s brand value has increased by 28%.
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Get Ready for the Hype
Industry buzz usually surrounds the release of a new Gartner Hype Cycle, and the 2022 Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Strategy is no different. The annual findings detail important changes in which strategies, technology, and workflows are making an impact. Along the continuum are these categories: Innovation Trigger Peak of Inflated Expectations Trough of Disillusionment […]
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Uncle Sam’s Infrastructure Spending, Explained
With several key federal bills that bring dollars to logistics and transportation infrastructure passing recently, it can be hard to keep track of which funds are going where—and what it all means for supply chain and manufacturing professionals. Commercial real estate firm Savills breaks it down: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Signed into law by […]
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Against All Odds, Trade Going Strong
“Resilient” seems to be the key word to describe global trade today. Despite myriad challenges—the aftermath of the pandemic, inflation, the war in Ukraine, a rocky stock market—global trade is persisting at strong levels, according to the latest DHL Trade Growth Atlas, published by DHL and the NYU Stern School of Business. The report maps […]
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Full Kitting: Process, Benefits, and Types
Kitting is a beneficial process that brings together individual components for assembly. It’s an essential step in the manufacturing process where every component is gathered for assembly, saving time and money. Kitting processes take place before the assembly line, gathering the components that are used to make the complete product. However, kitting can mean different […]
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Consignment Inventory: Definition, Advantages, and Disadvantages
Talk to any retailer and they will tell you without a doubt that there is a certain amount of risk that results from purchasing traditional inventory. This is because when retailers stock their products, they usually hope that they will sell enough to get a profit before their stock expires. However, this will not always […]
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Keeping the Supply Chain Running in Ukraine
Since 2020, the business landscape has been full of crises for 3PLs operating in Europe. First a worldwide pandemic, now a war between Russia and Ukraine. Keeping a supply chain operating efficiently is challenging in the best of times, but how can companies best respond during game changing disruptions? Yuriy Ostapyak, a Ukrainian-born U.S. citizen and COO for Logistics Plus joined the Inbound Logistics podcast to discuss his company’s response to these challenges.
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IN BRIEF: New Services and Solutions
From a cobot-based palletizer to an AI-driven warehouse management tool, here are some notable supply chain services and solutions that recently hit the market.
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What is a Certificate of Compliance? Meaning, Requirements, Examples
A certificate of compliance is a document that certifies that a product or system meets the requirements of a safety regulation or standard. It is typically used in shipping and logistics to ensure that products are safe for transport and meet the destination country’s requirements. Certificate of compliance examples in logistics include documents such as […]
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VERTICAL FOCUS: Agriculture/Bulk Agriculture Commodities
AG Outlook: Mixed Both clear skies and stormy weather are in the forecast for the agricultural sector. That’s the mixed-bag conclusion from a September 2022 panel discussion at the Ag Outlook Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. The panel of experts—including Kip Tom, former ambassador to the U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization, and Daniel Whitley, administrator […]
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Becoming a Successful Female Mentor in Male-Centric Industries
Countless published articles talk about the importance and value of mentorship, and we heard many of these voices during Women’s History Month in March. Many of these articles strike home at the essence and reasons why mentorship is especially critical for professional women in the workforce.
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The Trucking Industry By-the-Numbers: The Long Haul
As the engine of the U.S. economy, the trucking industry carries around 11 billion tons of freight per year, keeping goods moving and the supply chain humming.
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The Future of the Supply Chain is Cloudy
We hear a lot about the cloud these days. The cloud (public or private) refers to software and services that run on the Internet instead of locally on your computer. There is a good chance that the majority of business data will eventually reside in the cloud.
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You Can Add Value to Your Brand Through Last-Mile Delivery
Retailers in a post-COVID world know better than anyone that growing their business by diversifying what they offer is a surefire way to solidify customer loyalty. In today’s highly competitive retail environment, delivery as a brand extension is a critical differentiator.
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Moving to a Cloud-First Strategy
The benefits of cloud computing are driving many companies to adopt a cloud-first strategy. System migrations can be complex and intimidating, but with some preparation, your transition can be straightforward. Here’s how to start your cloud journey.
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Anne Meyrose: Filling the Gap
Anne Meyrose is vice president, logistics control tower with Gap Inc., the apparel company behind the Athleta, Banana Republic, Gap, and Old Navy brands.
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IL Good Question: If you could invent one tool to help you do your job better, what would it be?
Readers reveal the yet-to-be-invented tools that would be supply chain game-changers as well as the most recent innovations starting to make their jobs easier.
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