Networked Track Sensors Keep Rails and Workers Safe
The current state of rail integrity and safety is a critical issue for logistics managers who increasingly rely on intermodal transportation. Intermodal rail traffic has significantly increased during the past two decades, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. In addition to increased rail traffic, aging infrastructure complicate intermodal shipping. In 2011, the Federal Railroad […]
Read MoreTapping Social Media to Power Your Supply Chain
Social media provides a platform for companies to share knowledge and opinions, and broadcast information to an audience of followers. It also generates valuable data about how your customers think, shop, vote, and spend their leisure time. Many companies have jumped into social media to improve supply chain operations. Cindi Hane, vice president of technical […]
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Bob Kalland Knows the Drill
Bob Kalland is inventory and logistics manager for Atlas Copco Mining and Rock (MR) Excavation, located in Commerce City, Colo. The company is a unit of Atlas Copco, a Swedish manufacturer of industrial tooling and equipment. He has held this position since 2011. Responsibilities: Managing all inventory and logistics for the MR business. Experience: Inventory […]
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Trends—April 2014
Shopping for Retail Trends The National Retail Federation (NRF) drew a record 30,000-plus attendees to its January 2014 BIG Apple Conference to "touch and feel" the latest hot trends and innovations in the retail industry. For some attendees, like Mark Ledbetter, global vice president for SAP Retail, the reality is even more compelling. Ledbetter, who […]
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Global Logistics—April 2014
U.S. Creates ‘Single Window’ for Import/Export Data Transmission The U.S. government has always been light years behind the private sector in technology innovation and implementation. So President Barack Obama’s executive order to streamline U.S. import and export documentation shines a ray of light on the trade community as the government emerges from the Dark Ages […]
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Plan Better Truck Routes: Long-range Itinerary Generation Enhances Operations
Not so long ago, route planning, fleet optimization, and driver allocation relied almost exclusively on the guile, instincts, and experience of operations managers and dispatch personnel. Long-range forecasting was theoretical at best. The tools used static data, and couldn’t handle the inevitable adjustments required by the dynamics of day-to-day operations. This is changing fast. While […]
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Fusing Big Data and the Supply Chain: The Future is NOW
Only 8% of shippers and 5% of 3PLs surveyed have implemented Big Data initiatives involving the supply chain, according to the 2014 18th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study produced by Dr. C. John Langley and Capgemini Consulting. Conversely, nearly all shippers and third-party logistics providers believe Big Data is vital in future 3PL efforts to help […]
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Invest in Productivity
Start with what I consider low-hanging fruit—any investment in productivity that pays for itself in less than one year. Think about that return: 100 percent in one year. If you bought a portfolio of stocks and it went up 15 percent in one year, you would be a savvy investor. Earn 20 to 30 percent, […]
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Access to Reliable Transportation Regardless of Transportation Market Conditions
Over the past 25 years I’ve been in Supply Chain, I’ve come to the realization transportation rates are difficult to forecast due to elastic variables (perceived or real) in the supply chain. Depending upon your role and point of view, rates could increase by low single digits or double digits over the next year. You […]
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Automating Key Steps to Strategically Optimize Inbound Supply Chains
The increasing growth and complexity of global trade means organizations must work with a range of partners, suppliers and functional teams within the organization. Best in class companies use a variety of global trade automation tools to lower inbound costs and improve processes. According to a recent AberdeenGroup report, "Strategic Inbound Optimization: Foreign Trade Zones […]
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Laying the Foundation For a Long-Term 3PL Partnership
Many companies start working with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider to fix an isolated problem at the lowest possible cost. Unfortunately, these relationships are often short-lived and serve only to fill an operational gap. But thoughtfully planned 3PL partnerships can produce invaluable results using a long-term approach that focuses on sustainable operational gains, rather than […]
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Streamlining Inventory Through SKU Rationalization
While supply chain and logistics managers pursuing Lean operations generally seek to eliminate excess inventory, sales and marketing programs often lead companies to increase the volume of products they keep in stock. During the past few decades, the number of stockkeeping units (SKUs) retailers offer has soared. For example, in 1970, the average grocery store […]
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Leveraging Big Data
Think big – but start small – when mining big data to propel your supply chain forward.
Read More2014 Top 100 Logistics IT Providers
Information is power. Inbound Logistics’ annual logistics IT research survey uncovers the latest trends powering the supply chain, and reveals the Top 100 sector leaders.
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Connect, Secure, and Manage the Supply Chain
Q: How are transport and logistics firms using mobility to improve employee engagement? A: Mobility once meant giving each driver a cell phone. Today, however, connected devices with communication applications allow drivers to get news and road updates, connect with family, and do business anywhere and anytime. By accessing training programs while waiting for a […]
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Maximizing the Benefits of Your TMS
Q: What are the best ways to get the full benefit of a transportation management system (TMS)? A: First, work with your solution provider to configure the system to meet your unique requirements and workflow, and to automate managing your transportation network. A system you can implement quickly and that meets your requirements enables you […]
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Accessible Capital, Trustworthy Partners Key to Managing Freight Costs
Q: What is the key to managing freight spend in today’s environment? A: In addition to the slow growth economy, the transportation industry has been hit with significant economic and industry challenges, including increasing regulations, driver shortages, fluctuating fuel costs, and a tight credit environment. Carrier costs are going up—costs that will likely get passed […]
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The Fundamentals of Successful Value Chain Partnerships
Q: How can value chain partners cooperate to create and share efficiencies? A: With an unprecedented global reach, access to new markets, increased regulation, and huge advances in technology, today’s supply chain environment is more complex than ever. Coupled with increasing customer demands for speed, flexibility, cost efficiency, quality, and customization, it is very difficult […]
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Big Data Tools Enable Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics
Q: What is different in transportation technology today compared to five years ago? A: Two words: big data. It has become significantly less expensive in the past five years to store and analyze large amounts of data. Due to these decreased costs, companies can now afford to use data to gain additional insight into their […]
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Get Real: What ROI to Expect from Your TMS Implementation
Q: Transportation management system (TMS) solution providers routinely claim their automation tools will deliver cost savings as high as 25 to 30 percent of annual transportation spend. Is this accurate? A: Sales representatives have a tendency to oversell things in their pursuit of new clients. This is problematic for the industry because it discredits TMS […]
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