9 WMS Must-Haves
When shopping for a warehouse management system (WMS), one size doesn’t fit all. To narrow your search, look for solutions with these must-have features to meet your current and future business demands.
Trucking Strategies to Keep Your Freight Moving
With capacity tight and trucker employment stretched thin, carriers can be selective about who they work with, so it’s important for shippers to have a game plan. Here are practical ways to ensure your freight gets where it needs to go.
Dollar Tree—Winning Through Logistics
What can a great logistics operation do for a company in this economy? Lots more than move boxes around, as it turns out. Take the logistics team at Dollar Tree as an example. Over the years, the discount variety store has invested in the kind of logistics operations associates who keep the company financially sound […]
What Retailers Should Add to their Holiday Checklist to Avoid E-Commerce Disruptions
Right now, brands are preparing for another year of record-breaking e-commerce sales during the holidays. After more than a year of lockdowns and shifting masking recommendations, consumers who once preferred the typical brick-and-mortar shopping experience have moved online, solidifying the need for digital retailers to cater to multiple generations of shoppers. With more buyers seeking […]
WMS Guide 2021
Warehouse management systems are coveted now more than ever as consumer behaviors continue to shift. This short list of leading solutions can help your business stay agile to meet surging fulfillment demands.
Freight Bill Audit & Payment: Sparking Supply Chain Synapses
Supply chain analysis and insight have become top of mind over the past 18 months. These freight bill audit and payment (FBAP) firms conceive solutions and activate process improvements for shippers’ transportation networks and strategies.
Syfan Logistics ‘Goes to College’ to Solve Labor Challenge
Syfan worked with colleges and universities around its headquarters to develop a program to meet current hiring needs as well as build a foundation for the future.
2021 Trucking Perspectives
Through its exclusive annual survey of motor carriers and shippers, Inbound Logistics offers a picture of the trucking industry in an economy distorted by supply chain disruptions.
2021 Top 100 Truckers
Inbound Logistics‘ annual Top 100 Truckers directory offers a comprehensive guide to help you find carrier partners that best fuel your diverse and demanding needs, especially in today’s challenging and volatile business climate. More than 200 trucking companies, including the best-paying truckers, submitted their credentials to be considered for the list. IL editors evaluated surveys […]
Leveraging 3PLs to Ease COVID Business Growing Pains
As the COVID-19 pandemic swept the nation, a second and unexpected problem emerged along with it: A shortage of toilet paper. Panic-buying and hoarding left store shelves empty. New deliveries routinely were sold out within minutes. And toilet paper manufacturers, who had long ago leaned out their operations in an effort to maximize profit, found […]
How to Avoid Fragile Supply Chains
Supply chains breakdown in different ways, and each type of risk needs its own mitigation strategy. External shocks Supply and demand shocks and shifts are one reason why supply chains break down. One example of a supply shock would be a supplier delivering late or not at all, which frequently happened in 2020. A demand […]
How Preventive Business Models in Logistics Can Add Value to Companies
In business, it is always better to be proactive than reactive. In logistics, this is even more vital, as unanticipated reactions quickly become costly outcomes—making or breaking supply chains in today’s fast-moving world. Let’s take a look at how preventive business models on the front end and back end of the supply chain can help […]
White Glove Services: When It’s Time to Call In a Specialist
Q: When and why would someone need a special commodities carrier? A: Special commodities carriers are experts at performing complex, often delicate, moves that most freight carriers would not typically handle. Customers that utilize special commodities carriers expect an extra level of care, professionalism, and quality of service. Special commodities carriers are selected when the transport […]
Choose Empathetic Technology: Frontline Tech that Cares
The art of empathy isn’t easy to master. Neither is finding the right tools for your team. Now, these might seem like two disconnected statements but in my experience, they’re closely linked. Historically, the rollout of business software was largely down to whether a boss alone saw the value. We’re increasingly seeing the decision-making power […]
September 11, 2001
Originally posted in September 2001, Inbound Logistics looks back on the memories of 9/11 – 20 years later.
What’s the first thing you would do to address the truck driver shortage?
Improve the quality of life on the road. “Shipper of choice” and “broker of choice” wouldn’t be terms because they would be the norm, not the exception. Clean accommodations and safe resting/sleeping areas would be everywhere. Getting trucks loaded in under two hours would be the expectation everywhere in every sector. Higher standards for drivers from all partners = a better job = more drivers.
IN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-September 2021
Technology CPG and brand manufacturers can more accurately predict supply chain trends with developer Deacom’s enhanced enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Its new forecasting methods allow users to take into consideration market volatility by weighing specific variables, measuring short-term demands, and applying multiple variables to a forecast. FourKites, a real-time supply chain visibility platform, released new capabilities […]
Vertical Focus | Agriculture
Unearthing the Land of Cotton You can sell unwanted cotton clothes at a garage sale or donate them to avoid landfills, but what about burying them in soil? The Goondiwindi Circular Cotton Project in Australia recently found that old cotton textiles can improve soil quality on farms, potentially unearthing a large-scale circular solution for textile […]
Precision Starts with Visibility
The new must-have supply chain qualities are speed and accuracy—and the cost for not measuring up is unequivocally high. Manufacturers have been given a seemingly simple choice: maintain optimal levels of accuracy, dependability, and responsiveness, or pay the hefty price. Assuming success will be easy is a costly mistake.
How can brick-and-mortar retail make a comeback?
Retailers are wise to prioritize flexibility rather than putting all their eggs into either in-store or online baskets. The future of retail may be brick-and-mortar for some, however many factors are still at play. It’s not a simple answer. The future is not one-size-fits-all. The ability to be nimble and proactive not only boosts efficiency, […]
Enabling Supply Chain Agility
The world is in the midst of mass disruption due to the global spread of the COVID-19. Entire industries face new challenges as a result of this pandemic. Workers are finding themselves having to perform jobs remotely, suppliers looking for new ways to connect, and logistics solutions are being put to the test. Unfortunately, it […]
Supply Chain Boot Camp
Undercover Boots, based in Panama, has been designing and selling its colorful rain boots and shoes since its founding in 2014. Over the past seven years, it has expanded sales to 72 countries, even though only eight individuals are listed on its employee roster.
Jennifer Lyons: Just Keep Paddling!
Jennifer Lyons is deputy manager, NASA Deep Space Logistics Project.
Supply Chain Predictions for 2021
I think we can all agree that 2020 is a year that we’ll be excited to leave behind. With a global pandemic, and all its associated side-effects, day-to-day life has been a challenge. But with every challenge comes an opportunity, and this has certainly been the case in the world of e-commerce. With millions homebound, […]
Creating a Business-Friendly Environment
At the crux of Michigan’s central expressways, five Class A rail lines, and the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, you’ll find the City of Romulus, which residents refer to as the “Home of Opportunity.” The city’s access to transportation and 3,146 acres of undeveloped land have positioned Romulus as a logistics hub for developers from Michigan and across the nation.
3 Ways to Bolster Your Supply Chain
Organizations across industries have spent decades optimizing supply chains for maximum profit, but the pandemic highlighted almost overnight how little attention these companies have paid to resilience. As production and mobility of goods experienced historic disruptions, demand quickly exceeded supply and forecasts have failed to produce reliable information for months.
10 Ways to Improve Your Supply Contract
Brexit, COVID-19, and the Suez Canal congestion brought Force Majeure clauses in supply chain contracts into sharp focus. Force Majeure clauses seek to limit the liability of a party whose performance is affected by an unforeseen event beyond that party’s control.
For Beyond Meat and QSR Brands, Asking “What if?” Will Prevent “What Now?”
The supply chain disruptions of 2020 resulted in a highly challenging year for the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry. Wendy’s, for instance, ran out of menu items containing beef in almost one-fifth of its restaurants. As a result of the beef shortage, Wendy’s, along with McDonald’s and Burger King, resorted to importing beef during the earlier […]
It’s Time for All Retailers to Go Hybrid
Marcia Brey is vice president, distribution, with GE Appliances, a Haier company.
World-Class Service From the Warehouse to the Kitchen
Marcia Brey is vice president, distribution, with GE Appliances, a Haier company.
What is the secret to a successful shipper/3PL partnership?
Three fundamental pillars define a successful partnership: a direct application programming interface (API) integration, a shared target customer, and a partnership mentality focused on solutions. When any one of these pillars falter, the client suffers and that is unacceptable. As a 3PL, it’s our responsibility to help clients mitigate pain points and enable growth.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT | Robotics Solutions
AutoStore: The scalable storage and retrieval system from Swisslog uses robots and bins to quickly process small parts orders. In one use case, Arvato Supply Chain Solutions processes e-commerce orders for Rituals Cosmetics Enterprise (pictured). In 2020, Arvato scaled up as needed by adding 65 new robots to its initial deployment of 36 robots. Bolt: […]
10 Tips for Ensuring Trade Compliance
Many companies do not prioritize regular trade compliance check-ins until they’re dealing with a problem. Here’s how to manage and improve your international trade processes so you can catch a problem before it arises and remain compliant.
Handle with White Gloves
As consumers become increasingly comfortable buying over-sized goods online, manufacturers and retailers partner with white-glove, last-mile delivery services to make in-home set-up and assembly a first-class experience.
Acing Your Stress Test
Facing more frequent disruptions—from natural disasters to the pandemic—supply chain professionals are shifting their focus to mitigate risk and assess resilience. Post-pandemic, 93% of executives responding to a McKinsey survey say they expect to increase resilience by rebalancing their supply chains, an increase from 70% before the pandemic. A supply chain resilience stress test is […]
Other Reasons Why Supply Chain Stress Won’t End Soon
Our "new normal" global consumption reality won’t be ending soon. It’s not just e-commerce, virus buying, and the resultant impact on transport lift availability that’s driving shortages. Other factors augment long-term stress on your ability to marshal supplies and source transport to serve customers. Millennials with buying power, and there are lots of them, will […]
Fresh Strategies for Rebuilding Retail
E-commerce retailers construct new partnerships and processes to enhance operations, brick by brick.
It’s Time for Women in Transportation
When the pandemic first hit the United States, it wiped out millions of jobs, particularly among women who found themselves back home and coordinating everything from elderly parent medical issues to home-school activities for kids.
Combating the Logistics Labor Shortage By Addressing Driving Factors
Understanding the underlying causes behind the logistics labor shortage is key to addressing it. Here are the strategies implemented by Taylored Services to combat the shortage.
Florida: Logistics Coming in Hot
The Sunshine State is a logistics hotspot, offering sizzling transportation connections, blazing industrial real estate opportunities, and blisteringly efficient import/export capabilities.
Avoiding Freight Detention and Seizure
Knowing the most common reasons CBP seizes a shipment can help you avoid the hassle.
Tive Helps Optimize Courier Deliver OTIF Pharma Products by Eliminating Temperature Excursions
Without real-time visibility into your pharma shipment’s location and temperature, you are risking costly failures in your supply chain.
Change Is Here to Stay in the Supply Chain: Here’s How to Manage It
The peaks and valleys we’re experiencing in the transportation market are not for the faint of heart, but there are moves you can make to regain some control.
Logistics Supports a Healthy Pharma Industry
From managing distribution channels to boosting visibility and security, the pharmaceutical and life sciences supply chain mixes complexity with risk. Here are the technologies and strategies that inject efficiency into supply chains.
There’s No Easy Button for AI and ML
It’s easy to get excited about using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to transform supply chain and logistics operations. Take a bunch of data, run it through a model, and uncover the hidden answers that take your business to the next level.
Incentives Brighten Site Selection Decisions
Tax, energy, and land incentives can turn a good location into a great one. Here’s what companies and the logistics providers who serve them need to consider as they explore locating, relocating, or expanding their businesses.
It’s Time to Rethink the Routing Guide
The routing guide is the manifestation of a shipper’s transportation strategy and a rough estimate of its budget for the upcoming year. It connects the annual bid with actual load tendering within a TMS, and strategically allocates and assigns each shipment to the appropriate carrier.
3 Ways Dynamic Pricing Helps Retailers
Dynamic pricing is everywhere. Just about anything purchased through Amazon has been impacted by some element of dynamic pricing. Surge pricing on Uber, toll road prices that rise as traffic builds up, and even concert tickets are using the technology.
EVs Get a Charge Out of Aluminum-Ion Batteries
Aluminum-ion rechargeable batteries charge 10 times faster than lithium-ion batteries, recent test results show in a study by Australia-based Graphene Manufacturing Group. Although their energy density is about 60% of the energy per weight of the best lithium-ion batteries, they provide other benefits: Speedy charge. A smartphone running an aluminum-ion battery could charge fully in […]
How to Import Duty-Free with Section 321
Running an e-commerce business can be a great source of income, but it can also be complicated. Ordering products from the other side of the world, navigating global logistics and even setting up successful sales channels are all a huge problem for retailers to overcome. Then throw into the mix of this a huge trade […]
Light Through the Cloud
Regina Andrew did more than survive the pandemic—it thrived. “If you didn’t do well in the home furnishing industry during the pandemic, then you were doing something wrong,” says Jim Bonomo, the company’s chief operating officer.
Navigating Unexpected Hiccups
Uncertainties and unexpected hiccups can hit businesses at any time. Without resilience and enough preparedness, a business can struggle to cope with these unforeseen events.
From Cornflakes and Cars to Logistics
In the transparent, open, and honest work environment Val Hoge created for DP DHL Supply Chain, teams are empowered, feedback is considered a gift, and even the coaches get coached.
NOTED: The Supply Chain In Brief-Aug 2021
Good Works Global logistics services provider DHL Express delivered the U.S. government’s donation of 1 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in collaboration with the COVAX global vaccine-sharing program. DHL arranged pickup of the vaccines from U.S. facilities before they were airlifted from its Cincinnati hub to the DHL Express Subang Gateway in Malaysia, where […]
IN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-August 2021
Products Confidex released its new Ferrowave Micro on-metal label for use on retail items such as golf clubs, cosmetics, and metallic beverage containers that were once too small for RFID tagging. With an acrylic adhesive that securely attaches to painted or non-painted metal surfaces, the label also serves as brand authentication for high-value goods. The DuraLabel […]
7 Critical Questions You Need to Ask
With a huge number of constantly shifting variables, suppliers, and other factors to consider, it’s easy to feel that managing supply chain risk is an unending battle that you’ll never win.
Streamlining Retail Logistics
Here are 10 ways for retailers to streamline logistics operations and implement best practices so you will have the right inventory at the right location.
E. Coli Eats Up Plastic and Churns Out Vanilla
U.K. scientists used E. coli to transform plastic waste into vanillin, the molecule responsible for the characteristic smell and taste of vanilla. This means it’s possible to transform plastic into a highly useful material for cosmetics manufacturing. Researchers used genetic engineering to create a strain of E. coli that converts one of the chemicals used […]
Tech Support
The need for supply chain resilience, visibility, agility, and control drives technology across multiple sectors.
E-Commerce Innovation: Leaders of the Pack
E-commerce brands looking to protect merchandise and reduce their carbon footprint are exploring surprising new packaging materials, designs, uses, and re-uses.
Build an Agile and Resilient Supply Chain in 4 Steps
In an era when the most unpredictable challenge imaginable, a global pandemic, turned the business world upside down, the need for a reliable supply chain that can react quickly to any and all disruptions became the top priority for organizations. This is by no means an easy feat, and many are familiar with the concept […]
Fertilizer Company Launches Autonomous, Zero-Emission Vessel
In an effort to reduce its reliance on diesel trucks, Norway-based fertilizer company Yara International has developed the first autonomous, zero-emission cargo ship. The Yara Birkeland is fully autonomous in piloting as well as port operations, allowing the vessel to dock, tether, and begin the cargo transfer process on its own. Yara relies on diesel […]
8 Surefire Ways to Navigate Global Supply Chain Upheaval
Demand volatility coupled with capacity shortages. Lead times stretching out weeks, even months. Congestion at ports worldwide. What can shippers do to keep their supply chains moving? Plenty.
Plastic Pallets Stack Up Sustainability
What’s in store for the pallet industry, and how will it affect retailers’ sustainability goals? Jeff Pepperworth, president and chief executive officer at iGPS Logistics, a national plastic pallet pooling services provider, shares his outlook. Q: What’s the state of the plastic pallet industry at the moment? Right now, the industry is robust. We see […]
Extreme Project Logistics: Take It to the Limit
Demanding logistics projects can bring out the best in teams as they band together to navigate an array of complex challenges.
Big Ideas for Small Companies
Small companies take big steps to navigate supply chain challenges.
2021 Summer Reading Guide
When it’s time to absorb your next audiobook or crack open a book this summer, take a dip into this collection of fresh research, actionable advice, and best practices to refresh your supply chain knowledge.
Catch Me When I Fall
A trust fall is a team-building exercise where the one doing the falling willingly trusts that those standing behind will catch them before they hit bottom. We chose the trust fall as an apt theme for our annual third-party logistics edition. Whether you voluntarily fall or are shoved by business realities—pandemic, labor shortages, remote workforces, […]
3PLs Have Your Back
Shippers trust their third-party logistics partners will be there for them—no matter what the business conditions.
Top 10 3PLs Readers’ Choice Excellence Awards
These third-party logistics providers have earned your trust—and your votes—with their consistency and customer service.
Five Solutions to Costly Time-Critical Shipping Challenges
Delays in time-critical shipping can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars lost, missed opportunities, and even loss of life. Whether shipping critical manufacturing and airplane parts, vaccines, organs for transplant, or lab work, these important shipments must be picked up and arrive on time. However, industry statistics have shown that one in three time-critical shipments […]
2021 Inbound Logistics Perspectives: 3PL Market Research Report
Our 16th annual 3PL market research report reveals the current state of the union between shippers and their logistics service partners.
2021 Top 100 3PLs
When your enterprise faces supply chain and logistics challenges, these partners won’t let you fall. In alphabetical order, here are the 100 third-party logistics providers deemed best of the best by Inbound Logistics editors.
Demand Accuracy In Your Supply Chain
During the pandemic, a lot of the focus on supply chain tended to be on the supply side, and rightly so, due to the highly publicized sourcing, production, distribution, and transportation issues. As a result, organizations continue to look to increase productivity, flexibility, and agility through programs such as Lean, increased automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and others.
Reducing Customer Costs Through Strategic Inventory Movements
The supply chain presents a considerable, albeit unavoidable, cost to companies. Efficient operations with a proactive logistics partner are vital in allowing companies to maintain a balance between this expense and the final cost of product.
Flexing Labor Practices to Respond to Supply Chain Disruptions
Responding to e-commerce surges without compromising service levels, MD Logistics flexed labor across its business by emphasizing four core elements.
From Robots to Running Shoes
With homebound consumers buying new shoes and gear like never before, DHL Supply Chain and Locus Robotics helped Brooks Running race to meet consumer demand and prepare for future growth.
Echo’s Managed Transportation Solution Supports Resin Distributor’s Rapid Growth
Leveraging enhanced technology and a dedicated LTL carrier network, Echo’s solution enables M. Holland to meet national business needs with a more strategic routing process.
Pool Distribution Increases the Speed to Market for Fast-Fashion Giant
A major fast-fashion retailer got a leg up when SEKO Logistics streamlined workflows with a 24/7 performance portal to manage metrics, outside market conditions, and costs.
Blend of Solutions Saves the Day for Yogurt Maker
When yogurt maker Noosa needed to sleeve bottles of drinkable yogurt while maintaining their temperatures, Verst provided solutions to make sure processes went smoothly.
3PL Outsourcing Beyond the Initial Goals
RedStone understands that cost savings are just a part of each client relationship; a 3PL must provide more if the relationship is to withstand the demands of an ever-changing supply chain.
Need Speed Across the Supply Chain? It’s All About the Barcode.
Warehouse and DC managers are following the lead of their e-commerce peers and looking at ways to streamline their receiving and warehouse processes. One of the smartest places to start is also one of the simplest—barcode label printing.
3PLs in Agriculture: Know the Roots of the Industry to Make Your Impact
From LTL and dedicated route service to seasonal and year-round storage, 3PLs need to be well-versed in the space to meet the specialized needs of agricultural companies.
Combating Labor Shortages: New Warehouse Tech Offers a Competitive Edge
Innovative technology increases productivity, combats unpredictability, and streamlines processes. An augmented, connected worker is more efficient and more valuable than ever before.
Technology Can Supercharge Your Supply Chain, Here’s Where to Start
Q: What are the most important technology trends in the supply chain? A: With the COVID-19 pandemic still impacting global supply chains, real-time product and shipment visibility has become paramount to disruption planning and customer expectations. According to the most recent Gartner study, "By 2023, 50% of enterprises will have invested in a real-time transportation […]
5 Ways to Keep Your Supply Chain on Track in 2021’s Unprecedented Peak Season
Peak season 2021 is gearing up to be one of the most active in recent history. If your business is often unprepared for shipping surges, this peak season won’t be any easier.
How Short-Term Bids Can Produce Long-Term Benefits
Mini-bids act as a supplemental strategy, providing short-term revisions to rein in costs and shore up failing routing guides. You need the most accurate and reliable data to execute a successful mini-bid strategy.
Adopt an Integrated TMS to Tackle Supply Chain Complexity
Q: Why should I consider a transportation management system (TMS) now? A: Rates and capacity in all modes will be volatile for months to come. Without the ability to manage rates and carriers, you’ll likely pay more for shipping than you should. Manual tracking or relying on forwarders, brokers, or carriers for updates means you’ll […]
Canada-U.S. Trade: Connections
The tight relationship between the United States and its northern neighbor makes cross-border trade seamless and efficient. Logistics professionals leverage these connections to keep goods flowing and supply chains humming.
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 […]
Deploy 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 […]
Reducing 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 […]
Rail 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 […]
NOTED: 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 […]
IN 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 […]
People 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 […]
Vertical 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 […]
Winding a Way Through Supply Chain Education
Leading professors provide a map for navigating the labyrinth of post-pandemic supply chain education.