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.

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 […]

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.

How 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 […]

Smart Clothes Hit the Rack

Will warehouse workers suit up in electronic clothing? Possibly. MIT researchers released a line of smart clothes that can track physical movement, and Fudan University researchers in China unveiled state-of-the-art electronic textiles that can produce visual displays. This is all happening as wearable devices continue to streamline supply chain operations and provide critical feedback in […]

Solving the Global Data Dilemma

For as much time and effort spent trying to perfect the systems and technologies we rely on for global logistics, it seems the industry has lost sight of how people actually get work done.

BBQ Supply Chain Sizzles

Check This Out: E-Commerce Grocers

The shift to grocery e-commerce has retailers hungry for fulfillment improvements and supply chain efficiency gains.

Fixing Manufacturers’ Broken Traditional Selling Processes

Why is it so hard for manufacturers to go digital? The end answer is always the same: fear. Fear of change, fear of losing revenue, and fear of potentially jeopardizing relationships with dealers and distributors is paralyzing manufacturers.

G75: Inbound Logistics’ 75 Green Supply Chain Partners

Inbound Logistics’ annual G75 is an editors’ choice list of 75 companies that go above and beyond to ensure their global supply chains are sustainable, and that their operations are socially and environmentally friendly. These companies are dedicated to developing and implementing best practices that leave a positive footprint on the world.

Designers Cultivate Plant-Based Leather

Fashion designers branch out to plant-based textiles in response to growing demand for sustainable and cruelty-free products, and as supply chains seek to lower their carbon footprint. These leather alternatives are heating up: Cactus: Fast fashion company H&M is partnering with Mexico-based Desserto to create a new collection, including shoes made from cactus leather. Desserto […]

EV Power Play

The U.S. electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing sector is about to get a sales boost from the Biden Administration. The EV market has been rocking because of the continued growing interest in sustainability, especially now that the bleeding-edge vehicle phase is behind us. President Biden confirmed that EVs would get a stimulus in the not-yet-passed multi-trillion-dollar […]

Chemical Logistics on a Roll

Overcoming capacity constraints, severe weather, and cyberattacks, chemical logistics service providers combine expertise and dedication to keep shipments moving safely and efficiently.

5 Ways to Position Your Supply Chain for Retail Compliance Success

These five actions will help you meet retailers’ expectations and standards, from packaging and appointment scheduling to advanced ship notifications.

You Bet, We Still Care About Sustainability

As they erase the distractions posed by the pandemic, companies brainstorm new ideas to make their supply chains more sustainable.

Supplier Information Still a Concern

The pandemic revealed widespread problems with supplier information on a global scale. While many procurement leaders responding to the 2021 Supplier Information Study, commissioned by Tealbook, had initially vowed to invest in supply chain resiliency, almost a year after the pandemic they still grapple with issues surrounding poor supplier information: Agility: Nearly all respondents agree […]

Hailing Robotaxis for Delivery

Cruise, GM’s autonomous vehicle arm, was mainly focused on launching an autonomous ridesharing service, but may use its "robotaxis" for delivery services instead. It recently added Walmart as an investor in an extended fundraising round that grew to $2.75 billion, and had completed a delivery pilot with DoorDash in San Francisco even before the pandemic. […]

Target Practices Faster Fulfillment

Instead of using carriers to ship all its online orders, Target is building its own team of dedicated delivery personnel to get packages to customers’ doors even faster, helping the retailer compete with its e-commerce rivals, says a CNBC report. The new approach involves three companies that Target acquired: Grand Junction, Deliv, and Shipt. Target […]

Amazon Delivery Drivers, Assemble!

Amazon shoppers may soon have the option to have their orders assembled upon arrival, says a Bloomberg report. The e-commerce giant is testing the premium service as online furniture and housewares sales continue to soar and shoppers get more comfortable making big-ticket purchases online. Amazon currently offers scheduled at-home delivery to a particular room, but […]

Vertical Focus | Textiles

Dawn of the Deadstock To address pandemic-induced material shortages, economic volatility, and environmental concerns, many retailers are working to make their supply chains circular. These initiatives help the cause by reviving deadstock material—unused fabric that fashion brands typically store or destroy. Here’s how some retailers are bringing their deadstock to life: Queen of Raw: This […]

TMS: Unlocking Transportation Efficiencies

Transportation management systems are key to managing Supply chain disruptions, shifting capacity, fluctuating fuel costs and demanding e-commerce customer requirements.

What fictional character or historical figure would you put in charge of global vaccine logistics and distribution?

Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, understands how to harness business and technology to get results—even if some of the measures needed are unpopular. His attention to detail and insatiable appetite for perfection would allow him to pivot and change course when faced with gaps in the distribution process that others may fear.

Why a YMS?

Companies often overlook the yard outside their warehouses or manufacturing plants. These yards, however, can be sources of efficiency…or delays.

TMS Guide 2021

Download our NEW TMS e-book here: 2021 TMS Guide 360data www.360data.com | 920-707-3601 Product: 360data TMS Platform: Hosted on the vendor’s website, Cloud based Description: Integrates with ERP systems or operates as a standalone. Full functionality without large capital investment. 3Gtms www.3gtms.com | 203-567-4610 Product: 3Gtms Platform: Cloud based Description: Provides end-to-end transportation management and […]

Intermodal Meets the Moment

In a supercharged supply chain, intermodal’s value grows more evident than ever. These standout companies are contributing to its bright future.

E-Commerce Fulfillment: DC Strategies for Riding the Surge

The pandemic turned traditional assumptions about demand for a whole range of products on their heads. In these volatile times, how did smart fulfillment operations keep up?

Pallets Power Processes

From materials handling to retail operations, pallets support supply chains and sustainability goals.

Robots and People: Co-Evolving

Robots and people are adjusting their symbiotic relationship in logistics. Our recent robotics coverage (Feb. 2021) generated a good amount of audience feedback, most related to the growing importance and essential need for humans in logistics. It’s true that the stresses created by the virus economy spawned an increase in investing in automation to take […]

Getting a Grasp on Transport Spend

Shipping has been inexorably changed in light of COVID-19. Changes that have been slowly building for a decade are being infinitely compounded as consumers shift to e-commerce versus standard brick-and-mortar shopping. With demand for direct-to-consumer business increasing, delivering shipments to consumers quickly, at the cheapest cost, is now a necessity for companies.

Robotics Deployment Increases 3PL’s Productivity from Day 1

Locus Robotics deployed autonomous mobile robots along with actionable reporting tools and dashboards for Taylored Services. The scalable solution brought immediate gains.

Technology Must Be a Theme in 2021

The supply chain sector has always been one of tradition. Unfortunately, that has often meant that it has been slow to adopt the technology evolving around it. With a fear of the unknown, the supply chain and logistics sector has stuck to the status quo for too long, slowing the ability to evolve and reach true potential.

Streamlining Freight Bill Audit and Payment Processes

Allowing transparent, flawless communication between its transportation management system and its clients’ account payable systems, AR Traffic Consultants helps increase efficiency and lower freight costs.

Global Manufacturer Gains Visibility and Control Over Inbound Freight

Deploying the RateLinx supplier portal and TMS, water solutions company Pentair gained transparency, visibility, and control over its entire freight spend.

Auto Supplier Turns to Hub Group for Strategic Overhaul

Encompassing drayage, transload, and expedited OTR solutions, Hub Group’s comprehensive capabilities helped a leading auto supplier gain back control over its import network and key relationships.

Incorporating Sustainability into Your Warehouse Operation

From switching to energy-efficient lighting to installing solar panels, here are some tips to help you build a greener warehouse.

Maximizing Unused Vertical Space with a Vertical Lift and Mezzanine Is the Key to Better Productivity and Safety

Efficiency starts with an organized and free flowing work area. A Mezzanine and Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor (VRC) might be the perfect place to start.

Bulk Materials Handling: Conveying the Non-Conveyable

The supply chain shift to e-commerce fulfillment presents a cumbersome materials handling challenge for bulky and oversized items that can’t properly run on automated infrastructure.

The Future of Warehouse Workers

Warehouse employment has reached new highs as e-commerce sales are higher than any previous point in time. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, total U.S. e-commerce sales for 2020 increased 32.4% from 2019. In comparison, total e-commerce sales in 2019 increased 14.9% from 2018. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has driven much of the existing current […]

B2B Materials Supplier Prepares for a Fast-Growth Future with a Fleet of Mobile Robots

Many companies integrating robotics seek to add them to their current warehouse layout to keep the workflow moving seamlessly. Material Bank, a B2B materials supplier, saw an opportunity to build their entire business model and warehouse around the robotic solution from the very start for even more gains. There was a specific need to find […]

Digging Up Vertical Farming Solutions

Vertical farming—in which indoor spaces are used to grow food—is forecast to increase globally, but such operations can only grow a limited number of crops to make a profit. A new automated solution, created by Swisslog, can help the industry overcome these barriers to growth with better flexibility, reduced costs, and closer proximity to consumers […]

Transportation Strategies: Weathering the Storm

While waiting for the pandemic to blow over, savvy shippers developed transportation strategies that are successful now and will protect them in times of future disruption, come rain or come shine.

Americold’s Fresh New Facility Boosts Temperature-Controlled Trade Through the Port of Savannah

The Port of Savannah is Georgia’s gateway to the world—a critical conduit moving products to and from destinations around the globe. As the largest single-terminal container facility of its kind in North America and the third fastest-growing port in the nation, Savannah faced infrastructure challenges that required an investment to strengthen cold chain capabilities for […]

Holy Ship

Vertical Focus: Confections

Chocolate Supply Chain: Bean to Bar None Consumers are more conscious about the ingredients in the chocolate they buy due to vegan diets, lactose allergies, climate concerns, and ethical spending. This increased the demand for premium products and a bean-to-bar approach to manufacturing, says Fortune Business Insights data. These trends are affecting the chocolate supply […]

What’s the supply chain buzzword of 2021?

AGILITY Companies must be nimble in their approach to logistics and warehousing operations. Corporations that embrace agility can quickly maneuver and clear roadblocks when disruptions arise. —Grant Koch Solutions & Innovation Director BDP International Over the past 12 months, we have seen disruptions within an already challenging global logistics supply chain. Traditional seasonal patterns and […]

Supply Chain: An Engine of Post-Pandemic Growth

Growth has been hard to find for consumer goods companies in recent years. The majority of food and beverage businesses, for instance, are seeing growth of less than 3% according to Accenture’s analysis. And across industry segments, growth has been trending downward for five years now, culminating in the unprecedented disruption of 2020.