
Data Management—Vital Today – Freight Management Inc.
Years ago, I named my business “Freight Management” but today it should be called “Data Management” since that seems to be the business in which we find ourselves. Driven by competitors, by our clients, and by our own imagination, the effective collection of information can be invaluable if properly used and directed. But there are […]

Solutions for the Unprecedented
Meeting the unprecedented challenges of 2020, CFI leveraged its resources and delivered effective solutions for its partners.

Is the Logistics Sector Ready for the COVID-19 Vaccine?
The last mile will have to accommodate the reliable distribution of the billions of vaccines that providers will manufacture and ship in 2021. Here are the obstacles facing the supply chain.

Managing Transitions Effectively to Enhance Project Success
Q: Why is transition management so critical? A: The effectiveness of the transition depends on how well the change is managed. It is essential to have a documented project plan and a dedicated project manager with experience across multiple disciplines. Their job is to manage the process, hold the team accountable, and develop a formalized […]

Getting Crafty with Supply Chain Solutions – Verst Logistics
Verst Logistics helped an arts and crafts supplies company address peak season challenges and growing sales by expanding its supply chain capabilities.

Converging Order and Logistics Management on One Platform
Q: Order management systems relate closely to supply chain management by better matching demand to supply. What are the new developments in OMS? A: Today’s technology empowers brands to offer a range of diverse, quality products, as well as customizable delivery or omni-channel fulfillment options to their customers. Doing so cost-effectively has always been a […]

E-Commerce Trends Drive Automation Initiatives
Q: Do you think the adoption of automated systems will increase with the accelerated e-commerce penetration rate? A: Based on what we have seen in the past several months, the answer is a resounding yes. Someone a long time ago said, "necessity is the mother of invention." I recently had a 3PL prospect, who is […]

Bringing Transportation in Sync with the World
True digital transformation requires the ability to think beyond the next load or the next order to find new and enduring ways to match demand with capacity and connect relevant industry partners.

Inventory Management: Two Key Indicators to Improve Warehouse Operations
Your warehouse is your company’s barometer: It measures the health of your sales, as well as its fluctuations. That is why good inventory management, including optimizing the flow of goods and sales forecasting, becomes essential if you want to avoid product shortages and overstock. Monitoring the turnover and coverage rates will help you limit the […]

New Directions in U.S.-Mexico Trade and Logistics
Q: Why is trade with Mexico so important and where do you see the opportunities? A: Mexico is already the United States’ second largest trading partner, with two-way trade in goods totaling over $615 billion per year. The recent implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), combined with global sourcing strategies resulting in more nearshoring […]

The Three Trends Driving Supply Chain Efficacy in 2021
Change is the one constant in supply chain management. And today, shippers need a flexible, agile, and data-driven process to control freight spend. Given the state of last year’s record-breaking e-commerce growth and the uncertainty in the market today, it’s essential to know how a few trends will shape the rest of 2021 and build […]

137 Tips for a Fully Charged Supply Chain
Inbound Transportation 1. Dive in with your suppliers. Ask what cost and efficiency benefits your vendors are providing by using their carriers or shipping schedules. The customer pays one way or another, so push for carriers that demonstrate service and reliability, not those who move operational or cost inefficiencies from a vendor’s dock to the […]

Partnering with a Nonprofit to Provide COVID-19 Relief to the Navajo Nation
Echo Global Logistics partners with a nonprofit organization to deliver thousands of water containers to the Navajo Nation in support of COVID-19 relief.

Warehouse Safety Best Practices: Building a Program
To build a safety program that has the strength and support to last, follow these practices and leverage your staff’s experience and expertise.

Mode Shift to Eliminate Supply Chain Disruption
When supply chains require unique equipment and depend on damage-free, on-time service, partnering with a carrier such as PITT OHIO, that can execute mode optimization strategies, can impact the success of your business.

Build Supply Chain Resiliency with Digital Transformation
Q: How has the pandemic revealed shortcomings in supply chains? A: The pandemic highlighted the need for a resilient supply chain. The companies that best weathered this crisis were able to make informed decisions and collaborate across their supply chain to minimize the impact of the disruption. It’s clear that adopting an integrated transportation management […]

Aptitive Helps 3PL Derive Insights from Data with Real-Time Analytics Platform
A Chicago-based 3PL turned to Aptitive to design a scalable data and analytics modernization platform. Aptitive delivered a solution that not only helped the provider, but their customers as well.

SEKO Partnership Provides Ecommerce Efficiencies for Retailers
Retailer Shein streamlined supply chain operations by leveraging the partnership between Air-City and SEKO, allowing shippers to move express ecommerce orders efficiently across international borders.

Pandemic Spurs Accelerated Investment in Supply Chain Automation, Digital Technologies
Digital technologies and automated solutions will help your supply chain succeed in this new, post-pandemic reality. For starters, they increase resilience in the face of disruption and support your workforce.

Professional Education: Time to Pay It Forward
The pandemic, for better and for worse, has shined a bright light on the supply chain and logistics functions.

Accelerating Innovation to Meet Supply Chain Challenges
Innovation is a cornerstone and driving principle at ID Logistics. These three winning projects exemplify our mission to continually drive process improvements and boost service levels.
Supply Chain Recovery Starts with Hygiene Compliance
Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, supply chain leaders have been challenged with ever-evolving conditions and circumstances, especially for manufacturers responsible for producing and delivering essential goods during a time of crisis. In addition to supply shocks that have the industry rethinking supply chain models, hygiene has also moved to the forefront in […]

Outsourcing Helps Close IT Gaps and Meet Milestones
Q: To meet new and changing shipper demands, what areas of focus should be the highest priorities for tech investment by carriers in 2021? A: One challenge we’re witnessing right now is the increasing need for carriers to provide more realtime visibility of a shipment’s journey. Carriers have begun taking steps to do just that […]
4 Ways to Include Deskless Logistics Workers in Your Digital Strategy
Supply chains are undergoing unprecedented restructuring driven by competition, demand shifts, and trade wars—circumstances further accelerated by COVID-19. The resulting pressure on profits forces logistic functions and companies to evaluate ways to innovate, lower costs, and increase long-term resiliency. Logistics industry leaders are meeting this challenge by embracing digital transformation through innovative digitalization plans. But […]

Speed, Reach & Flexibility Are Critical to Supply Chain Success in COVID Era
The pandemic has vastly accelerated the growing digital commerce space. Reports show ecommerce leapt years ahead in progress in just months with spending up 30% from the beginning of March through mid-April 2020. A rapid change in customer behaviors, driven by the pandemic, led to an explosion in social commerce, a faster evolution of omni-channel […]

Agility, Data, and No-Code: Three Trends for the Future
Q: How are new technologies shaping the future of the supply chain? A: Advances in data integration, IoT, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are changing every part of the supply chain. These technologies can link systems and enable you to: Deliver better customer experiences with end-to-end order data and item status from multiple systems. Automate […]

Scaling SCM Ecosystems—Boardroom Insights
Q: Can you reflect on your last customer transformation experience and the takeaways from that engagement? A: Modernizing ecosystems while keeping up the ongoing business operations is the reality of every business. The current ecosystem, future solution expectations, and resource models are the drivers that determine the program’s pace. Practical challenges in the transformation include: […]
How to Identify the Blind Spots in Your Supply Chain
As the global economy has become more interconnected, supply chains are increasingly complex and distributed. This allows companies to work with a broader range of suppliers and source materials on demand, which has made supply chains more efficient and reduced costs. However, modern supply chains also pose more daunting logistical challenges than they used to—with […]
Technology Adoption Is a Must for the Trucking Industry in 2021
As all industries experienced the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, those involved in freight and supply chain management realized digitalization transformation efforts had to come first in order to mitigate disruption and better prepare for the near term. Here are three areas where I foresee major changes in the coming months. Route Optimization and AI/ML […]
NOTED: The Supply Chain in Brief-January 2021
Sealed Deals CEVA Logistics and Italian publishing company Mondadori Group signed a contract to extend their partnership for another five years. The CEVA Logistics Italia team will continue to manage consumer orders, concentrating operations in a dedicated warehouse in La Città del Libro (City of Books), where it will handle 30 million book copies and 65,000 titles each […]
Warehouse Trends Resulting from the Pandemic
Warehouses have been evolving for years and this year has been no exception. While experts might have been able to predict some of the trends that would take place in 2020, what they couldn’t predict was just how fast those trends would accelerate and impact the industry as a result of COVID-19. From changes in […]
Are We Ready to Deliver the COVID-19 Vaccine?
In March 2020, as the dynamics of a pandemic arrested American healthcare systems both in their capacity to deliver care and sustain supply availability, health systems around the world enacted their emergency preparedness protocols. Very quickly, medical, pharmaceutical and health organizations became aware of how effectively they had planned for these most extreme conditions. A […]

Surging Optimism Buoys SMBs
Despite the upheaval businesses experienced in 2020, optimism has now surged past pre-pandemic levels, and many leaders from small to mid-size businesses (SMBs) report being well-positioned for growth in the year ahead, says Umpqua Bank’s annual report. Key findings from the survey include: Positive Outlook Positivity has roughly doubled since 2020, with expectations for economic […]
Revisiting 2020
This was a year like no other for supply chain and logistics management. here’s what we’ll remember about 2020.
Global Trade Plateau?
Order volumes in Western economies have grown significantly, but momentum may be slowing, finds a new report.
Supply Chain Threats Beyond COVID-19
While COVID-19 remains a primary concern, a number of additional disruptions and risks impact supply chains. These are the risks to consider.

Going the Distance
As we move into 2021, social distancing is a top priority for C-level executives. While they manage their business with social distancing, the protocols aren’t ideal for productivity, finds a survey by consulting firm West Monroe. More than half say they primarily work remotely to avoid social distancing, and 40% say it’s the biggest hindrance […]
DHL Shares Strategy for Peak Season and Beyond
E-commerce is up 65% year over year, and expected to surge more than 50% during the busiest peak week, according to Chet Paul, senior vice president at DHL Express; Kraig Foreman, president at DHL Supply Chain; and Craig Morris, chief information officer at DHL eCommerce Solutions. In a media call, the DHL execs shared how […]

Intermodal Bounces Back
Strong intermodal volumes will continue as retailers replenish their inventories, says CSX Transportation and Canadian National Railway (CN). Intermodal traffic, which halted with the rest of rail volume when the pandemic began, bounced back faster than carload volumes and is surpassing 2019 levels. U.S. intermodal volume was up 10% and CN’s intermodal business was up […]

Top 25 Healthcare Supply Chains
Johnson & Johnson maintains its No. 1 spot on the Gartner Healthcare Supply Chain Top 25 list, which recognizes companies that advance healthcare by improving patient outcomes and controlling costs. Baylor Scott & White Health, Johns Hopkins Health System, Indiana University, and Biogen join the ranking for the first time. The healthcare leaders in 2020: […]
BlueGrace Logistics Names Mark Derks As New Chief Marketing Officer
Strategic investments in leadership team augments customer focus and value.
What supply chain adjustment would you have made at the start of 2020 if you knew then what you know now?
Focus on agile processes for managing my supply chain with an emphasis on digitization, instrumentation, and end-to-end workflow. It is important to know not only which suppliers I am dependent on, but also to be able to quickly adapt to sudden change. —Sean Chou, CEO, Catalytic Advise shippers to rethink their inventories, create supply chain […]

Time-Critical Shipments Speed Up
Calculating the optimal route for time-critical shipments used to take a nail-biting 30 minutes or longer. Thanks to a new routing solution, created by technology company Airspace, shippers can calculate the best path for transporting goods to their destination at the lowest cost and risk. The platform spits out results in less than one second—a […]

Vertical Focus: Food & Agriculture
Reimagining the Future of Food The agriculture industry should consider these changes to prepare for inevitable future disruptions, a CropLife report says: Redesign. An ultra-responsive supply chain is needed to keep up with changing trade policies and supply dynamics. One example: Nutella’s hazelnuts come from Turkey, its cocoa from Nigeria, and its sugar from Brazil. […]

Buddha Brands Embraces the Philosophy of Supply Chain Integration
Buddha Brands, a provider of plant-based food and beverage products, including Hungry Buddha keto bars and Thirsty Buddha coconut water, has seen tremendous growth during the past decade. To sustain its success, however, the company needed more robust integration between its electronic data interchange (EDI) solution and enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
Tonya Jackson: Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Tonya Jackson is senior vice president and chief supply chain officer with Lexmark, a creator of imaging solutions and technologies. Responsibilities: Worldwide supply chain operations, including supply planning, global sourcing, hardware and supplies manufacturing, distribution and logistics, and managing shared service centers. Experience: Vice president, global supply chain operations; vice president, supplies operation and engineering; all […]

Blockchain Brings Value to Touchless Supply Chains
With supply chains forced to operate on thinner margins, digital transformation is leapfrogging business priorities. The time to act is now. But onboarding proven technology to confront COVID-19-related challenges can feel as daunting as the pandemic itself.
Creating an Exceptional Customer Experience
Deliver poor customer service and you’ll lose business. But you can improve the customer experience by committing to meaningful change across your enterprise.

Supply Chain 4.0 Needs Order-to-Cash 4.0
Industry 4.0 has been given a renewed sense of urgency following the pandemic. Industry 4.0 refers to the massive changes we see across every industry as a result of new technologies, such as smart sensors, predictive analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI). By extension, we see a technological shake-up with supply chain 4.0 and cash management 4.0.
Ensuring a Successful 3PL Partnership
With companies embracing a new normal and reimagining supply chains, many turn to third-party logistics (3PL) providers. Here’s how to optimize your 3PL relationship.

Career Moves that Pack a Punch
Here’s your ring-side seat to knockout advice from supply chain professionals who boosted their careers by coming out swinging.

E-Shoppers: It’s a Mall World
Online shoppers across the globe are buying from marketplaces and international retailers, relying more on digital devices and seeking alternate delivery options, according to the latest UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper study. Almost all online shoppers in the markets surveyed shop at marketplaces—third-party e-commerce sites that let multiple merchants sell products. In Mexico, 99 […]

The New (Ab)Normal: Reshaping Business and Supply Chain Strategy Beyond COVID-19
What businesses have done during the chaos of the pandemic, and what they are likely to do in the coming months and years to ensure they survive the virus and thrive afterwards.

Food Packaging: That’s a Wrap
Environmental impacts, cost concerns, and technology advances drive food packaging innovation.
Energy Management: The Next Step in Supply Chain Optimization
When considering new ways to optimize their supply chain, many large enterprises—like UPS, Amazon, Walmart, and FedEx—first focus on technology enhancements. Hyperautomation, artificial intelligence (AI), edge computing, 5G, and virtual reality are the latest ways to fine-tune transportation, shipping, and logistics to meet customer demand and improve profitability.

Amping Up the CX
Shippers and their logistics partners deploy supply chain and customer experience strategies to rock their customers’ world.

Think Big, Act Small
Business disruption is creating disproportionate opportunity for mid-size forwarders, logistics solutions providers, and 3PLs. The maxim “He who is closer to the customer wins” is in play here. Says who? A recent survey by Barclays/BOD on the state of logistics confidence levels finds that “larger companies have generally found things more difficult than smaller ones, […]

Taylored Fulfillment Services Acquires U.S. Operations of Toll Global Logistics
Taylored Fulfillment Services, a national third-party logistics (3PL) provider based in New Jersey, acquired the U.S. operations of Toll Global Logistics, a $8.7 billion Australian logistics company, boosting its position as a top provider in the United States. The acquisition triples Taylored’s footprint in key distribution areas, which are located near the ports of Los […]

Collaboration Provides Unification, Visibility, and Reporting on Key Factors
TForce Worldwide partnered with a large manufacturing client, building a system that met its needs and a unified platform that provides complex data to support better business decisions.
Freight Does a Forward March
Most professionals say they expect COVID-19 to shape their supply chain into the medium term. The pace of change will be unlike anything since 2008, accelerating existing trends and shifting priorities, says a Ti and Bollore Logistics survey. Key findings include: 28% of respondents say they plan to shift volumes away from air freight in […]

What Makes a Go-To Ecommerce Partner? Ask Baboon To The Moon
With command over inventory as well as every order, return and exchange in the bag, backpack maker Baboon To The Moon is over the moon about their e-commerce fulfillment partner Port Logistics Group.

Rolling Out a Major Product Transition Across the Globe
For C3 Solutions, customer success equals company success. The industry leader in yard and dock management solutions eased the transition for users to a new HTML5 platform, providing exceptional support.

Home Improvement on a Winning Streak
The pandemic continues to boost sales for home improvement retailers as consumers spend much of their time at home. Total retail sales in the category were up 11% in July 2020 year over year according to the Department of Commerce (see chart), and consumer spending in the home category soared in April 2020 after stimulus […]

How to Prepare Your Warehouse for a Second Wave of COVID-19
Warehouses and fulfillment centers should take these precautions to mitigate COVID-19 risks, keep the workforce safe, and avoid costly downtime.

What Is the Best Method to Measure Customer Satisfaction?
Q: How is Ruan’s Customer Satisfaction Program structured? A: At Ruan, customer satisfaction is one of our five guiding principles. Ruan believes in developing strong partnerships by understanding our customers’ stories and continuing to improve our service as their needs evolve. And the best way to know if we are achieving that goal is to […]

Air Cargo’s Gradual Takeoff
The gradual movement toward recovery to pre-COVID market conditions continues for the global air cargo industry (see chart), according to data from CLIVE Data Services and TAC Index. Year-on-year growth for the full four weeks of August 2020 showed a further narrowing of the gap in international air cargo volumes to -17% versus August 2019. […]

Procurement Practices That Pay Off
How do you know you’re paying the right price for the right level of service? Accurate business intelligence will drive sound strategies that deliver on core business goals.

Control Tower Capabilities—Redefined
Q: What is a control tower? A: There are many definitions of a control tower in the market today. Some are analytics overlays without a network to get data or application intelligence. Some provide one functional area (e.g. planning) and encompass internal operations and maybe tier 1 providers. These can sound helpful but won’t get […]

Shaping Future Supply Chains
Supply chains face an evolution that will change how chief supply chain officers (CSCOs) operate, according to a Gartner report. The following trends will shape the supply chain’s future, the report says: 1. The rise of digital business. Many CSCOs struggle to create a holistic digital roadmap. At the same time, they face pressure from […]
Macy’s Parades Digital Lead
Digitally mature retailers better reacted to COVID-19 disruptions, finds a study by tech company Incisiv. Based on performance along the customer journey, the study names the top North American apparel retailers in digital maturity: Overall 1. Macy’s 2. Kohl’s 3. Neiman Marcus 4. Target 5. Nordstrom 6. Ann Taylor 7. Chico’s 8. J.C. Penney Co. […]
The Need for Shipping Speed
Consumers now make 58% of their purchases online since COVID-19 began compared to just 32% before the pandemic, and many will spend more for expedited shipping, says a LaserShip survey. The study reveals: Gen Z and millennials are more likely to shop at new retailers if expedited shipping is provided compared to older generations. 40% […]

Reshoring Starts with Mapping Suppliers
When the book How COVID-19 Changed Supply Chains is written, it will include chapters on reshoring—bringing manufacturing back to the United States—and nearshoring—bringing them closer to home. But there won’t be a chapter titled “How COVID-19 Ended China’s Manufacturing Dominance.”
Expedited Carriers Guide 2020
Demand for expedited shipments has exploded during the past decade, thanks to e-commerce growth and the Amazon Effect. That demand has accelerated even quicker during the pandemic.
Picking an Inventory Solution
With the right inventory management solution in place, businesses can flex and adapt quickly regardless of market conditions, challenges or shifts in their business models. These 8 tips by Oracle NetSuite will help you pick an inventory management solution that positions your business for success.

Airfreight Update: Managing the Turbulence
The air cargo sector has flown up, down, and sideways during the past half year. How are carriers and airports stabilizing?

Easing E-Commerce Pain Points
Although key logistics capabilities are needed to build and maintain successful e-commerce operations, few brands excel at them, according to a study from Geodis and Accenture Interactive. The study highlights: E-commerce acceleration: Brands estimate that e-commerce in 2020 will represent nearly half of their sales. Before COVID-19, companies were making 34% of their sales online. […]
Supply Chain Checklist for a COVID-19 World
While the uptick in revenue from online sales during the pandemic has been positive, shippers still face ongoing challenges acquiring raw materials and tackling last mile delivery. Companies are now in a position where they need to hedge against having too much inventory and working capital tied up, while seeking the necessary agility and resilience […]

USMCA FAQ
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement to drive mutually beneficial trade among the three countries. Thomas Insights answers some key questions about the agreement. Why is a North American trade deal so important? Mexico and Canada are the United States’ biggest export market, supporting 12 million American jobs and […]
NOTED: The Supply Chain in Brief-December 2020
Sealed Deals COVAXX, which developed a synthetic peptide-based vaccine to fight COVID-19, partnered with Maersk for transportation and supply chain services to deliver the vaccine around the world once it receives regulatory approval. BMW Manufacturing selected Penske Logistics as the lead logistics provider at its South Carolina plant. Penske will help optimize inbound and outbound transportation of parts to and […]
IN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-December 2020
Products The new XG4 rugged mobile computer from Janam Technologies is designed for scan-intensive applications. The lightweight device is ideal for workers performing supply chain functions, including inventory management, stocking and replenishment, shipping, receiving, and cross docking. The OpteBulk from ORBIS consists of a pallet, sleeve, and top cap to keep product loads safe and secure. Allowing for maximum […]
What’s the most unusual or unexpected transportation move or logistics project you’ve been involved in?
The most unusual thing I’ve transported is rhodium “dust.” Rhodium is a precious metal 7 times more expensive than gold. The rhodium was used in an industrial chemical process and dust generated from the process was collected and transported to a special recovery facility. It required an escort because each drum was valued at more than $1 million.

E-Fulfillment Picks Up Speed
How e-commerce companies and transportation services meet demand when fast delivery isn’t fast enough.
Fleet Electrification Offers Opportunity in Shipping, Logistics
Electrification is driving transportation to become more sustainable and innovative. For shipping and logistics managers, electric trucks (e-trucks) offer opportunities to advance supply chain efficiency, decrease operations and maintenance (O&M) costs, improve driver safety, adhere to carbon emission regulations, and potentially monetize energy by establishing predictable long-term costs and grid services. The market for e-trucks […]
How to Protect Your Supply Chain from Cyberattacks
Supply chains have been stretched to their limits by COVID-19 lockdowns, border closures, and sudden shifts in consumer demands. Now, they’re facing a growing threat from hackers. According to the FBI, cyberattacks have surged by 400% during the pandemic. One of the top targets: supply chains. In 2019, there were around 300 major hacks on […]

Omnichannel and Supply Chain Work Together for Competitive Advantage
The days of going to a department store to shop for a TV, viewing the options, and making a purchase now seem quaint. The emergence of the internet, smartphones, social media, and other technologies has opened a world of new options for consumers and businesses to review, research, and buy online with ever-increasing delivery choices.
Preparing to Automate Your Warehouse
Before investing in the latest automation trends, optimization is crucial. These steps can help you effectively optimize, connect, and—only then—automate operations.
Innovator of the Year
How much does Dave Cox believe in building partnerships with clients? Enough to walk away from a million-dollar account that wasn’t interested in the same goal.

Top Priorities for 3PL Warehouse IT in 2021
Q: When looking ahead to 2021, what’s the number-one priority companies should make to stay competitive? A: Since labor is the most expensive component of the business, we say start there. Smartly planning your resources to best suit the needs of the company and the company’s digital transformation and customer experience goals is paramount. Barcoding […]

Vertical Focus | Healthcare
The global clinical trial supply and logistics for the pharmaceutical industry is expected to grow from $16.6 billion in 2019 to $25.9 billion by the end of 2025.

Do You Like Raspberries?
Initial and erroneous reporting on a Wuhan wet market renewed a focus on food supply chain management, or FSCM. The virus episode reminds us that reputations of food value chain partners—vendors, transport providers, governments, buyers, and retailers—can and will be severely damaged by any food chain fail. Twenty-three million people get sick from unsafe food […]
What’s the Holiday Sales Scenario?
The holiday retail season will play out in one of two ways—a relatively stable year-over-year sales increase of 0% to 1%, or a jump of 2.5% to 3.5%—both of which are lower than prior years, according to Deloitte. Scenario one: Consumers experience growing anxiety about their health and finances. This reinforces the current high savings […]
How Cold Chains Can Be Optimized for the Delivery of a COVID-19 Vaccine
Cold chains need to be able to provide the right vaccines in the right condition and at the right time to be successful. Pharma companies can successfully distribute the COVID-19 vaccine if they can achieve true visibility and collaborate to creatively solve cold logistics issues.

California Clears the Air
To help commercial providers invest in clean truck and infrastructure technology in an effort to improve the region’s air quality, the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) and the Southern California Association of Governments created a new match-funding program for last-mile transportation. The project comes as e-commerce increases the frequency of truck deliveries. […]
Creating a Smart Asset-Tracking Solution for Pallet Monitoring and Beyond
Corporations around the world are acknowledging the importance of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the need for a solution that has the ability to identify, locate and track assets. This year, Gartner predicts that over half of major new business processes will incorporate some element of the IoT, and the industry where increased internet-connected […]
IN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-November 2020
Products Letting conveyors run quietly and smoothly when moving light goods, the new roller from daRoller requires just 12 g (0.026 pounds) of turning effort to start the conveyor roller. The light-running roller is built with ABEC precision bearings and a grease/oil combination for lubrication, allowing the conveyor to run easily, quietly, and smoothly. Mezzanine Safeti-Gates offers a […]
Consumers Set Their Sights on Visibility
With COVID-19 disrupting the traditional retail model and more consumers expecting to find, buy, and receive products wherever and however they desire, the need for retailers to optimize and elevate their supply chain capabilities is imperative for maintaining sales and brand loyalty, finds a survey by enVista. Other key findings in the survey include: 87% […]
How IoT Solves Global Supply Chain Challenges
Today’s supply chains are more complex than ever before, with goods changing hands multiple times between global suppliers and consumers before they reach their final destinations. Such a high scale of production can quickly present logistical challenges, like how to keep track of returnable industrial packaging (RIP), the loss of which can significantly harm a […]
5 Must-Take Actions to Prepare for the 2020 Holiday Season
This year has been, and continues to be, unprecedented. Not since the Second World War have global supply chains been so dramatically interrupted. And given the integration of these global supply chains (thanks to the marvels of the integrated circuit) and advances in modern transportation, the disruption caused by COVID-19 is, arguably, unprecedented in modern […]

West Pak Avocado Grows a Ripe 3PL Partnership
Between 2007 and 2018, average avocado production around the globe grew by 5.3% annually, to about 6.4 million tons in 2018, according to Research and Markets. West Pak Avocado, an avocado grower and distributor based in Murrieta, California, has helped drive this increase.