That’s a Wrap: Holiday Shipping Tied Up in Knots

That’s a Wrap: Holiday Shipping Tied Up in Knots

During the holiday shopping season, all eyes are on shipping, with more than half of consumers (60%), and nearly three-quarters of millennials (74%) claiming they were disappointed with holiday shopping services in the past. Stats from Pitney Bowes’ 2019 Global Online Shopping Study reveal the top shipping frustrations: 1. Free shipping still reigns supreme, with […]

Navigating Your Supply Chain Through the Uncertainty of Trade War

Trade tensions between the United States and China are running high and intensifying with each new week. With no clear resolution in sight, many are questioning the inevitable impact this will have on the global supply chain. While some companies are just beginning to consider changes to their operations, many are deep in the process […]

Resilient Risk Management in the Face of Hurricane Season

Over a decade ago, the storm surge associated with Hurricane Katrina was 25 to 28 feet above normal tide level. Storm surges of that magnitude have the ability to inundate two-thirds of interstate highways, 29 airports and virtually all ports in the Gulf Coast area, and that doesn’t take into account the damage from waste. […]

Noted: The Supply Chain in Brief-Dec 2019

Shovel Ready Food and beverage distributor Ben E. Keith broke ground on its new foodservice distribution center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Expected to be completed in November 2021, the 261,000-square-foot facility will include Dematic Multi-Shuttles, Frick refrigeration and security systems, LED lighting, warehouse management systems, a test kitchen, and a training center. Green Seeds As part of […]

IN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-December 2019

Products Cold chain solutions provider CSafe launched the AcuTemp Plus Series, a temperature-controlled passive packaging solution. With vacuum insulated panels and single temperature phase change material, the reusable product provides reliable temperature performance with minimal components. Supply chain tracking solutions provider Tive unveiled the Tive Solo 5G tracker, a 5G-enabled device that can be single use or multi use. […]

VERTICAL FOCUS | Paper

VERTICAL FOCUS | Paper

Following the Paper Trail Whether paper companies are well positioned for further growth or still earning the right to grow, they can expect demand to increase for paper and board products over the next decade, according to McKinsey & Company. The graphic paper market will continue to face declining demand worldwide, and research has yet […]

5 Actions to Optimize Logistics Costs

Logistics leaders face pressure from their stakeholders to optimize logistics costs while maintaining service and performance levels. Gartner Inc. identifies the following five actions to help you optimize costs from within your organization. 1. Eliminate costly errors. In logistics, errors occur regularly and often come at a cost. For example, shipments may be non-deliverable due […]

China’s Trade Outlook Declines as Air Drags

Trade tensions between the United States and China have many repercussions, according to the DHL Global Trade Barometer, an early indicator of global trade developments calculated using artificial intelligence and big data analytics. China’s September 2019 trade outlook registered a four-point decline from June to an index value of 45, according to the DHL data. […]

Great Lakes Ports Stay on Course

Great Lakes Ports Stay on Course

U.S. Great Lakes ports are on pace to beat 2018 cargo volumes following a robust September handling road salt, cement, stone, petroleum, and wind energy components, and supporting the region’s construction activity and energy needs. Overall, St. Lawrence Seaway tonnage for the season (March 22 to September 30) reached 24.8 million metric tons, down 6% […]

Taking Data on the Road: A New Approach to the Transportation Supply Chain

Consumer behavior is complicating the transport of goods. In the past, shippers would utilize freight carriers to transport finished goods to a single store or a chain of big box locations. Consumers would then take weekly or bi-weekly trips to stock up on whatever goods they preferred. But that long upheld process is now changing. […]

Ensuring Supply Chain Visibility

In today’s increasingly omnichannel marketplace, good visibility is vital throughout the supply chain. Here’s how to maintain optimal visibility at 10 key touchpoints.

Hidaka Forges Automated Inventory Solution

Hidaka Forges Automated Inventory Solution

Like most manufacturers, Hidaka USA Inc., a sheet metal fabrication company, conducts regular physical inventories of its raw materials, work in process, and finished goods. It had been using a paper-based, manual system that was time-consuming and vulnerable to mistakes, making it difficult for management to be confident they had the materials and finished goods needed to meet customer orders.

Parts & Parcel

Driven by an increase in e-commerce, global parcel volume grew from 74.4 billion shipments in 2017 to 87 billion last year. On average, 23 parcels per person were shipped globally, and 2,760 parcels were shipped every second, according to the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index. Collectively, China, the United States, and Japan lead the global […]

Keith Biondo

The Death of Your Profession?

In a few short years you won’t be employed. That’s right, if you work in the supply chain management field, and have a decade or so until you retire, it’s time to dust off your resume and consider other career paths. That’s according to commentary authors Allan Lyall, Pierre Mercier, and Stefan Gstettner in a […]

Paul A. Myerson

Drilling Deeper Into Your Supply Chain

Data analytics is the science of examining raw data to help draw conclusions about information. When applied to the supply chain, it allows companies to drive insight, make better business decisions, and verify or disprove existing models or theories. Data analytics breaks out into the following categories: Descriptive analytics. In supply chain, descriptive analytics helps […]

3PLs Add Value

3PLs Add Value

Increasing consumer expectations, market uncertainty, and other recent trends, have only enhanced the value 3PLs bring to shippers. From technology innovations to process insights, here are the ways 3PLs unlock and increase supply chain efficiencies.

Pete Zimmerman

Tech Can Turn Your Supply Chain Into a Well-Oiled Green Machine

The majority of your customers want to make their consumption habits more sustainable and their loyalty will only go so far if your brand doesn’t adapt. Despite growing demand for sustainable products, and consumers who value green practices over the green in their wallets, CPG brands are falling short. If they want to succeed, smart […]

Tom Maher

How Smarter, Stronger Supply Chains Improve the Customer Experience

Companies today are increasingly leveraging digital technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, and machine learning (ML) to build smarter supply chain operations. They are turning “big supply chain data” into real insights that improve efficiency, bring products and services to market faster, and deliver differentiating customer value, all key to remaining competitive in the […]

Ashley Tyrner’s Vision Bears Fruit

Ashley Tyrner is founder and CEO of Farmbox Direct, which works with hundreds of farms to deliver fresh, natural, and organic produce to its 10,000-plus members. Responsibilities: Sourcing fresh organic and natural produce, forming partnerships with farmers, working with shipping companies, and designing the produce boxes that customers receive. Experience: Brand manager with fashion designer […]

Debbie Lentz

Five Tips to Achieve Career Success

The beauty of working within the supply chain is that it touches nearly every aspect of a business, which opens up huge career opportunities. Regardless of the career path you opt for within the supply chain, and like any job you embark on, to achieve success you need to work hard. Here are five tips […]

FMCSA to Announce Two-Year Delay in ELDT Rule

Federal trucking regulators are nearing a formal notice that they plan to delay implementation of the Entry Level Driver Training rule by up to two years after it was set to go into effect on a limited basis February 7th. The notice could be posted as soon as before Thanksgiving, a DOT official who asked […]

Three Steps Manufacturers Can Take to Improve Supplier Collaboration

We all use technology to make our lives easier. We have software to manage household budgets and smart watches to keep us on schedule. And in the manufacturing world, technology can give real-time visibility into the entire supply chain process and empower collaboration with suppliers. Yet somehow, nearly two-thirds of manufacturers working in complex, highly-regulated […]

FedEx delivery robots seen in New York City

As part of a promotion, FedEx sent out its’ SameDay Bots — also known as Roxos — on the streets of New York City last week. FedEx stated, “The Bot was visiting New York for a special event. Future testing plans are not yet determined.” The SameDay Bots are undergoing testing in other markets. They […]

Maritime Logistics in Ship Shape

Maritime Logistics in Ship Shape

While the prospect of higher tariffs and the cost of low-sulfur fuel requirements pose concerns for the maritime industry, it’s forging ahead with bigger, more automated seaports, as well as technology that improves visibility, reduces its environmental impact, and streamlines operations.

How to Build a Supply Chain Based on Speed to the Midwest

How to Build a Supply Chain Based on Speed to the Midwest

While companies look to technology for a competitive advantage in their supply chains, geography is an often-overlooked factor. A supply chain built on speed to the Midwest can boost efficiency and lower operating costs across a variety of industry sectors. Midwest logistics hubs are typically within a day’s drive of more than half the U.S. […]

Eric R. Byer and Mark M. Fisher

Why Freight Rail Needs Reform

A lack of competition, outdated regulations, and a handicapped federal agency allow poor delivery service, failure to provide notice of fee changes, and inadequate customer service, making it harder for shippers to depend on freight rail. Those shippers include a substantial percentage of National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) members, such as Univar Solutions, who […]

Florida and Mexican Seaports Sign Agreement to Enhance Trade

MIAMI – On behalf of Florida’s 15 seaports, the Florida Ports Council (FPC) has entered into a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine (Coordinadora de Puertos) of Mexico to maintain relations that promote international commerce and economic development. The Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine is an agency of […]

The Logistics of Liquidation

The Logistics of Liquidation

When a customer returns a product, or a company clears unsold merchandise off the shelves, that’s the start of an uphill climb in search of maximum value recovery.

How a Freight Audit and a TMS Can Drive Efficiency for Your Supply Chain

How a Freight Audit and a TMS Can Drive Efficiency for Your Supply Chain

Could your company be spending millions on expedited air service and not know it? It happened to one shipper who didn’t audit their freight payments for several years. It turns out one shipment went out air expedited, and somehow every customer order after that went out the same way. A lack of oversight cost the […]

E-Commerce Fulfillment: No Pain, No Gain

E-Commerce Fulfillment: No Pain, No Gain

Escalade Sports has been playing the supply chain game since 1927. At one point in its history, Sears, the traditional model for catalog and retail store sales, accounted for about half of the sporting goods manufacturer and distributor’s business. Today, while the company still serves specialty shops, department stores, and big-box retailers, Amazon and other e-commerce direct-to-end-user channels have changed the game.

FedEx Disputes New York Times Report on Company Investments

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – FedEx’s founder and CEO, Fred Smith, responded to the New York Times after it published a critical article contending FedEx didn’t make enough promised capital investments after Congress passed a tax cut. The newspaper claimed that tax cut brought FedEx’s tax rate to less than zero in 2018. A company spokesperson stated […]

Five Reasons Why the Delivery Economy Is Here… Now

Providing a great customer experience has long been a key factor in predicting any business’s success. Traditionally, this meant providing customers things like a comfortable place to shop, attentive and courteous sales associates, and a generous return policy. But, like everything else today, new digital technologies and services have dramatically changed what customers expect during […]

Hampton Wall Named Chief Executive Officer of Trax Group

Scottsdale, Arizona – November 18, 2019 – Trax Group, a leader in cloud-based transportation spend management solutions, announces that Hampton Wall has joined the company as Chief Executive Officer. Hamp has over twelve years of experience in the enterprise spend management industry, previously serving as CEO of both Proactis (LON:PHD) and Perfect Commerce. Hamp succeeds […]

Three Ways 5G Will Benefit the Logistics Industry

Fundamentally different from previous generations, 5G, the next generation wireless network technology, is engineered to greatly increase the speed and responsiveness of wireless networks. It promises data rates 100x those of 4G, with network latency around 1 millisecond, support for 1 million devices/sq. km., and 99.999 percent availability of the network. A connected world enabled […]

Breaking News – Walmart Canada and DLT Labs™ launch world’s largest full production blockchain solution for industrial application

TORONTO, Nov. 14, 2019 /CNW/ – Walmart Canada and DLT Labs™ today announce the launch of Walmart Canada’s blockchain-based freight and payment network, the world’s largest full production blockchain solution for any industrial application. The new system uses distributed ledger technology to track deliveries, verify transactions, and automate payments and reconciliation among Walmart Canada and […]

GOOD QUESTION | What’s the 2020 supply chain buzzword or phrase?

GIG WORKER. Embracing this growing segment of workers is the key to helping companies handle variability—from last-minute orders to seasonal swings—while remaining agile. Robert O’Dwyer Logistics Industry Principal Kronos Incorporated AI. It has only just begun to transform freight and logistics. With innovation comes new services and opportunities for cost savings or efficiency gains. Oren […]

Noted: The Supply Chain in Brief-Nov 2019

Shovel Ready Transportation management company Ruan broke ground on its new Iowa operating center, which will provide transportation and warehousing services to customers across the Midwest. Construction of the Ankeny Operating Center, which will serve as the provider’s flagship operation, is scheduled to be completed in September 2020. Transwestern Development broke ground on the Sam […]

IN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-November 2019

Products UNEX Manufacturing’s new Keg Flow Solution for distribution centers keeps beer kegs flowing smoothly through supply chains. Keg Flow stores traditionally hard-to-handle kegs in an ergonomic and space-saving fashion with room for more kegs per pallet and a versatile steel roller track. Toshiba introduced the BA400 thermal barcode printer, which has a compact design allowing top […]

A Greener Supply Chain

Much has been written about the recent US-based Business Roundtable event, where 181 CEOs announced their commitment “to lead for the benefit of all stakeholders,” not just shareholders. The implications will ripple through boardrooms around the country, as the event redefined the purpose of a corporation as one that serves — equally — shareholders, communities […]

Unpacking the Biggest Threat to a Multi-Trillion Dollar Industry

It may not incite the most technology hype or attention-grabbing headlines, however the centuries-old logistics industry is a critical sector that provides an enormous impact on our global economy. According to the annual State of Logistics Report, spending on logistics in the U.S. rose to $1.5 trillion in 2017, which represents 7.7 percent of U.S. […]

VERTICAL FOCUS | Furniture

VERTICAL FOCUS | Furniture

Sofa So Good What is the outlook for the U.S. furniture market moving forward? Here’s what to expect, according to Coresight Research’s U.S. Furniture Report, May 2019: A steady growth curve for the U.S. furniture industry is being driven by a strong economy. Consumer spending on furniture reached $114.2 billion in 2018, up 6.7% from […]

Tackling E-Commerce Shipping

E-commerce is quickly becoming a part of our everyday lives—putting pressure on retailers. Here are tips to help shippers keep costs down and customers happy.

Inside Innovation

Inside Innovation

What are the top supply chain differentiators and innovation drivers? According to the findings of BluJay Solutions’ Focus on Customer Experience: Research on Supply Chain Priorities and Investments report: Customer experience reigns supreme. 61% of survey respondents agree or strongly agree that customer experience will overtake price and product as the number one brand differentiator […]

Barriers to Scalable IIoT Execution

By providing visibility into the assets and processes that historically had no data feedback loop, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has allowed manufacturing organizations to leverage their incoming data to implement crucial initiatives such as condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. In addition, by establishing a constant and secure channel for data to flow from […]

Keith Biondo

Take the Current When It Serves

I recently participated in a summit of supply chain and business leaders who shared the many ways they are successfully navigating the turbulent waters of global trade. Despite the headwinds, they were determined to find new supply lines and expanded market opportunities. Determined and, yes, even optimistic about their economic future. It reminds me of […]

DHL Gives Mio Better Inbound Logistics Control

DHL International Supply Chain has developed a purchase order (PO) management and visibility solution for the Swedish home furnishings retailer Mio. The solution provides Mio more control over inbound orders from eight countries to reduce detention and demurrage costs while improving intake planning for distribution centers.   DHL will provide PO management and visibility for […]

Uber Plans to Expand Freight Services into Canada

Uber Technologies Inc. is expanding its freight division into Canada to snag a piece of the country’s US$74-billion trucking market. The San Francisco-based company has been gradually expanding its services beyond ride hailing in recent years with ventures including food delivery, e-bikes and e-scooters. Uber announced last month that it would invest US$200-million into its […]

Calm Before the Storm

Calm Before the Storm

Though Hurricane Dorian may be behind us, U.S. supply chains continue to feel its effects. And it’s possible that another large storm could still be on the horizon. Even if manufacturers aren’t located in a hurricane impact area, they can still experience business disruptions if a customer, supplier, or transportation route is affected. In the […]

Going the Distance: Securing Supply Chains From Cyber Attack

All over the world, business are achieving their goals with more ease than ever before, thanks to digital disruption. Ambitions that would have taken decades to achieve in the past can now be attained in significantly less time, whether you are expanding globally, automating low-level tasks or scaling up. But this digital awakening has also […]

3PLs: Responsive, Cost-Effective, and Green

3PLs: Responsive, Cost-Effective, and Green

The modern supply chain is complex, and in order for the world’s leading companies to deliver their goods and services in an expedient, cost-conscious, and environmentally friendly fashion, they are increasingly turning to third-party logistics (3PL) companies to achieve these goals. These are among the themes of the 2020 Third-Party Logistics Study, created and supported […]

Michael Eastabrook

Data on Loading Dock Activities Improves Operations, Boosts ROI

Warehouse managers have long been forced to base decisions about their loading docks on assumptions rather than data. That’s starting to change, thanks to new technology that assembles objective information to support well-informed decisions. Q: For shippers in retail, high-volume distribution, and similar industries, what kinds of data about activities at the docks could help […]

Noted: The Supply Chain in Brief-Oct 2019

Good Works MSC Group, parent company of MSC Cargo, worked with South Carolina Ports Authority and other industry partners to fill two 40-foot shipping containers in Charleston, South Carolina, with critical supplies to send to the Port of Freeport in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian. The maritime partners filled the shipping containers with more than […]

Crane Worldwide Logistics Announces New Vice President, Customs Brokerage and Trade Advisory Services

Houston, October 23, 2019 — Alexandra Kleinschmidt joins Crane Worldwide Logistics in Houston to lead the customs brokerage and trade advisory team. Kleinschmidt is a licensed customs broker, certified customs specialist and has an experienced background in leadership roles covering customs brokerage, compliance, ocean product and sales. Throughout her career, she has lived in multiple […]

GREEN SHOOTS: How to Implement GSCM

Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) can be integrated into almost any industrial business. The key to implementing this concept is to identify areas where sustainable practices can be applied to an existing supply chain. These areas include: Cleaner material sourcing. For retailers, this may involve partnering with companies to redesign packaging using recyclable or biodegradable […]

S.C. Ports makes a $63.4 billion annual economic impact on S.C.

CHARLESTON, SC – Oct. 22, 2019 – South Carolina Ports Authority has long been a powerful economic engine for South Carolina, and as container volumes have doubled over the past decade, the Port’s positive economic impact on the state has significantly increased. S.C. Ports Authority (SCPA) makes a $63.4 billion annual economic impact on South […]

Fostering a Data-Centric Culture in Fulfillment Operations

With more customers shopping from their couches, there’s never been a greater need for distribution center efficiency. Items are flying off the shelves, and both pickers and management are feeling the pinch. It’s no surprise, then, that technologies designed to help unlock and leverage data are rising in importance. According to Zebra Technologies, 61 percent […]

Optimizing the Last Mile

Doing last-mile logistics correctly leads to repeat business and loyal customers, but final-mile processes involve more than just a truck and driver.

BREAKING – UPS Launches New Tech-Enabled Healthcare Solutions, Forms Healthcare Unit

UPS Premier is a new critical healthcare product portfolio using next-generation sensor and tracking technology to help pinpoint tracking accuracy, combined with a new operating model featuring priority handling from origin to destination. Company deploys consistent quality management system across 114 UPS, Marken and Polar Speed facilities globally. New UPS Healthcare and Life Sciences unit […]

5 Tips for Choosing a Logistics Provider

Especially during times of global volatility and evolving marketplaces, an experienced logistics provider is a critical business decision. Vincent Touya, managing director of Dachser USA, offers these considerations for choosing a provider that will meet your expectations and business objectives. 1. Strong reputation and knowledge of your industry. The reputation of a logistics provider plays […]

Kicking the Tires on an IoT Solution

Kicking the Tires on an IoT Solution

Tire manufacturer Michelin is a shipper with a massive global footprint and complex demands. With headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin operates 121 production facilities in 17 countries; those facilities produced approximately 190 million tires in 2017. With a presence in 170 countries, distributing products across the globe is a challenging and sophisticated operation.

VERTICAL FOCUS | Metals

VERTICAL FOCUS | Metals

Steel and Aluminum Tariffs: What’s Happened So Far To help make sense of the confusion around current steel and aluminum tariffs, IHS Markit offers this timeline. March 23, 2018: President Donald Trump imposes import tariffs on steel and aluminum. June 1: Significant–and supposedly final– changes are imposed. June 15: President Trump approves tariffs on Chinese […]

Driving the Efficiency of the U.S. Supply Chain

The recent surge of domestic manufacturing and the overall growth of the U.S. economy has required suppliers and carriers to re-examine and seek out new ways to streamline their operations. As the economy has continued to grow over the past decade, the American truck driver has become one of the most important facets in the […]

Brian Thompson

Automated Bidding Tools Benefit Shippers, 3PLs, and Carriers

At the start of a new year, it’s common for shippers striving for an optimized supply chain to review their carrier options to make sure they use the ideal mix of freight transportation providers. In 2019, this bidding business has lasted the entire year, as shippers and 3PLs look to take advantage of a softer […]

Eleke Ukpabi

Leveraging System Design and Optimization for Supply Chain 4.0

Supply Chain 4.0 is an integrative approach to operational digitization, where existing and nascent technology applications are leveraged to transform the supply chain ecosystem. This is seen as an essential response to evolving business requirements and the gradational manifestation of industry 4.0 evolution. Q: How should companies prepare for the potential change to their business? […]

Bill Michels

Tariffs: Is it Time to Rethink What Goes Where?

Did you think the U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods were temporary bargaining chips to get concessions from China? Now that essentially every item imported from China is subject to tariffs, are you thinking again? As the U.S.-China trade war shows little sign of ending, supply chain managers have to find new ways to keep costs […]

Rob Brasher

Employee to Entrepreneur: Transitioning to Freight Agency Ownership

Leaving a job to start a company is a high-risk/high-reward decision. For those transportation and logistics professionals who have been toying with the idea of entrepreneurship, there are some points to take into consideration to help make the right choices. Q: When is the best time to open a freight agency? A: There’s never a […]

2019 – The Year of Brazilian Trade

With continual shifts in the global landscape, countries from around the world are increasingly looking to Brazil as a partner ripe for trade and investment. Brazilian stocks have already reached an all-time high in the first half of the year, showing that the country is truly starting to make its mark as a key, competitive […]

Paul A. Myerson

The View From the Control Tower

As discussed in my last column, Integrated Business Planning (IBP) is a process that uses “outside-in” thinking by integrating demand forecasts, supply plans, inventory projections, and financial plans into one medium-term strategic model. That’s a great starting point. But the leading-edge way to manage your short- to mid-term global supply chain in real time (or […]

JetBlue Ups Its Cargo Game

JetBlue Ups Its Cargo Game

As part of its plan to gradually expand cargo operations, JetBlue will partner with Miami-based consultancy Aeronex Cargo. Initially, JetBlue will utilize flights to and from Fort Lauderdale to interline cargo moving through Miami International Airport. Aeronex will organize the Miami to Fort Lauderdale road-feeder transportation. Prior to 2018, the low-cost carrier did not transport […]

Derek Browning

Choosing a 3PL: How to Make a Mature Decision

Relationships between shippers and third-party logistics (3PL) providers commonly focus more on tactical and operational elements rather than strategic elements. When sourcing to 3PLs, the shipper’s RFP often focuses on lane costs rather than strategic elements such as systems integration, real-time visibility, and total-cost performance. The transactional lane-focused relationship is appropriate for companies looking for […]

Carriers Cough Up Hiring Fee

Carriers Cough Up Hiring Fee

As part of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) new Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse rule, trucking companies soon will be required to pay the agency a fee prior to hiring each driver—in addition to an annual fee for currently employed drivers. Starting Jan. 6, 2020, carriers will be mandated to query an FMCSA database […]

(Not So) Forever 21

On September 29, 2019, Forever 21 filled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The young-adult fashion emporium’s decision will primaily affect locations outside of the United States. The company plans to shut down nearly all of its facilities in Asia and Europe. It plans to close nearly 200 stores in the United States, and plans to continue […]