Tariffs Sting U.S. Supply Chains

The tariffs President Donald Trump imposed on Chinese goods have caused sharp increases in expenses for some companies, and even businesses that have yet to feel the sting of the duties on imported Chinese goods are taking a closer look at their supply chains to see how they can minimize the damage. As businesses scramble […]

Chad Storlie

Six Ways to Develop Character in Leaders

One of my hardest days in the military came in Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. I was leading a Special Operations Planning Team and we were using an event tracking system to predict where, what type, and when acts of violence would occur. We predicted a huge rise in attacks with little end […]

A No-Fail Mentality and Sheer Force of Will

A No-Fail Mentality and Sheer Force of Will

Many years ago, a few days into a new job as an analyst at Sears, Roebuck and Co., Jeff Cohen was working at his desk when the chief financial officer, Ed Liddy, walked by. “He stopped, introduced himself, and sat down to chat for a few minutes,” Cohen says. “I don’t remember what we talked […]

Mark Bakker: Change Agent

Mark Bakker: Change Agent

Mark Bakker, head of supply chain operations, Americas, HP Inc. Responsibilities: Manage supply chain operations for owned and channel inventory for commercial and retail markets for the Americas; meet financial goals for the printing, graphics, and personal systems product categories. Experience: Vice president, supply chain operations, Asia Pacific and Japan; director of operations, EMEA; director, […]

Project Logistics: Taming the Details

Project Logistics: Taming the Details

Whether they involve moving endangered animals or perishable delicacies, special projects demand teams that know how to plan thoroughly, collaborate with multiple partners, and prepare for every eventuality.

Andrew Berke and Charles Boesch

Using Technology to Cut Freight Costs

The bad news: Tight capacity and higher freight rates are the new normal. The good news: There are ways to handle the impacts far better than your competition. Aside from securing reduced freight rates from your carriers, here’s how you can cut freight expense while improving service: Coordinate business intelligence Improve load planning Provide carriers […]

The Secret to Combatting the Hidden Costs of Detention Time

Lengthy loading dock wait times have plagued the trucking industry for years, with serious consequences for drivers and shippers alike. Detention time—typically defined as greater than a two-hour wait—affects driver efficiency, shipping capacity and safety, with a negative financial impact for all stakeholders. And the problem is widespread. According to a survey by data analyst […]

Peter Belden

Using FTZs to Treat Pharma Challenges

Every day, pharmaceutical manufacturers navigate complicated regulations while managing costs and reducing risk. Foreign trade zones (FTZs) can help, but only if manufacturers understand what they are, their potential benefits, and how to best use them. FTZs—areas in or next to U.S. ports of entry under the control of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) but […]

Consumer Electronics FTZ – MD Logistics

Consumer Electronics FTZ – MD Logistics

The Challenge MD Logistics has partnered with a leading global supplier of mobile and consumer electronics products since 2007, when a newly acquired product line prompted the company to seek third-party logistics (3PL) services. A majority of their products originate overseas and therefore require numerous customs filings as well as costly annual duty and brokerage […]

Get IT Together

Get IT Together

Integrated WMS and TMS solutions increase visibility and communication and optimize the movement of goods.

NOTED | The Supply Chain in Brief-2019

Green Seeds DHL rolled out a new fleet of electric delivery vans to serve U.S. markets, moving closer to its target of operating 70 percent of first- and last-mile delivery services with clean transport modes by 2025 and eventually reducing logistics-related emissions to zero by 2050. Equipment manufacturer Workhorse Group produced the fleet of 63 […]

Dan Clark

Leveraging Logistics Communities to Find Capacity in a Tight Market – Kuebix

Finding truckload capacity is on everyone’s minds as the capacity crunch and driver shortage worsens. In fact, the Kuebix team surveyed over 550 logistics professionals in December 2018 to find out what they believed would be the biggest challenge for supply chains in 2019 and the capacity crunch/ driver shortage easily scored the highest with […]

Trends on the Horizon in 2019

The four trends that will have the greatest impact on operations in North America in the coming year, according to DHL Supply Chain: 1. Warehouse robotics come of age. Robotics are already proving their value in select warehouse applications, but the technology is expected to reach a tipping point in 2019. Expect the technology to […]

Drivers Need Some TLC

Drivers Need Some TLC

With the American Trucking Associations projecting a shortfall of 174,00 truck drivers by 2026, it is important for organizations to understand and address driver concerns in order to retain a strong workforce and attract new talent. Third-party logistics provider Kenco and CarrierLists conducted a recent driver survey that reveals their frustrations, concerns, and priorities, thus […]

News & Trends Impacting the Travel & Hospitality Supply Chain

News & Trends Impacting the Travel & Hospitality Supply Chain

Secrets to Good Hospitality These steps can springboard your organization to new heights of cost efficiency. 1. Stay up to date on pricing changes and market dynamics. Tracking price fluctuations, understanding supply and demand, as well as seasonality, is essential for every product in your pipeline. 2. Consider alternate brands and suppliers in your food […]

Technology Powers U.S. Manufacturing Renaissance

Technology Powers U.S. Manufacturing Renaissance

The impact of powerful forces such as digital transformation, Industry 4.0, the current regulatory climate, and automation on U.S. manufacturers is the focus of a new research report from ECi Software Solutions. The findings indicate the role technology is playing in the U.S. manufacturing resurgence, with 89 percent of respondents confirming they had increased technology […]

Amazon Primed for New Regional Hub

Amazon Primed for New Regional Hub

In the first airport project of its kind in the Amazon Air network, the etailer has announced plans to open a regional air hub at the Fort Worth Alliance Airport in Texas. Construction has already begun on the new air hub, which will create hundreds of new jobs. Unlike other gateways and facilities within Amazon […]

Chris Mehlfelder

Maximizing Global E-Commerce Profits

With 7 billion prospective customers out there, how can e-commerce companies not grow wealthy by expanding internationally? But, as with most things in business, international e-commerce is not as simple as it sounds. It takes work, planning, and investment, but the profit potential is very real. When branching out internationally, you’ll be able to get […]

Paul A. Myerson

Riding Out the Rapids

It seems that we are moving from crisis to crisis—tariffs, a plummeting stock market, cyber-attacks, recalls—at an ever-increasing pace. While we can’t avoid these crises, we can minimize their impact with a lean, agile supply chain. While that’s easy to say, it’s hard to do. Some key components to focus on include: Supply chain visibility, […]

Brad McBride

The Digital Revolution Is Here – Zero Down Supply Chain Solutions

As the supply chain industry begins to embrace new technologies, there are still many organizations not yet leveraging the solutions available to them. To stay competitive, technology will become essential. Q: How do you think the digital revolution will affect the supply chain industry? A: The supply chain industry is about to receive a wakeup […]

Ford Predicts the Trends Driving 2019

Ford Predicts the Trends Driving 2019

It is helpful to understand consumer behavior when crafting efficient supply chains. Ford’s 7th annual Trends Report, which analyzes consumer behavior based on interviews with more than 13,000 people across 14 countries, provides some insight. Ford says these surveys don’t look just at behavior toward automobiles, but rather the factors that drive behavioral changes. For […]

Hot Tips to Stay Safe This Winter

Hot Tips to Stay Safe This Winter

"Slow the hell down and drive defensively." This is a crucial step in remaining safe on the road, especially during the winter months when driving conditions worsen, say executives at Lynden Transport. As harsh weather and poor driving conditions are universal concerns for drivers and fleet managers across the country, Jim Maltby, corporate director of […]

Ed Moran

Using Collaborative Technology To Tackle the Carrier Capacity Crisis – Transporeon Group Americas

Technology is the great enabler of collaboration. When it comes to domestic transportation, efficiency-enhancing collaborative technologies allow everyone—the shipper, their carriers and their customers—to thrive, even in a challenging capacity environment. By automating processes relating to transportation, these solutions free up capacity and help keep drivers on the road by minimizing detention and dwell time, […]

Jack Tarkoff

The Cure for Meeting Pharma Requirements

Complying with global pharmaceutical serialization and traceability regulations without collaboration and system interoperability represents a significant challenge for pharmaceutical trading partners. Collaboration preempts disagreements among supply chain trading partners simply because complete, accurate data is important to both parties. Contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) are a crucial component of the pharma manufacturing ecosystem, and many pharmaceutical […]

Answering Global Volatility with IT Solutions to Support Supply Chain Agility

Today’s global economic volatility is putting increased pressure on supply chain managers. While worldwide turmoil is not new, the ability to manage it has now become an expectation — one companies must master to remain competitive. This requires purchasing agents to be alert, well-informed, and able to pivot to new suppliers and delivery routes with […]

John Richardson

The Game Has Changed—Time for a New Playbook – Transportation Insight, LLC

Evolving e-commerce service expectations force traditional retailers, manufacturers and distributors to rethink their strategies for serving clients. A two-day delivery normal—at little or no cost to the end consumer—pressures every supply chain stage, from raw material components to the finished product traveling the last yard to the customer’s hands. Retailers competing to deliver on service […]

Evolving Warehouse Processes as the Supply of AS/400 Talent Tightens

I recently had a conversation with a supply chain executive about how he was trying to enhance his company’s inventory management and overall warehouse processes. His organization has been lightly discussing this business need for several years. His company has grown at double-digit percentages over the last few years and they’re confident about their future […]

John McDonald

Driver Shortage or Lack of Innovation?

The trucking industry has faced a driver shortage for many years now. In a world where every industry seems to be evolving, the stagnant nature of trucking is hurting the employment pool. While trucking was a popular profession for two previous generations, millennials have drastically different career expectations. Almost all millennials were raised using technology […]

How the E-commerce Warehouse Is Adapting to Life in the Big City

The goalposts in e-commerce fulfillment continue to move. Where once five-day delivery times were considered standard, now consumers routinely expect two-day or even next-day delivery. Same-day delivery is on the horizon. These shifting expectations have forced e-commerce and omni-channel retailers to expand their distribution networks. It can be difficult—and expensive—to meet even the two-day requirement […]

Industrial IoT: Friend of the Environment

Industrial IoT: Friend of the Environment

SOURCE: Inmarsat Adopting Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies to improve environmental sustainability ranks as a crucial priority for transportation and logistics companies, according to a new Inmarsat study. Across the transportation and logistics sector, the two largest drivers behind adopting IIoT-based solutions are monitoring environmental conditions such as emissions and air quality (61 percent) […]

New App Drives Compliance

New App Drives Compliance

It can be challenging for rental trucks to meet the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate. One solution is to provide drivers with easier Hours of Service (HoS) functionality. To that end, Penske Truck Leasing has introduced Penske Driver, a fully integrated and ELD-compliant custom app for its commercial truck rental, contract maintenance, and truck leasing […]

Asia Pacific Companies: Green Giants

Asia Pacific Companies: Green Giants

Asia Pacific companies place more importance on green transportation than other regions, finds DHL’s latest research report on ground transportation logistics. Seventy-five percent of respondents from the region say electric vehicles will have a significant impact on transport in the next two years, compared to the global average of 53 percent. In addition, 82 percent […]

Freight Flow and the Economy: Asked and Answered

Freight Flow and the Economy: Asked and Answered

Arrive Logistics partnered with Transportation Analyst Donald Broughton (left), principal managing partner of Broughton Capital, to address the following crucial questions shippers need to answer about their freight. What effect is driver retention having on truck capacity? Normally, fleets average three- to five-percent unseated trucks (trucks without an available driver). Higher driver pay and lower […]

Old Dominion Freight Line To Carry On MLB Fan Cherished Ritual

Old Dominion Freight Line To Carry On MLB Fan Cherished Ritual

Old Dominion Freight Line, the Official Freight Carrier of Major League Baseball (MLB), is driving the celebrations for the annual Spring Training send-off tradition with MLB teams across the country. This year, the less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier will partner with the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies […]

India Bales on Cotton Exports

India Bales on Cotton Exports

India’s annual cotton output could drop 12 percent to the lowest in nine years as limited rainfall in the top two producing states has slashed crop yields, potentially cutting exports from the world’s top producer, according to a report in the Economic Times. Fewer cotton shipments from India will allow rivals such as the United […]

NOTED | The Supply Chain in Brief-January 2019

Good Works Drivers from Arpin Van Lines delivered 93,000 remembrance wreaths to veterans’ cemeteries across the United States for National Wreaths Across America Day on Dec. 15, 2018. This was Arpin’s sixth year participating in the day of veterans’ remembrance, which coincides with the wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. E-commerce company Molekule donated more […]

Diane Fanelli

Pushing Blockchain Past the Hype

Businesses across the supply chain are finally embracing blockchain as an asset capable of unlocking tremendous value, especially as supply chains grow more globalized and susceptible to compromise. Yet many companies still approach blockchain with apprehension. Misinformation and lack of clarity loom over businesses curious about blockchain. Supply chain companies are understandably wary of having […]

Six of One: Merger Creates UK’s Largest Logistics Provider

Hong Kong private equity investor EmergeVest has consolidated ownership of six of the UK’s leading logistics companies to create EV Cargo, one of the country’s largest providers of transport, logistics, freight forwarding services, and logistics technology, and a global supply chain company operating in more than 120 countries. With £850 million (US $1.067 billion) of […]

Automation Is a Game Changer for E-tailers

E-commerce is on the rise and only gaining momentum. According to a report by eMarketer Retail, in 2017, retail e-commerce sales worldwide reached $2.3 trillion, a 25% increase over the previous year. Besides discounts on products and the availability of tools for comparing product features and prices, what has really helped boost e-commerce, is the […]

Nick McLean

Not So Fast: Rethinking Multi-Item Orders

In the name of speed and satisfaction, many retailers think they’re doing the right thing by delivering products to customers as quickly as possible, shipping partial orders, but that isn’t always the case. High on the list of shopper frustrations is placing a multi-item order online only to have it arrive in multiple shipments over […]

Weather Forecast: Supply Chain Disruptions Ahead

Weather Forecast: Supply Chain Disruptions Ahead

Global supply chain disruptions continue to grow at an alarming rate and the potential for financial or revenue impacts is the highest it has been in three years, finds Resilinc’s recent EventWatch Supply Chain Disruption report. In the first half of 2018, Resilinc notified a record 1,069 events within six months, the highest since the […]

Ben Tyrrell

Why Millennials Deserve Our Attention

By 2020, global millennial spending power will total $20 trillion plus. Not paying attention to the needs of this burgeoning demographic is business suicide. The sooner supply chains can adapt to millennial attitudes, the better placed they are to thrive in the future. Agile logistics buyers who can secure providers offering millennial-focused services will reap […]

Economic Nationalism Challenges Global Supply Chains

Sixty-six percent of manufacturers responding to a new survey of global senior supply chain decision makers by software company LLamasoft say they would change their supply chains in order to tackle economic nationalism. In addition, 50 percent of respondents say economic nationalist policies will increase operational costs, and 45 percent are considering alternative suppliers, representing […]

The Fastest Growing 3PLs Spell Success “C-L-O-U-D”

Third-party logistics (3PL) companies have it tough. Not only do they need air-tight control of their data, 3PLs need to prove to customers that their data is safer than Fort Knox. In today’s world where one person in a black hoodie sitting at a coffee shop can do more damage to a business than a […]

Pat Larkin

Keeping Truckers Safe on the Road

Keeping drivers safe is important for everyone on the road, especially with 115 million cars and trucks hitting U.S. streets every day. Not everyone who drives will get into an accident. However, the risk is much higher for truckers who drive every day for work. A range of factors can cause crashes. One of the […]

Trade Wars, Cyber Threats Top Maritime Concerns

Trade Wars, Cyber Threats Top Maritime Concerns

The global maritime industry is cautiously optimistic about the global business environment for world trade, but also concerned about the potential impact of trade tensions, cyber security, fuel costs, and other headwinds to industry recovery. Those are the findings of a new benchmark survey developed by the Business Performance Innovation Network, in partnership with Navis. […]

How the Cloud Creates Cost Savings—and Tax Benefits

Embrace the Flow of Innovation Modernizing your distribution business isn’t just about adopting the latest and greatest technology. From seamless scalability to cost-efficiency to tax benefits, the right solutions can pave the way to significant results. The cloud has introduced new levels of convenience, accessibility, and ease-of-management to enterprises everywhere. From any web-connected device, workers […]

Selecting a Cloud-based TMS

Selecting and implementing a SaaS-based Transportation Management System (TMS) requires careful thought. Future users and decision-makers need to: 1. Establish clear goals and priorities in advance. Clearly understanding your priorities and goals in advance will help narrow your TMS search to only those SaaS platforms that meet your needs. Calculate the expected return on investment. […]

The Changing Logistics of Grocery Delivery: It’s In The Bag

The Changing Logistics of Grocery Delivery: It’s In The Bag

Food retailers are working to satisfy consumers’ growing appetite for rapid delivery of everything from tomatoes to orange juice. To feed this demand, they’re educating personal shoppers, developing new technologies to handle the last-mile, rethinking distribution networks and inventory planning, and partnering with technology companies.

Accuracy and Time Savings Through AI-Driven Forecasting

Despite a wealth of available solutions and methods, retailers still struggle to produce accurate and timely demand forecasts. Existing challenges are further complicated by the idea of unified commerce, as shoppers choose from a variety of more convenient fulfillment options. There are adverse effects throughout the supply chain resulting from inaccurate forecasts, but today’s retailers […]

U.S. Infrastructure Investment: A Private Matter?

Leasing America’s largest existing toll roads, bridges, airports, seaports, water and wastewater facilities, and university parking systems to private partners could generate $720 billion to $885 billion for state and local governments to spend on new infrastructure projects, finds a new Reason Foundation study. Leasing the 61 largest U.S. airports to private partners could generate […]

What Are The Possibilities?

What Are The Possibilities?

As chief technology officer at Pilot Freight Services, Mark Baker’s mission is to lead the company through a digital transformation. “Like a lot of companies, Pilot has had some excellent technology solutions but still runs legacy back office systems using COBOL, FORTRAN, and RPG,” he says. A business that relies on mainframe-era technology can’t easily […]

Building a Global Experience Through Connected Service

The Internet of Things (IoT) is bringing a new level of connectivity that is evolving the forklift service call and changing how companies approach equipment maintenance. Today’s connected service technicians, armed with new technology and increased connectivity, are helping to make service calls smarter and more proactive. As more data is gathered on forklift performance […]

5 Ways a WMS Can Cut Supply Chain Costs

The right warehouse management system (WMS) can improve efficiency and cut supply chain costs. TECSYS, a supply chain management solutions provider, offers the following tried-and-true strategies. 1. Automate manual processes. Find every opportunity to automate repeatable and time-intensive activities, especially those prone to error. An electronic pick list is a good place to start. A […]

Regenerating Logistics

Regenerating Logistics

Responsibilities: Profit and loss, commercial, supply chain, logistics, and the customer service within Veolia’s regeneration services business. Experience: Global marketing intelligence leader, global demand manager, North American business; marketing manager and numerous business, supply chain and logistics positions within Chemours and DuPont. Education: Penn State University, B.S., Logistics 1989; Drexel University, M.B.A., 1995. I came […]

Mail Merge: China Post, Lufthansa Enter Capacity Agreement

Mail Merge: China Post, Lufthansa Enter Capacity Agreement

With the goal of jointly building a more stabilized and comprehensive channel of air mail transportation connecting China and Europe, China Post Group Corporation, the official postal service of the People’s Republic of China, and cargo airline Lufthansa Cargo are partnering on a strategic capacity agreement that adds one Boeing 777 freighter on the Shanghai-to-Frankfurt […]

Felecia Stratton

A Lot to Learn

In the not-so-distant past, logistics and supply chain practitioners had just a few ways to boost their skillsets and keep current on the latest best practices. The options were mostly limited to on-the-job training, or required an unrealistic investment in time. Today, a world of resources is available to help even the busiest logistics professionals […]

Next-Generation Innovations: Digital, On Demand, Always On

Next-Generation Innovations: Digital, On Demand, Always On

Manufacturing and supply chain professionals face many challenges but, according to the 2018 MHI Annual Industry Report, Overcoming Barriers to NextGen Supply Chain Adoption, the top ones are increasing customer demands on supply chains (73 percent) and hiring qualified workers (64 percent). Eleven technologies are working together to create next-generation supply chains that can meet […]

2018: A Year to Remember

2018: A Year to Remember

Most Likely to Have Lasting Impact The new NAFTA Jose Minarro Senior Vice President of Customs in Mexico Transplace “The rules of origin for several industries will change. Revisit eligibility to claim NAFTA or USMCA duty rates in the future and perform a comprehensive rules of origin and regional value content analysis for every product.” […]

Good Question: What are your top supply chain predictions for 2019?

Uber Freight and other new platforms will power increasingly connected truckers and LTL providers into the gig economy. Steve Dowse SVP, Product Management Blume Global Supply chains will continue their evolution from the traditional lean standard strategy to more of a flexible and elastic supply chain to meet market and logistics fluctuations. These changes will […]

Continuing Education: What’s on the Menu?

Continuing Education: What’s on the Menu?

No matter how skilled or credentialed, today’s supply chain managers are hungry to learn—and want a variety of options to choose from. With the marketplace growing more complex, continuing education professionals are cooking up new programs and remaking old standbys.

A New Combined Approach to Labeling and Artwork Management

Companies have struggled for many years to manage the growing complexities of their supply chains and go-to-market packaging content. Labeling has become more complicated as data requirements continue to expand, and Artwork Management has been challenged to meet an increasing number of demands on a global basis. Additionally, labeling and Artwork Management both face challenges […]

Minimizing Airfreight Costs

To combat trade wars, tariffs, and other obstacles, it’s important to optimize your supply chain. One way is to minimize the cost of air freight, which is generally a fast and reliable—but expensive—option. 1. Evaluate lead times and use THE appropriate transport mode. If lead times aren’t tight, consider using slower transportation methods, such as […]

A Dunk in Your Trunk

A Dunk in Your Trunk

“In-car delivery is another smart move by Amazon in its efforts to become an omnichannel retailer. Frankly, I believe this is a much better option than the in-home delivery offering. Letting someone into your home when you are not there strikes most shoppers as ‘creepy.’ Letting a stranger put your purchases into the trunk of […]

3PLs Tech It to the Limit

Third-party logistics (3PL) providers are investing heavily in technology to deliver the freight visibility and business intelligence shippers increasingly require, reports the 2018 Freight Visibility Report from the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), the organization representing the $185.7-billion third-party logistics industry. Among the key findings of the TIA report: The delivery options that allow 3PLs to […]

Holiday Cargo Theft Q&A with Scott Cornell of Travelers

To learn more about holiday cargo theft, Inbound Logistics spoke with Scott Cornell, transportation business lead and crime and theft specialist at Travelers. Why is cargo theft more prevalent over the holiday season? With so many gifts being ordered, this time of year is holiday season for the bad guys, too. More shipments out on […]

Wait Loss Program

The supply-demand dynamic in the trucking market is out of balance, even as more drivers enter the field. With tight capacity, carriers can pick and choose which shippers and facilities to work with. In order to remain competitive and have access to consistent and reliable supply, it is crucial for shippers to become a shipper […]

Do You Need a Larger Customs Bond?

The answer could very well be yes, according to information provided by Tennessee-based transportation company Averitt Express. A lot of new tariffs have come into effect in 2018, and more are scheduled. These increases are substantial, and if they affect the goods your company imports, you are well aware of how this impacts your business […]

GPA on Track for 4.3M TEUs

For Calendar Year 2018 through November, the Port of Savannah has handled 4 million twenty-foot equivalent container units, up from 3.72 million over the same period last year. Containers currently booked for December will add approximately 362,000 TEUs to the annual total.

Is Process Killing the Customer Experience?

When a company decides to do something new, employees usually try several different ways of carrying out the activity. But once they have found a way that works particularly well, they have strong incentives to lock into the chosen process and stop searching for alternatives. Fixating on a single process frees people’s time and energy […]

Plastics Supply Chain Turns Off the Tap

HP Inc. and IKEA are joining the NextWave Plastics global consortium—a collaborative initiative that brings together leading companies to "turn off the tap" of plastic entering the ocean. The goal is not only to scale their own ocean-bound plastics supply chain efforts, but to also extend across industries to make it commercially viable for all, […]