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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

News & Trends Impacting the Healthcare Supply Chain

85 percent of hospital executives say that reducing supply chain waste and related costs is a top strategic priority.

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

VR Training Combats Trucking Industry’s Critical Driver Shortage

To many of us, truck driving and virtual reality (VR) using simulation are at the opposite end of the technology spectrum. However, VR using proper simulation is the solution to a major problem that exists in the world of trucking and freight movement.

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

Inflation Making Waves for Supply Management

New study identifies five areas that can help procurement navigate uncharted waters.

Supply Chain Remains the “Next Big Thing”

Symphony RetailAI, a global provider of Artificial Intelligence-enabled decision platforms, solutions and customer-centric insights that drive validated growth for retailers and CPG manufacturers, announced the findings of a benchmark report, “Supply Chain Management 2018: In Service of the Customer.” The fourth annual study, conducted by Retail Systems Research (RSR) and sponsored by Symphony RetailAI, shows […]

What Will Retailers Find Under The Tree?

A common theme connects several strategies retailers are using to prepare for the holiday season: Enhanced capabilities to seamlessly cater to shoppers in stores, online, and on mobile devices. CBRE’s annual Holiday Retail Trends Guide outlines four trends shaping this season as it unfolds: 1. The optimistic shopper. In a strong economic environment, retailers who […]

Automated Material Handling Equipment Market Lifts Growth Projections

The growing presence of start-up companies offering robotic solutions for warehouse automation, the increasing popularity of automated material handling (AMH) equipment among leading industries, significant recovery in global manufacturing, and rising labor cost and safety concerns are among the key factors driving the growth of the AMH market, according to a new study from industry […]

Good Question: What was your first job in logistics and what did it teach you?

Summer seasonal order picker. It taught me an order is only as good as its accuracy; without it, all you would have is empty pallets. James Stone Client Sales Representative Echo Global Logistics Manually tracking and tracing previous-day LTL pickups. It taught me every missed pickup has three stories: why the carrier says it’s the […]

Meet Your Match

Supply chain management is increasingly recognized as critical to an organization’s success. As a result, it’s harder to come by top-tier talent through traditional methods. Enter SCTalentMatch, a new service launched by veteran supply chain recruiters Don Jacobson and Adam Lenhart that anonymously connects supply chain professionals with employers. Candidates who are actively seeking jobs […]

What to Expect in Transportation in 2019

Transportation has been on a transformative tear for the past few years, boosting the use of digital platforms to do more for shippers, carriers, logistics companies and other stakeholders. Here are a few ideas on what we should expect in 2019 and 2020 from expert Bob McQueen, Industry Consultant, Teradata Government/Transportation. The emerging smart cities […]

Self-Driving Trucks Are Set to Transform Trucking and Logistics

While much of the attention surrounding autonomous vehicles (AVs) is focused on self-driving cars, the real impact will be felt in the shipping, trucking, and logistics industries, where AVs will have a dramatic effect. Today, the shortage of truck drivers and the need to follow strict federal regulations covering working hours are disrupting status quo […]

Walgreens Launches Home Delivery Program for Prescriptions

Drug store chain Walgreens will now expand home deliveries for prescriptions nationwide. The company plans to partner with FedEx to deliver prescriptions as soon as the next day for a $4.99 fee, and it also is providing same-day deliveries in several cities including New York, Chicago and Dallas. The Deerfield, Ill., company started offering deliveries […]

Holiday Shipping Guidance for 2018: Analyzing FedEx 2017 Holiday Ship-By Dates

To better understand when shippers should send their packages during the holiday season, GrandCanals, a provider of analytics-driven fulfillment, launched an AI-powered website, where companies can view holiday ship-by predictions for 2018, updated nightly. These predictions are determined by artificial intelligence and consider both historical and current shipping trends across the GrandCanals Delivery Performance tracking […]

How Shippers Can Achieve Peace of Mind Through Shopping Season

Imagine it is Christmas morning. A family is just waking up and starting to open presents. It is time for the teenager to open her big gift—a new laptop. This was just what she needed, and her parents are glad all their research paid off. Immediately, the teenager takes the computer out of the box, […]

NOTED | The Supply Chain in Brief-Dec 2018

Good Works DHL Express delivered hundreds of fresh-cut Christmas trees; thousands of handwritten letters; and menorahs, decorations, and gifts to U.S. military personnel stationed abroad as part of its charitable program Operation Holiday Cheer, now in its 15th year. The haul arrived at U.S. bases in Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Kuwait in time for the holidays. […]

The Last Mile-2018

How Shippers Can Relieve Consumers’ Delivery Anxiety

Delivery anxiety is the anxiety consumers feel when they don’t know when they are going to receive their order or when shipping costs push the total order cost too high. It ultimately causes the consumer to abandon the shopping cart, and possibly order the product they so desperately desire elsewhere. Removing delivery anxiety, your single […]

NOTED | The Supply Chain in Brief

SHOVEL READY Online home goods and furniture retailer Overstock.com is set to open a 517,000-square-foot distribution center in Kansas City, Kansas. The new warehouse allows Overstock to offer two-day ground shipping to nearly every customer in the contiguous United States. The retailer intends to expand the distribution center’s operations to include returns processing. Sealed Deals […]

How to Adapt an Aging Warehouse

With the economy firing on all cylinders, it is not uncommon to find warehouses bursting at the seams. When the time arrives to consider investing in additional space, many distribution centers, retailers, and businesses dependent on warehouses face a dilemma: Should the organization move to a new facility, build an addition, or try to retrofit […]

Airfreight Forwarders Guide

These airfreight partners can help you fashion transportation operations that make your company a model of efficiency.

Companies in Asia Pacific Place More Importance on Green Transport Than Other Regions

Companies in Asia Pacific place more importance on green transport than other regions do, according to DHL’s latest research report on ground transportation logistics. The global survey found that a whopping 75% of respondents from the region believe electric vehicles will have a significant impact on transport in the next two years, compared to the […]

Keeping up with B2B Fulfillment Demands this Holiday Season

According to a recent report by CBRE, the average U.S. warehouse is about 34 years old. While this may seem relatively “young” compared to other infrastructure still in operation within the U.S., in our digitally transformed world, any 34-year-old technology is practically a senior citizen. What’s more, within retail, the last five years has seen […]

E-commerce Shipment Costs to Rise

Two recent and important developments will impact domestic and international e-commerce shipments. The first one concerns the U.S. Postal Service’s relationship with Amazon. Let me set the stage. The Postal Service lost $2.7 billion in 2017. U.S. taxpayers guarantee the perennially stressed postal worker retirement fund. And first-class mail receipts are off by $1.8 billion […]

Companies Go for IoT

Companies will spend $434.9 billion to design, plan, build, and run Internet of Things (IoT) solutions by 2023, up from $186.1 billion in 2017, according to research company Forrester. This spending includes IoT-specific security software, platform software, service provider connectivity, application software, hardware, and professional services. Notably, Forrester predicts that spending in each of these […]

Alaska Marine Lines expands Western Alaska service to Arctic ports

Alaska Marine Lines, an Alaska marine transportation company, is expanding its service from Seattle and Anchorage to the Arctic Region in 2019. Bowhead Transport will provide the destination services at the North Slope villages of Point Hope, Point Lay, Wainwright, Utqiagvik (Barrow), and Kaktovik. Alaska Marine Lines will also service Deadhorse with its two annual […]

Benefits of New Mobile Weighing Technologies

The online shopping experience is changing our lives. We purchase online and expect our purchases to be at our door the next day. Companies like Amazon are leading the industry in satisfying this consumer expectation by developing a model that provides convenience and fast delivery to the consumer. What does this mean to the manufacturer […]

What’s Ahead for Retail Technology? Ask the Crystal Ball

What technology developments can retailers expect in 2019? Here’s some perspective from Adam Silverman, senior vice president of marketing for Theatro, and a former Forrester analyst with 20 years of industry experience. 1. E-commerce software will evolve into commerce software that powers both online and offline commerce. As retailers look to replatform antiquated point-of-sale (POS) […]

Black Friday Delivery Data

Consumer data is rolling in from Black Friday. Convey published data insights that show how deliveries are performing across various categories compared to year-over-year data from 2017. Some key findings include: Shipments way up – The number of shipments for each day last week dramatically increased over 2017, with Black Friday up 284%. This increase […]

Factory Robots: Better Safe Than Sorry

In the new gig economy, workers are individual contractors—they are mobile, can work from any place, and save their companies time and resources. A Massachusetts company believes lidar technology could be the key to developing a safer factory robot—and to enabling those robots to take on many of the remaining tasks still completed by human […]

U.S. Ports, Seaway Report Positive October on Great Lakes

U.S. Great Lakes ports and the St. Lawrence Seaway had one of their busiest months of the season in October, fueled by increases in shipments of grain, salt and construction materials. Overall cargo shipments via the St. Lawrence Seaway (from March 29 to October 31) totaled 30.5 million metric tons, up four percent over the […]

New DHL Survey Reveals Expected Cyber Monday Growth for Businesses & More

Forty percent of e-commerce businesses would rather experience a TV malfunction during their favorite Thanksgiving Day football game than contend with shipping issues on Cyber Monday, a recent DHL survey found. DHL distributed a poll to U.S. e-commerce businesses, including its customers. The survey, which had more than 14,000 responses, reveals major challenges, priorities, and […]

Supply Chain Scorecards: A Tool for the Times

Advanced technologies like blockchain and AI have captured widespread interest with the benefits they promise to bring to logistics operations. But, for all the promise these appear to hold, there are proven enhancement-focused tools already available – in particular, scorecards – that supply chain managers should take full advantage right now to ensure optimized performance […]