U.S. Economy Going Strong and Steady
The U.S. economy continues to experience robust growth supported by real wage increases, lower unemployment, and easy access to credit, which all support stronger private consumption, according to the Atradius December Economic Update report. The report’s key takeaways for the U.S. economy include: World trade will see five-percent growth in 2017 and 3.5 percent in […]
Funding High-Tech Supply Chain Startups
Singapore-based investment company, Temasek and Kuehne Nagel International AG, a global logistics group, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a joint venture to invest globally in early stage companies developing cutting-edge technology for logistics and supply chains. The joint venture targets investments in early stage companies developing technologies and services with the potential […]
Venezuela Crisis Surpasses Great Depression
The collapse of Venezuela’s economy has reached historic proportions, equal to or surpassing the 1929 and 1939 U.S. Great Depressions. That’s according to economist Gerver Torres, a researcher at the Gallup Company and senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in a recent lecture at the University of Miami’s Robert and Judi […]
Realigning Logistics
FedEx Corp. will realign its specialty logistics and e-commerce solutions in a new structure under FedEx Trade Networks, Inc. (FTN), beginning March 1, 2018. The goal is to create an organization focused on serving the unique needs of this important growth driver. "In order to improve our ability to leverage the unique capabilities of our […]
Special Delivery
With delivery dates of June 2018 and January 2019, Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services, a division of the Ethiopian Airlines Group, is leasing the first Aeronautical Engineers Inc.(AEI)-converted Boeing 737-800 freighters (737-800SF) from GE Capital Aviation Services. “In line with our Vision 2025 Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics strategic roadmap, we are expanding our cargo fleet […]
Middle East Gain for Crane
Crane Worldwide Logistics has expanded in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, opening a fully operational office based in Dammam. Providing airfreight, ocean freight, and logistics services, the operation is strategically located in Al-Khobar and served by King Fahd International Airport and King Abdul Aziz Port. Crane Worldwide Logistics also has its own entities in both […]
Status Grow? Yes.
I often disagree with IL’s publisher, but I can’t argue with his perspective in this edition. There is a great opportunity for growth in many business sectors, and supply chain excellence is fundamentally important in that economic environment. It wasn’t always that way, however. This publication’s mission since its inception in 1981 has been to […]
Fleets Don’t Fail Me Now
The number of active fleet management systems deployed in commercial vehicle fleets in Russia/CIS and Eastern Europe was 4.8 million during the fourth quarter of 2016, according to a new report from analyst firm Berg Insight (see chart, right). Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5 percent, this number is expected to […]
WTO Conference Marked by Lack of Consensus on Pretty Much Everything
Nobody left satisfied when the World Trade Organization (WTO) wrapped up its 11th Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires in December 2017. Here are the highlights: The United States largely withdrew from its traditional leadership role at the WTO conference, expressing interest in developing more direct, bilateral trade deals with trading partners. The European Union (EU) […]
Peak Season Piques Airfreight Demand
Global air freight is on track to achieve its strongest operational and financial performance since the post-global financial crisis rebound in 2010. Demand measured in freight ton kilometers (FTKs) rose in November 2017 by 8.8 percent over 2016 totals, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). While the 2010 gains lasted for about one […]
SCPA: One for the Record Books
South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) set a new container volume record, handling 2.2 million TEUs during 2017, and posted nine-percent container volume growth. The port’s total container volume in 2017 surpassed the previous record of 2 million TEUs achieved in 2016. In addition, the port moved 182,884 TEUs in December 2017, an increase of 11.2 […]
Shopper Expectations Outpace Retail Investments
Overall shopper satisfaction has significantly improved over the past decade, although shoppers are still not thrilled with retail staff availability and customer service. While four in 10 shoppers surveyed in Zebra Technologies Corporation’s 2017 Global Shopper Study cite being better connected to consumer information than store associates, more than half believe store associates armed with […]
Four Ways to Optimize Your Supply Chain
Supply chain optimization techniques, if leveraged properly, can help companies achieve their strategic business objectives, drive significant reductions in operating costs, and make informed cross functional decisions in complex scenarios. This comprehensive approach helps find the right balance between minimizing costs and meeting business constraints and strategic goals. The following four primary techniques can help […]
Food Fight
Armed with certification programs and a collaboration platform, the Global Food Safety Initiative is battling to defend the global food supply chain from contamination.
Connectivity, Advanced Telematics Buoy LATAM Logistics
Digital transformation and connectivity are reshaping the future of logistics and the trucking industry, according to Frost & Sullivan’s recent Latin American Commercial Vehicles Market Forecast to 2023 study. Demand for greater transparency, speed, and truck capacity optimization, as well as higher logistics costs in Latin America (LATAM), ushered in a range of digital freight […]
Acquiring Shipt Will Bring Target Shoppers Same-Day Delivery
Target recently acquired Shipt to leverage the same-day delivery company’s proprietary technology platform and community of shoppers, and quickly and efficiently bring same-day delivery to customers across the country. What does this $550-million deal mean for Target and other retailers? "We are now at a point where same-day delivery service is becoming the rule for […]
E-Commerce Warehouses: SuperSize Me
Thanks to e-commerce, the average footprint of warehouses built in the United States since the early 2000s has more than doubled. The largest expansions are in metro areas with the big populations that online sellers covet and the ample land that developers need, according to a new CBRE report. The real estate firm analyzed the […]
What the Health is Going on?
The U.S. healthcare system faces many challenges that efficient supply chain management can help heal.
Three Supply Chain Trends You Need to Know
The pace of supply chain and logistics transformation shows no signs of stopping in 2018, and changes in commerce, technology, demographics, and regulation will have huge implications for the sector. Three trends to keep top of mind are: 1. The electronic logging device (ELD) rollout in the United States, combined with previously introduced Hours of […]
Outsourcing Distribution: Good For What Ales You
Thirsty to sell regional craft beer on a global scale, Velour Imports partners with a 3PL and hops to it.
Digital Supply Chain: What’s Your Reality
What does the digital supply chain mean for your company? More integration, better visibility, a single version of the truth, a clearer view of the future—and maybe a few flying robots.
How Millennials Are Driving Modern Mobility in the Supply Chain
A recent analysis of U.S. Census data by the Pew Research Center found that more than 30 percent of today’s American workers are of the millennial generation. This percentage is expected to rise as an increasing number of those born between the early 1980s and mid-2000s enter the workforce. Within a few short years, we […]
Welcome to the Neo-Panamax Era: Big Ships, Big Opportunities
The arrival of the cargo vessel T. Roosevelt at Port Elizabeth, New Jersey, in September 2017, marked the beginning of a new era for international commerce and trade. At 14,414 TEUs, four times longer than a football field, T. Roosevelt was the largest vessel to dock at an East Coast port after traversing the widened […]
Top 8 Logistics Challenges Facing the Industry – DDC FPO
These days you have more challenges than just trying to keep trucks full; you have your hands full of business process needs that can often feel like too much to handle. According to a third-party logistics study by Capgemini, "cutting transportation costs" makes the top of the list as far as concerns for the logistics […]
Lease Me a Loan: Transport Financing on the Upswing
Today more businesses rely on leases, loans, and equipment lines of credit to finance increased spending on new equipment. Businesses have increased their capital equipment spending for the seventh consecutive year, with overall new business volume growing by 2.5 percent, according to a recent Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) study. The equipment-financing sector outperformed […]
Intermodal Volumes Best in Nearly Four Years
Total intermodal volumes climbed 7.2 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2018, the strongest gain since Q2 2014, according to the Intermodal Association of North America’s (IANA) Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics report. Domestic containers increased 6.2 percent, international intermodal volumes grew 7 percent, and trailers led overall growth at 14.5 percent. “Drivers for […]
Accelerate Breakthrough by Helping Human Experts – Transportation Insight
While machine learning and predictive intelligence will shape this era, creative companies which value collaboration, human expertise and servant leadership can change the game.
Creating The Internet of Everything
From factory floor to retail store, companies are linking up products, conveyances, machines, and tools along the entire supply chain.
Dangerous Goods Compliance: Why It Needs to Be Redefined
The landscape for shipping dangerous goods (DG) and hazardous materials (hazmat) continues to evolve. With thousands of items classified as “hazardous” and shipping regulations becoming more complex, moving DG in a secure, safe, compliant manner is more critical than ever. Unfortunately, those responsible for DG/hazmat face an uphill battle – not only in meeting evolving […]
How TMS is Proving ‘Time is Money’ for Shippers in 2018 – UltraShipTMS
There is only one way forward for high-volume shippers who are facing a logistics environment where they’ll be forced to produce far more efficient shipping using far fewer resources in a much more competitive environment. Expectations surrounding shipping velocity (and the fines increasingly imposed for late delivery) have never been higher. The visibility required to […]
5 Ways Your 3PL Can Help Meet E-commerce Challenges
With unlimited e-commerce potential on the horizon, it is worth exploring if an experienced third-party logistics (3PL) provider can help you accommodate growth and ensure an optimal customer experience. If you’ve just launched your e-commerce channel or are striving to make that channel more seamless, scalable, and cost-effective, an experienced 3PL can be a valuable […]
10 Ways To Play IT Safe
State-sponsored and individual bad actors will escalate supply chain cybersecurity risks. Here are 10 threats and trends to look out for across business, governmental, and personal arenas: 1. Software updates—the new Trojan Horse. Criminals use the normal software update process to get companies to infect all their clients, which then affects everyone down their software […]
LTL Carriers: E-Commerce Powerhouse
Less-than-truckload carriers are developing new strategies to serve retailers and manufacturers who create the goods that impatient e-commerce consumers expect will be delivered fast and free.
It’s Time to Make Inbound Freight Management a Priority – Kuebix
Frequently overlooked and often pushed to the bottom of a shipper’s supply chain agenda, good inbound freight management can help companies improve shipment visibility, save money, and enhance customer service—all of which add to the bottom line and boost profitability. Unfortunately, few shippers make inbound freight a priority, and even fewer consider it a strategic […]
Peak Season Planning: A Year-Round Venture
It’s never too early to start planning for peak season supply chain capacity. To meet customer demand at a reasonable cost, it is best to plan ahead as much as possible with a lean, flexible supply chain. Many retailers do an inordinate volume of business—some as high as 70 percent—from Black Friday until the end […]
How Leadership Training Can Improve Company Culture – MD Logistics
Use this advice to implement a leadership training and development program that can pay long term dividends.
Steve Ahern: Supply Chain Strategist
Steve Ahern is manager of supply chain operational design with BASF, a leading chemical company with global sales of $67.8 billion. He has held this position since October 2014. Responsibilities Optimizing BASF’s North American network of 100-plus warehouses and distribution centers, and designing supply chain services and upgrades to its transportation process and system. Experience […]
Top 3 Supply Chain Check-ups Provide Cost Savings – A.N. Deringer, Inc.
At the onset of overseas procurement, logistics professionals focus on supply chain strategy. Finding the right supplier, defining sales terms, determining the best transportation solution and speed to market mean sourcing start-up can be time intensive. When the goods finally arrive at the consignee, many supply chain professionals relax a little knowing that leg of […]
Maximizing Deliveries While Driving Down Transportation Costs – Transplace
Transplace established an LTL consolidation program to increase load capacity and reduce freight costs for a Canadian hardware wholesaler.
How to Prepare for the Unexpected
Disruptions are part of our world. Weather, labor strikes, materials shortages, and demand spikes or valleys are simply part of doing business. High-performing supply chain organizations are differentiated on how well they respond to the unexpected. Moments when things don’t go well should remind anyone involved in the intricate and complex supply chain process to […]
Fraud Goes Broad
The use of analytics to mitigate third-party supply chain fraud, waste, and abuse risk jumped to 35 percent in 2017 from 25.2 percent in 2014,according to a Deloitte poll. Between 2014 and 2017, an average of 30.8 percent of poll respondents report at least one instance of supply chain fraud, waste, and abuse in the […]
The Son Also Rises
Chuck Wall never pressured his son Ryan to enter the family business, FHI (Freight Handlers, Inc.). But in 1998, as the young man’s college graduation drew near, he asked his father for advice about the future. Chuck Wall painted a tempting picture: “If you apply yourself, within a year or two you could be a […]
Multi-Stop Steps
If you suspect that carriers reject multi-stop truckloads more often than single-stop loads, you’re only partially right. While carriers dislike specific factors about multi-stop, you can employ some strategies to make multi-stop freight more attractive to carriers and better control your costs. Here are four ways shippers can reduce rates and increase acceptance of multi-stop […]
Improving Supply Chain Network Strategies
Today’s world of disruptors and changing consumer behaviors drives companies to continuously revisit their network strategies. Social media ads, mobile purchases, and same-day delivery changed the way we shop, and keeping customers happy has become a challenge. Jason Deloach, vice president of engineering at Americold, offers these tips to create a flexible,demand-driven supply chain. 1. […]
Status Quo? No.
The coming year is destined to be one of some major and minor changes in business operations. Given your role in logistics, you will face a perfect storm of new. Here are some events and trends that will drive change and the need to think flexibly and laterally, and adapt operations accordingly. Domestic trucking capacity […]
Valentine’s Day Logistics
$2 billion Amount spent in 2017 on flowers for Valentine’s Day 250 million Number of roses grown specifically for February 14 Colombia, Ecuador, the Netherlands, and Kenya Top four suppliers of roses in the world. Roses don’t grow in the United States in February so they need to be imported from these top […]
Tracking Trucking
Data scientists at fleet management solutions provider Omnitracs recently conducted some research into what the trucking industry looked like in 2016 vs. 2017. The main findings revolved around Hours of Service (HOS) and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) metrics. HOS takeaways, based on data from January to October for 2016 and 2017 Drivers on average drove […]
Industrial Technology and the Supply Chain: Is 2018 the Year We Turn a Corner?
2017 may be remembered as the year we finally figured it out. After years of spending on the components of industrial technology, professionals in the supply chain and manufacturing disciplines should begin to see the fruits of their investments, as new capabilities and efficiencies begin to surface. 2018 won’t be so much about discovering anything […]
5 Things to Consider When Choosing an ELD Provider
Now that the ELD Mandate has taken effect, fleet operators and logistics managers have a lot to consider. Many—still around one million—trucks still do not have an ELD (electronic logging device) installed and many fleet operators are still evaluating whether or not to roll the dice and even adhere to the mandate. Those who do […]
Supply Chain Collaboration: Myth or Reality?
Today’s supply chains are more complex than ever before—that is one of the surest realities of supply chain collaboration. And, due to a lack of collaboration, the supply chain sector is realizing a negative impact resulting from the increased time it takes to make critical decisions. This is why supply chain collaboration (SCC) is such […]
Predictive Applications Take Supply Chains into the Future
Anything can happen in the supply chain–trucks break down, ships get rerouted, goods are stolen, parts are faulty, ports close, dockworkers go on strike, and supplier production lines go down. This uncertainty causes companies to buffer inventories beyond what is necessary to service forecasted demand just in case something goes wrong. But this is an […]
4 Common Fees to Monitor for Supply Chain Savings
As logistic departments focus more time and energy on meeting fast order fulfillment, it can become inherently difficult to save money without changing the mix of services used to less premium ones. More often than not, managers are squeezing their network like a tube of toothpaste: getting every last drop out. Take advantage of the […]
Clinical Trial Supply 2018 Report: The Quest to Shrink Wastage Levels
In meeting the growth ahead for clinical trials there must be a focus on efficiency as their supply already suffers from major issues with wastage levels. This is lack of control is problematic with the rising public scrutiny on spending by pharmaceutical companies. Forecasting and demand planning When sites are under supplied, sponsors may be […]
Rapid Rollout Plan for Manhattan’s WMS – ITOrizon Inc.
Currently, there is no proven rapid implementation strategy for Enterprise Warehouse Management Solutions. Complexity quadruples based on the MDM, ERP, EOM, WCS, MHE, and interface architecture, and presents unique challenges for each probable combination. In the case of Manhattan, there are not many system integrators whom understand the product in-depth, and can implement quickly and […]
Polaris Transportation Group Embraces Blockchain Technology
Without question, Polaris’ ongoing and increasing investments in technology have created a competitive advantage. It has been a core strength in the company’s ability to compete and take market share from the larger, publicly funded competitors. Polaris Transportation Group is the largest privately held Canadian cross-border LTL carrier and has enjoyed growth in each of […]
Managing Complexity in the Aerospace Supply Chain – SCTL at the University of Washington
Aerospace is currently an industry at an inflection point, as it struggles to meet unprecedented challenges.
Inbound Logistics Winter Reading Guide 2018
The weather may be cold, but that doesn’t mean your supply chain skills have to freeze up. Check out the books on this list to gain the hottest logistics and supply chain knowledge.
Online Purveyor of Artisanal Goods Finds Uncommon Solution
Online retailer UncommonGoods needed a way to provide extraordinarily fast shipping times to sell and transport goods to the other side of the country.
Three Transportation Innovations that Can Deliver Short-Term ROI
Managing transportation has become increasingly challenging as customers grow more demanding and the driver shortage constrains capacity. Innovations such as driverless vehicles loom as potential solutions, but have yet to reach commercial viability. That doesn’t mean transportation managers are forced to deal with process inefficiencies and data siloes while they wait for new technologies to […]
Supply Chain Commentary: Sense, Shape, and Orchestrate Demand
Here’s a quick three-question test for supply chain professionals: Could you pinpoint the location and contents of a single shipment from San Francisco to Tokyo within a few minutes? How quickly would you know if a truck from Los Angeles to Denver had been compromised in a blizzard? If a customer in New Jersey is […]
Why Adherence to SQF Requirements Is Crucial to Supply Chain Integrity
In early 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized the Safe Quality Food (SQF) rule as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The rule was created to help prevent both intentional and unintentional contamination of the food supply chain from farm to fork. The rule requires those transporting food by motor […]
Supply Chain Commentary: Satisfying Customer Demand in a 365 E-Commerce Market
Today’s connected world has created catalysts of change from consumer shopping habits all the way to the last mile. Omnichannel retailing, combined with Amazon’s domination of the e-commerce world impacts shippers’ decision-making, driving change throughout the supply chain. This change has been so monumental that the term, Amazon Effect – relating to customer expectations of […]
China on a Logistics Spending Spree
Chinese companies are acquiring overseas warehousing, trucking, and other logistics service providers in record numbers as part of its goal to build a new Silk Road. Total acquisitions in Europe, Asia, and other regions by Chinese groups of logistics companies more than doubled in the first 11 months of 2017 compared to all of 2016, […]
Five Reasons to Consider Cloud Services for Your Supply Chain
Supply chain and logistics management uses resources, processes, and technology to create solutions that deliver the right goods to the right place at the right time—as quickly and cost effectively as possible. Managers looking for technology to support those solutions may find that cloud computing offers some compelling options. Lower IT Infrastructure Costs Reducing costs […]
It’s Now or NAFTA
The odds are “about 50-50” that NAFTA will be terminated, according to Gerónimo Gutiérrez, Mexico’s ambassador to the United States, following a fifth round of renegotiations among the United States, Mexico, and Canada on the nearly 24-year-old free trade agreement. “I remain concerned about the lack of headway,” said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in […]
Artificial Intelligence Will Transform the Global Logistics Network in Three Key Areas
Two of the world’s most influential research and advisory firms predict major acceleration in artificial intelligence (AI) use as more businesses look to make the digital transformation leap. Forrester projects AI investment tripled in 2017, and Gartner expects AI to be pervasive in almost every new software product and service by 2020. With its cognitive […]
Building Resilience in Your Global Supply Chain
If your company has a business continuity plan in place in the event of a supply chain disruption, you are not alone. Nearly 75 percent of organizations responding to a report published by the Business Continuity Institute and supported by Zurich Insurance Group have made business continuity arrangements related to supply chain management. Companies that […]
The Human-Centered Supply Chain
The fashion supply chain is moving toward a human-centered model, which shifts from a sequenced approach of siloed operations to a flexible network of participants and partnerships that will enable agile and adaptable supply chain operations (see chart). That’s according to a new report developed by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which worked […]
Supply Chain Commentary: Taking the First Steps to Digitizing Your Supply Chain
The clarion call to digitize the supply chain is louder than ever before. In order to meet consumer demands and gain competitive advantage, shippers are retooling their supply chains to be more agile, efficient, and transparent. But where do you start? What steps can you take today? And how can you use existing IoT analytics […]
Meet a New Breed of Procurement Professionals
In a workforce being transformed by the rise of the gig economy and industry restructuring, what attitudes and behaviors do procurement professionals need to climb the career ladder? The first global survey from Procurious.com reveals some answers. From developing vital mentoring relationships, to building social media profiles that have eclipsed the importance of resumes, to […]
Simplifying Trade Complexity
Global trade professionals experienced a great deal of disruption during 2017, with trade agreements being canceled and renegotiated, regulatory enforcement on the rise, the timeline for Brexit approaching, political instability a growing concern, and more. Networks that had been relatively stable for years are now in flux. To respond to these global market forces, companies […]
7 Common Warehouse Problems & How to Solve Them
Some common warehouse problems don’t get the attention they deserve. This is usually because the work needs to get done as soon as possible, leaving little time to step back and look at the big picture. Let’s dive into seven of the most common warehouse challenges and explore potential solutions to help make your warehouse […]
Manufacturing IT: Investing for the Future
A continuum of change and digital transformation is swirling within the manufacturing industry and global economy. In this fluid environment, it can be tough for manufacturers to nail down IT planning stategies. IDC’s FutureScape: Worldwide Manufacturing 2018 Predictions can help. The study provides manufacturers the following 10 predictions and underlying drivers expected to impact technology […]
Get Your Supply Chain Up to E-Commerce Speed
It’s hard to go more than a day without reading about a new startup or outside party looking to “digitize” the supply chain or logistics process. While some logistics companies such as freight forwarders are automated and use software packages based on EDI or newer cloud-based technologies, if the output of your technology is nothing […]
Supply Chain Insight: What Do Young Supply Chain Professionals Want from their Career?
Today, the supply chain faces a unique challenge. According to the 19th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study, 60 million employees are exiting the supply chain industry, with only 40 million people joining the industry to fill the gap. So, how do we recruit and retain the young talent our industry needs to thrive? This is a […]
Tim Miller: Serving It Up Fresh, Fast, and Casual
Tim Miller is vice president of supply chain with Smashburger, a fast-casual burger restaurant. Based in Denver, Smashburger has more than 350 locations in 38 states and nine countries. Responsibilities: Commodity management, relationships with suppliers and third-party distributors, contract negotiations, program management; item changes, price validations, and distributor service to the restaurants, including on-time delivery […]
Santa’s Highly Inefficient Christmas Journey
Christmas, Inc. has a problem. And the blame rests squarely on the ample lap of its Chief Everything Officer, Santa himself. By failing to implement automated routing and scheduling software for his yearly 75-million-mile Christmas journey, we estimate Santa is adding 15 million excess miles and 5 extra hours to his 24-hour trip. We know […]
How E-Tailers Can Reduce Return Rates for Large Items
Merchandise returns are a drain on profits in any industry, but especially for large-format items such as furniture or appliances. E-tailers face additional challenges when dealing with returns compared to local retail outlets, both due to higher transportation costs and the lack of the face-to-face and hands-on experience for the customer. The decision to return […]
TMS Systems Have Changed Dramatically. Your Buying Process Should Too.
To say that transportation logistics has changed a lot in the last decade would be the understatement of the…well, decade. From the impact of omni-channel to complex routing needs and the demand for lightning-fast integrations, a transportation management system (TMS) can help you manage these challenges and give you a competitive advantage. At its core, […]
Product Spotlight: Forklifts
Raymond 8250 AC Walkie Pallet Truck Powered by a lithium-ion power pack from battery maker Brammo, Raymond Corporation’s 8250 instantaneously sends and receives communication between truck and battery pack. An onboard battery management system lets the user schedule charge times, notifies the user when charging is required, and monitors charging and usage. Driven by […]
Supply Chain Commentary: What Does the Share Economy Mean for Manufacturers?
The rise of the share economy – a wave of “non-ownership” spurred by companies like Uber and Airbnb – has been gaining steam for years, and it certainly has a hold on the millennial generation. Things that used to be considered status symbols, such as home ownership and multi-car garages, have gone to the wayside […]
CX in the Era of Supply Chain Impatience
Whether your customer is the end consumer or B2B buyer, supply chain and customer service performance expectations are converging. Providing an excellent customer experience (CX) requires super-expedited and sometimes free delivery. E-commerce customers increasingly choose to pay for same-day delivery, according to a DHL survey. Here at Inbound Logistics, we call that supply chain impatience […]
GOOD QUESTION | What’s the difference between supply chain visibility and transparency?
Supply chain visibility is what you actually know; transparency is what you are willing to share with your partners. Don’t assume a supplier or customer is deliberately obscuring information when, in fact, they don’t have that information in the first place. Amy David Clinical Assistant Professor of Management Purdue University Krannert School of Management It’s […]
Optimizing Route Planning to Cut Costs
With consumers expecting more delivery options and the return of rising fuel prices, supply chain managers are finding ways to run leaner. For instance, ensuring transportation operations are making the most efficient use of vehicles, fuel, and drivers is a high priority. William Salter, CEO and president of Paragon Software Systems, offers these route planning […]
From Top Waffle to Top Rhino
MORE TO THE STORY: Racing to Make A Difference Kevin Nolan fell in love with the excitement of the freight brokerage floor the day he walked into a C.H. Robinson office, as a college senior, to interview for a job. “I loved the energy, the camaraderie among teammates,” he says. Having played lots of team […]
Billy Duty: Formulating a World-Class Supply Chain
Billy Duty is is head of North American supply chain with BYK USA Inc., a division of Altana, a specialty chemicals company. He has held this position since January 2016. Responsibilities: Production and replenishment planning, forecasting, customer service, warehousing, and logistics. Experience: Director, supply chain center of excellence, director, SIOP, Momentive; global supply chain manager, […]
The Need for Speed in Automated Truck Policy – WSI
I recently read that in the 1970s, Congress held hearings and engaged in serious discussions about whether or not a personal computer could be trusted not to read the brainwaves of its users. This is a fine example of how those responsible for regulating technology tend to trip over what they don’t understand. That’s why […]
Building Visibility, Response, Resiliency
Chief supply chain officers (CSCO) are tasked with a range of challenging issues when it comes to managing a company’s product supply chain. To maximize productivity and efficiency, the CSCO should consider visibility, response, and resiliency the most important aspects of supply chain management. Digital transformation is underway in supply chain management and it is […]
How to Navigate the Driver Shortage
The industry’s driver shortage is no secret. About 100,000 seats need to be filled at a time when the pipeline for new drivers is getting thinner. But what’s the practical impact on shippers as this shortage gets worse? In short, it won’t be pretty. Tighter capacity will lead to fewer choices. Regulations mandating the use […]
End-to-end Visibility is Crucial to Shipper Network Optimization – Schneider
“Visibility.” It’s more than just the latest buzzword on everyone’s mind and tip of the tongue. But what does it mean and what is its value in your supply chain? As technology advances, the velocity of business increases, the proliferation of personal electronic devices continues, and people’s expectations of shippers grow. Today’s consumers already assume […]
Solved: TMS Offers Significant Savings – BluJay
BluJay’s SaaS transportation management solution helped Ace Hardware reduce freight spend and improve service.
The Customer Experience: The Last Mile Gets the Royal Treatment
In e-commerce, how you deliver is nearly as important as what you sell.
Supply Chain Super Bowl
America’s appetite for build-a-bowl restaurants is growing, but the concept serves up new supply chain challenges.
Career Solutions: Talent Search
Experience-based education programs seek out, woo, and train the next generation of supply chain talent.
Better Routing Takes Root
By switching from a manual to an automated routing and scheduling system, flowering plant seller Weatherford Farms puts the petals to the medal.
K Line, Agunsa Drive KAR
To leverage rising automotive import traffic in Latin America, particularly in Chile, multinational logistics agency Agunsa has partnered with Japanese shipping firm “K” Line to create a dedicated automotive logistics company. The new company, KAR Logistics, offers integrated transportation services as well as warehousing, customization, pre-delivery inspection, and spare parts services. Its target is automotive […]
Can Your Supply Chain Keep Up With Technology?
New technology has rapidly impacted our everyday lives. Consumer technology advances are having a profound impact on the art of supply chain management, requiring constant evolution and rethinking of the way products are marketed, sold, produced, and delivered. The Tesla Effect In the automotive industry, customers will soon expect to be able to configure their […]
Do Buy, Says Dubai
E-commerce is booming and everyone wants a piece of the pie, including Dubai . The country recently announced its first free trade zone dedicated to e-commerce in the MENA region: Dubai CommerCity, a multi-million-dollar, 2.1-million-square-foot complex that is a joint venture between Dafza and Wasl Asset Management Group. The project is designed to promote Dubai’s […]
Addressing Expedited Delivery Expectations
Amazon and other large retailers set customer expectations by offering expedited delivery at low or no cost. Retailers of all sizes must compete on the same turf, yet lack the negotiating power that could net meaningful discounts with commercial carriers. And private carriers often assess charges such as delivering to a residential address, penalties for […]
Leveraging Supply Chain Automation to Meet This Year’s Holiday Shopping Demands
Businesses face an increase in order volumes as shoppers stock up for the holidays. According to Deloitte’s annual retail holiday sales forecast, sales are expected to rise 4 to 4.5 percent from 2016. At the same time, online sales are predicted to reach $111 to $114 billion as more customers move away from brick-and-mortar shops […]