An Awesome Supply Chain Scholarship
To attract women who want to pursue graduate degrees in supply chain management, the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics announced a new scholarship in partnership with AWESOME (Achieving Women’s Excellence in Supply Chain Operations, Management, and Education), an industry-wide organization for senior-level women in the supply chain field. The AWESOME/MIT AWE Scholarship will offer […]
GDPR: Privacy, Yes. Innovation, No
If you spend too much time clearing privacy protection notices from your email box, thank the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). But what exactly is this regulation and how might it impact future supply chain technological innovation? GDPR is a new rule with the goal of protecting European Union residents’ personal data and adding privacy […]
Partnering for Operational Efficiency and Cost Savings – Transplace
Transplace helped a frozen pizza business expand its transportation network to increase operational efficiency and maximize financial savings.
Load and Expedite – Crane Worldwide Logistics
If you have spent any time in manufacturing logistics you can appreciate the classic problem of, ‘Load and Expedite.’ At Crane Worldwide Logistics®, we see the same thing all over the world with clients in nearly every industry. By not having adequate logistics visibility, setting proper tolerance levels and accurate production forecasting, companies are being […]
New Services and Solutions
These are the latest supply chain solutions and services you should know about.
Last-Mile Technology Needs a Radical Rethink
We need to stop viewing last-mile logistics as solely a delivery challenge. The broader challenge is ensuring processes and their supporting technologies work together to allow supply chains to meet the market’s insatiable appetite for faster, more precise deliveries. Supply chain management technology is boldly exploring sophisticated new developments such as driverless vehicles and the […]
An Open Ledger: Six Ways Blockchain Will Change Supply Chains
With e-commerce giants fueling a spike in shipping volumes, logistics companies need to increase efficiency, while reducing costs. One of the biggest roadblocks to doing so, is improving communication and transparency between manufacturers, freight companies, and buyers. With the global market expanding and consumer demands increasing, it is more challenging than ever to ensure quality […]
Teaching Logistics Excellence
The talent gap continues to be a concern in the supply chain/logistics sector. To help combat it, many universities and educational institutions are working to attract new students to the sector, and provide appropriate training. One such school is the University of Washington, College of Engineering-Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics master’s program. Inbound Logistics recently […]
4 Ways to Tell If Your Alcohol Carrier Knows the Hard Stuff
Transporting alcohol is a time- and temperature- sensitive move that requires superior logistics. Selecting a carrier that can meet the stringent requirements and provide value to a shipper’s business is crucial. To demonstrate they would be a good fit for your business, consider alcohol carriers that: Know the law. Every state has its own process […]
Combat Cargo: The Challenges of Military Logistics
Think you’re a project cargo master? If you really want to be all you can be, try moving difficult cargo into an area with terrible infrastructure and hostile combatants, something military logisticians do every day.
Implementing Blockchain Technology
Blockchain technology creates a global and trustworthy history of a product—from transaction to production to consumption. It has the potential to revolutionize workflows across international borders, empowering an automated, connected supply chain with simplicity and traceability. 1. Flip your thinking. Many consider blockchain a solution seeking a problem. It’s actually the answer to an array […]
Solution Generates Cost Savings – Crane Worldwide Logistics
When an industrial manufacturer needed to reduce supply chain costs, they teamed up with Crane Worldwide Logistics for an innovative solution.
Choosing a TMS: What’s Your Endgame?
With so many choices available, shippers must truly understand what they want a Transportation Management System to accomplish in order to make the right selection.
Noted: The Supply Chain in Brief-June 2018
SEALED DEALS Sports nutrition bar maker Active Nutrition International GmbH launched e-commerce channels in Germany and Austria using SaaS solutions provider Descartes Systems Group’s pixi* WMS to support order fulfillment for its PowerBar and Dymatize sports nutrition brands. Mitsubishi Electric, manufacturer and marketer of electric and electronic equipment, renewed its agreement with Yusen Logistics UK […]
Logistics Hot Spots: What it Takes to Make the List
With a combination of compelling traits, some places are particularly well suited to supply chain operations. Here are 8 characteristics that define a logistics hot spot.
Full-Service Fulfillment Solution Helps E-commerce Company Deliver – Saddle Creek
Saddle Creek helped allheart get orders out quickly, control costs, and keep up with demand spikes.
It’s Supposed to Be, But ACE Isn’t Simple
Importing will always and forever be complex. Efforts to simplify some of the processes have, unfortunately, not always borne fruit. The aftermath of the overhaul of U.S. customs admissibility program – Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) – has created a heavier administrative burden on importers, not a lighter one. One has to believe the agencies see […]
St. Louis: World-Class Multimodal Freight Network
Thanks to its strong global and fast-growing market, the St. Louis region is a leader in freight, setting records and gaining national and global significance.
Can You Handle the IoT Big Data Onslaught?
Supply chain managers (SCMs) recognize the potential benefits of big data platforms, leveraged and fed by the Internet of Things (IoT). Yet, the combination of IoT and real-time data collection creates an overwhelming data flow, threatening to drown organizations unprepared for the influx of that data. Companies need to understand their analytical goals and underlying […]
Pallets: Backbone of the Warehouse
Wood or plastic? Lease or purchase? Whatever your operations need, there’s a pallet provider ready to supply it.
Demanding Service
It is exactly the wrong time to abandon a demand-driven approach to the supply chain.
Subscription Retailing and Order Fulfillment – Hollingsworth
Q: Why are major retailers going all-in on subscription services? A: Subscription boxes such as Birchbox, Stitch Fix, Blue Apron, and the Dollar Shave Club have become popular new avenues of retail in recent years, and now major retailers are jumping in on the trend. Apparel brands like Old Navy, Gap, and Nordstrom have launched […]
GOOD QUESTION | What’s the first thing you would do to solve the warehouse labor shortage?
Make the job dynamic to attract and retain workers. Often, a warehouse role is one-dimensional. Operators can create job enrichment by cross-training workers and rotating them through all the functions required to run the warehouse. Also, connecting their specific job and function to the success of the company, and to the benefit of the customer, […]
Move Beyond Traditional Label Maker TMS or Surrender to Amazon’s Profit Squeeze – SwanLeap
The challenge: Amazon has synchronized and integrated their supply chain to deliver products to customers when they want, how they want, and at the pricing they prefer. By controlling their own inbound and outbound deliveries (air, land and sea) and connecting all of the pieces in the digital supply chain together, the e-commerce giant is […]
What Does World-Class Supply Chain Planning Look Like?
Omnichannel customers, increased product customization, and the emergence of non-traditional competitors all demonstrate that the old methods of brute force execution and elbow grease will no longer suffice when creating a supply chain. Relying on a “can-do” spirit is not enough—businesses must excel at operational planning across multiple dimensions to not just win, but to […]
The Power of Supply Chain Visibility – Kuebix
Most companies today are struggling to achieve visibility and control over their supply chains to effectively manage their cost of goods and consistently meet customer expectations. However, there is a way to leverage technology to provide a platform where suppliers, carriers, and their customers are not only sharing information but also dynamically planning and executing […]
Cookware Company Stirs Up a Sizzling Supply Chain
When sales of cast-iron cookware heat up, a well-known brand prepares a solution to expand manufacturing capacity and warehouse space.
Reverse Logistics Discussion Highlights Upcoming Conference – SMC³
As a consumer, I realize the incredible value online retail sales brings to my family. The ability to order everything—from clothing to food—with one simple click and experience lightning-fast delivery to nearly anywhere in the country is incredibly beneficial. But as the head of a supply chain technology company, I know the online retail supply […]
Transwide is Ready for a New Digitalization Era in Logistics – Transwide
Carriers, shippers, and logistics service providers are facing new challenges today. Customers are asking for increased visibility and feedback in real-time. With digitalization, all players in the supply chain will require instant and efficient response time to their questions or concerns. Fabrice Maquignon, managing director at Transwide within Alpega, assesses these changes and the resulting […]
Reinventing Your Warehouse or DC
Warehouse improvements in layout and organization, docking, picking and receiving, fulfillment, and packaging can boost your bottom line and improve customer satisfaction.
Supply Chain Productivity Boosters: Three Technologies Making Maximum Impact
In today’s perpetually advancing and highly competitive modern marketplace, it is vital for businesses to stay ahead of the industry and maintain an edge, starting by reviewing current processes and identifying what can be automated or require less time, labor, and costs by utilizing technology. Embracing new technological trends will streamline workflow and optimize productivity […]
We Must Be ‘Smart’ About the Future of Infrastructure – WSI
America’s transportation infrastructure is in a pretty dire state. The American Society of Engineers’ (ASCE) last report card gave it an average grade of D+. If the United States were a high school, our parents would be meeting with the principal and we’d probably be concerned about whether we were going to graduate. Few issues […]
Leveraging Big Data in Your Organization
Big data is a hot buzzword, and the phrase has different meanings for different organizations. But no matter how you define it, there is no doubt that using statistical science and data analytics can help drive operational growth and supply chain efficiency. Robert Daymon, senior vice president of operations at Transplace, offers these tips to […]
Now Is the Time to Take Action to Combat Carrier Capacity Issues – Transporeon Group
Q: What are carriers saying about the capacity situation right now? A: The strong economy, increased manufacturing output, driver shortage and other industry developments have all combined to put the highest demands on capacity in years. Capacity utilization rates are at 95% and higher, in both the spot and contract markets. Higher demand points seem […]
Don’t Let Your Office Go to Waste
When analyzing your supply chain for efficiency improvements, it can be easy to ignore administrative activities. But office activities can constitute approximately 50 percent of the order-to-shipment lead time, and about 60 to 80 percent of all cost pertaining to meeting your customers’ needs. Many companies treat office activities in the supply chain and elsewhere […]
2018 State of the Third-Party Logistics Industry Report – 3PL Central
Over the past decade, there has been an extraordinary amount of change within the logistics industry. And with this change has come new requirements, new competition, new technologies, and more. At 3PL Central, we have watched as our customers have navigated this ever-evolving world of logistics. We compiled these observations—along with our own experiences—in our […]
Truck Driver Shortage Solution: Recruit Generation Z
Truck driver retention and recruitment consistently top the list of concerns for the transportation sector. The industry will need to hire roughly 900,000 new drivers to keep up with demand throughout the next decade, according to the American Trucking Associations. As millennials become more seasoned professionals and more immersed in their current industries, leaders at […]
Technology Solution Offers Increased Savings – SwanLeap
SwanLeap’s Artificial Intelligence helped an HVAC supplier increase efficiency and annual savings.
Sunset’s Rising Star
When Lindsey Graves joined Sunset Transportation in 2006, the founder and CEO—who happens to be her father—asked her to learn the business by spending some time in every possible role. As the years progressed, that didn’t mean dealing just with the company’s freight operations. MORE TO THE STORY: No Glass Ceiling Here “I was always […]
Addressing Freight Market Challenges Through Data and Routing Guides – Transplace
Q: What is the current state of the freight market? A: In addition to the typical seasonal swings, there are a number of external economic factors that have impacted the market. For example, in Q1 of 2018, retail sales growth slowed, but the rise of e-commerce and omni-channel fulfillment has also dramatically impacted the supply […]
Windows Mobile Migration: Three Ways to Ensure Business Continuity and Minimize Supply Chain Disruption
Microsoft’s 2015 decision to curtail support of mobile devices included, to the company’s credit, a sustained transition period. While this provided some breathing room for supply chains dependent upon Microsoft mobile platforms to transition to alternative operating systems, the days are numbered for companies that have yet to complete the OS transition. In June 2018, […]
Lower Cost Through Supply Chain Efficiency – Unyson
Unyson’s recommendations on ordering discipline improve efficiency at a lower cost.
Mobile Powered Workstations Increase Receiving Velocity by 40% – Newcastle Systems
Direct Relief turns to Newcastle Systems to speed the handling of crucial medicines to people in dire need.
UPS Doesn’t Want Your Large Items in Its Small Parcel Network
A warning to shippers was sounded during the current UPS earnings report when it was asked to explain its strategy regarding balancing volume and price. UPS Chief Sales and Solutions Officer Kathleen Gutman stressed the importance of continuously looking for pricing initiatives which align to revenue to cost to serve as well as the value […]
Supply Chain Commentary: 4 Steps to Increasing Visibility
When companies speak of wanting more visibility within their supply chain, what they are ultimately hoping for is to have more control. To reduce supply chain complexities and gain more authority, a business must be willing to implement tools to establish a connection to its own real-time data and information throughout its network. Establishing an […]
Invest in Logistics IT in a Grow Economy
Now is the time for all supply chain management professionals to come to the financial aid of their logistics IT. In the Information Age and the Internet of Things (IoT) era, the need for speed and flexibility in sharing accurate information both internally within your business units and externally with your customers, vendors, and suppliers, […]
Overcoming Supply Chain Challenges With TMS Technology – Transplace
Shippers need tools that enable them to make strategic, data driven decisions.
Better Together: How AI and Social Media Can Be a Supply Chain Manager’s Best Friend
Supply chain managers have one of the most challenging yet integral jobs in our global economy: juggling a variety of data streams to make sure people and materials get to where they need to go. The value of this data is instrumental in making sure disruptions don’t become full-fledged disasters that negatively impact market share, […]
Supply Chain Commentary: How Blockchain Brings New Efficiencies
The logistics sector faces immense pressure—to be better, faster, and less expensive. A significant amount of pressure has been applied to nearly all industries by disruptive conglomerate Amazon, which has single-handedly changed expectations of consumers everywhere. While competing with Amazon represents a major pain point, it’s not the only challenge. The U.S. Department of Transportation […]
IATA Automates Dangerous Goods Compliance Checks
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched an innovative new solution that will enhance safety and improve efficiency in the transport of dangerous goods by air and support the industry’s goal of a fully digitized supply chain. Dangerous Goods DG AutoCheck is a digital solution that allows the air cargo supply chain to check […]
IoT Goes Green
The Internet of Things (IoT) will play a pivotal role in enabling the transport and logistics sector to reduce its carbon footprint and minimize any negative impact on the environment. According to research from Inmarsat, a provider of global mobile satellite communications, 95 percent of companies in the sector are actively implementing IoT technologies to […]
Switching On The Smart Grid
A radical new charging technology that overcomes the challenge of simultaneously recharging an entire fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) without the need for an expensive upgrade to the power supply grid has been deployed in London by a UPS-led consortium. The breakthrough signals the beginning of the end of a reliance on traditional combustion engine […]
Alibaba Ties Thailand To Online Commerce
Thailand and Alibaba have signed a letter of intent to cooperate on initiatives to develop e-commerce in the country—from providing training to small and mid-sized companies and individuals to exploring ways to enhance the country’s logistics capabilities to support Thailand 4.0 and Digital Economy strategies. The agreement covers four key areas. First is e-commerce training […]
India Loses GDP To Poor Logistics
India is losing 14 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) due to inefficient logistics, which impacts the competitiveness of the country’s products, according to CR Chaudhry, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry. "Logistics is an important sector and it is clear that the government is giving importance to the development of better connectivity […]
Noted: The Supply Chain in Brief-May 2018
In Memoriam D. Allen Lund, founder of truck brokerage firm Allen Lund Company, passed away on April 7, 2018. He was 77. In 1976, with $1,000 in his bank account, Lund founded the Allen Lund Company, now headquartered in La Cañada, California. Over the past 42 years, he saw the company grow to offices in […]
How to Manage Supply Risk in Uncertain Times
Although disruptions are inevitable, transportation management teams are often not prepared to respond. Organizations that can quickly anticipate, diagnose, and resolve supply disruptions will be in the best position to weather future storms. Case in point, as shippers geared up for the 2016 holiday season, most had no way to anticipate the massive breakdown in […]
Product Spotlight: Warehouse Workhorses
Raymond High-Capacity Reach-Fork® Truck This new, integrated high-capacity reach truck from the Raymond Corporation lifts up to 4,500 pounds and reaches 542 inches. Applicable for cold storage and freezer usage, the high-capacity truck allows pallet storage from eight to 10 levels for potentially 25-percent more warehouse storage. The truck offers integrated telematics capabilities to increase […]
XPO Logistics Taps Mobile Technology in Europe
XPO Logistics, a global provider of transportation and logistics solutions, will expand its Drive XPO mobile technology to Europe in spring 2018, following a successful launch in North America. The app, designed for carriers, supports real-time visibility across transportation modes, and integrates carrier operations with daily productivity tools in one technology. The company’s proprietary Freight […]
Vertical Focus: The Agriculture Supply Chain
FARM AID The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make disaster payments of up to $2.36 billion, as provided by Congress, to help America’s farmers and ranchers recover from hurricanes and wildfires. The funds are available as part of the new 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program. The USDA’s Farm Service Agency will make these […]
Joel Kamp: Never Out of Gas
Joel Kamp is head of the bulk scheduling center, Americas region, with The Linde Group, a leading gases and engineering company operating in more than 100 countries. He oversees the transportation and delivery of liquefied gases such as oxygen and nitrogen to plants and depots in this region. Responsibilities: Directs the bulk scheduling center for […]
Turn Up the Volume on Omnichannel Fulfillment
Customers are changing the way manufacturers, transportation and logistics firms, and retailers operate, finds the Future of Fulfillment Vision Study conducted by Zebra Technologies with research partner Qualtrics. Among the study’s key findings are these three factors to consider when preparing your company for omnichannel fulfillment: Omnichannel is difficult to attain. If you feel like […]
Reshoring + FDI = U.S. Jobs
Combined reshoring and related foreign direct investment (FDI) added more than 171,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs in 2017, up 2,800 percent from 2010, according to the Reshoring Initiative’s 2017 Reshoring Report. The total number of manufacturing jobs brought to the United States from offshore is more than 576,000 since 2010. The reshoring and FDI jobs equal […]
In Brief: New Services & Solutions
Services Supply chain solutions provider Bolloré Logistics USA opened a FTZ facility in Miami. The 200,000-square-foot site consolidates freight forwarding and contract logistics activities previously housed at two different locations, improving cargo turnaround time for shippers with time-critical logistics requirements. DHL relocated its Ontario, California, service center to a larger, $7-million facility to accommodate increased […]
Lufthansa Expands Access to Capacity, Rates
Speed and reliability play a major role in transportation even when cargo is not in transit. For instance, during the booking request, sometimes every second counts. To address this need, Lufthansa Cargo now offers shippers two new programming apps: GetCapacity and GetRates, which provide direct access to capacity and rate data. Companies can use the […]
Finder’s Keepers
Seventy-six percent of transportation industry professionals responding to HireRight’s 2018 Annual Employment Screening Benchmark survey expect to grow their workforce this year, despite the challenges of recruiting and retaining qualified candidates. The survey also reveals planned strategies to overcome these challenges: Respondents plan to invest in developing retention programs (40 percent) as well as training […]
Driver Pay and Benefits Rise
Driver pay has climbed as rising demand for freight transportation services raises competition for increasingly scarce drivers, according to data gathered from more than 100,000 drivers in the American Trucking Associations’ (ATA) latest Driver Compensation study. "Fleets are reacting to an increasingly tight market for drivers by boosting pay, improving benefit packages, and offering other […]
Blockchain Solution Passes the Test
A BLOCKCHAIN SOLUTION that can eliminate the need for printed shipping documents and save the transportation and logistics sectors hundreds of millions of dollars annually has been tested successfully by a consortium comprising AB InBev, Accenture, APL, Kuehne + Nagel, and a European customs organization. The consortium tested a solution where documents are no longer […]
Rolling on the River
To establish and grow an alliance designed to generate new business by promoting international and inland trade routes at strategic locations along the Mississippi River is the intent of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) recently signed by The St. Louis Regional Freightway, Plaquemines Port Harbor & Terminal District located in the State of Louisiana, and […]
Leave IT to Your 3PL
Still struggling to get your logistics technology up to speed? You’re not alone. See why companies are increasingly outsourcing IT to their third-party logistics providers.
Put the Factory to Work: Vendor Shipment Booking – Amber Road
Q: What are the biggest issues facing supply chain executives in 2018? A: When we said 2017 was one of the most disruptive years for global supply chains in recent years, thanks to natural disasters, geopolitical conflicts, and regulatory upheaval, we couldn’t have foreseen the twists and turns that would take shape in 2018. The […]
U.S. Imports: It’s a Steel
While the Trump administration introduced tariffs of 25 percent on the import of steel and 10 percent on aluminum, many of the United States’ most important steel trading partners were granted exemptions, at least temporarily. These exemptions apply to the selected major steel exporters shown in the chart below, including the European Union, Brazil, Canada, […]
A Cool Supply Chain Solution
A 3PL’s cold call leads to a cool technology solution that streamlines processes and minimizes service disruptions
Truck Driver Shortage: When Will Autonomous Trucks Fill the Gap?
Not that long ago, San Francisco-based Embark announced its first cross-country trip by a self-driving truck. Along with Uber, Tu Simple, and Starsky Robotics, Embark is working on the autopilot technology for long-haul trucks. Self-driving trucks will result in disruption; the question is “When?” Given that the economic benefits are enormous, the self-driving revolution is […]
Find the Data You’ve Been Looking For – RateLinx
Q: Why do companies struggle to get good data? A: It’s no secret that data is the foundation for a world-class logistics strategy. It’s also no secret how to find the right data, yet many companies struggle to find the data they’ve been looking for. Companies have a lot of data, but not the data […]
Supply Chain Commentary: How to Overcome Technology Roadblocks
The shipping industry has hit a roadblock and can’t expand without overcoming numerous challenges. Talent shortages, increased competition from outside the industry, and slow acceptance of technological advances are just a few of the hurdles that have stagnated one of the most important segments of American commerce. The only way to overcome these challenges and […]
Georgia Ports: Crane and Able
The first of Georgia Ports Authority’s (GPA) four new Neo-Panamax cranes have come online, bringing its operating fleet to 27. The super-sized crane is tall enough to lift containers 152 feet above the dock. Konecranes of Finland designed these massive cranes, which can work the largest ships now calling the U.S. East Coast, reaching across […]
Robots in the Supply Chain: The Perfect Employee?
Robotics systems help distribution facilities gain speed, increase accuracy, cut costs, and handle the grunt work so employees can focus on more productive tasks. And no resume or job interview required.
Trucking Challenges Impact SCM
It is no secret that the current state of the U.S. trucking industry has had several negative impacts on logistics and supply chain management. The shortage of drivers and ripple effect from the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate have caused trucking delays and pricing increases across the country, and are now affecting global supply chains. […]
Keeping Order Changes in Check
Today, retailers face not just competitive pressures, but also heightened consumer expectations for convenience and a wide product selection. As a result, the retail grocery industry is working to increase flexibility in the supply chain and clean up disjointed practices that add unnecessary cost and, ultimately, negatively impact the consumer experience. Recently, a retail grocery […]
Manufacturing Reaches Pre-Recession Levels
The U.S. manufacturing sector will regain all of the output lost since June 2009 by April 2019, indicates a recent report from the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI). A global economic rebound, the passage of U.S. tax reform legislation, and the depreciation of the U.S. dollar are the chief components MAPI identifies as […]
Simplifying Supply Chain Complexities
Manufacturing has never been more global, productive, profitable, or vulnerable. Despite tremendous advances in breaking down global barriers and adding efficiency to the supply chain, there are still challenges to move products quickly, safely, and seamlessly. To appreciate the complexity of today’s global supply chain, consider Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner passenger jet. Each jet is comprised […]
Engaging the Informed Consumer
Retailers and branded manufacturers can differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace by showcasing their most unique assets, according to Kibo’s annual 2018 Consumer Trends report. Based on responses from 3,000 U.S. consumers, the report suggests that while price is still the primary factor in purchasing decisions, consumers are increasingly seeking out a differentiated shopping experience—one […]
Global Trade Networks Bring Certainty to Uncertain Times
There is no magic bullet to overcome the capacity crunch. The supply chain has proven to be the competitive battleground of the future, and organizations that act proactively by implementing a flexible, adaptable supply chain solution will be the ones in the best position. Weather-related events and other inevitable tragedies have taken a tight market […]
ELDs: Ready or Not, Here They Come
While most owner-operators are ready for the ELD mandate, many are unhappy with the electronic logs, and blame them for a loss of productivity and a resulting decline in income, finds a recent DAT survey of 645 carriers and owner-operators. In addition, it’s harder to find parking for trucks, driver detention remains a problem, and […]
Unblocking the Blockchain: Beyond the Hype
For the logistics sector, blockchain is taking center stage in 2018. In the first three months of the year, we have seen Buffett’s BNSF Railway, UPS, and GE among a whole host of others join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), which has dedicated itself to developing the industry standards for blockchain use. We have […]
Casting a Light on Procurement
As closer supply chain ties are forged with vendors, logistics managers must increasingly collaborate with procurement. To provide insight, a new study illuminates today’s procurement process, and the many challenges
purchasing managers face.
Track and Trace Is Old News – Crane Worldwide Logistics
When an industrial manufacturer needed to optimize staffing levels for incoming shipments, they turned to Crane Worldwide Logistics for a solution.
2018 Business Trends: For Better, For Worse
Investing in new and improved information technology and robotic process automation (RPA), talent shortages, and trade protectionism are predicted to be the top trends in service delivery for 2018 and the next several years, according to the latest quarterly KPMG Global Insights Pulse survey. Respondents predict these trends will have the largest positive impact: intelligent […]
Robotic Process Automation: Raising Expectations in Logistics
Digital progress drives service improvements in 3PLs
Vertical Focus: News & Trends Impacting the Aerospace Supply Chain
Steeling For Tariff Impacts What impact will the proposed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum have on sourcing activity for domestic suppliers in the U.S. aerospace industry, which relies heavily on foreign aluminum? Some interesting activity has already occurred. For example, sourcing activity for aluminum coils on industrial purchasing site Thomasnet.com is up 53 percent […]
Competing With E-Commerce Giants
Despite the highly competitive environment, it is possible for small and mid-sized companies to compete with the e-commerce giants. It just takes creativity, a strong, optimized supply chain and, of course, exemplary customer service. Paul D’Arrigo, vice president of information technology for Spend Management Experts, offers this advice. 1. Provide excellent customer service. Ensure the […]
What’s the most fun or interesting part about working in the supply chain?
Knowing I work in an industry that touches every aspect of everyone’s life. I like knowing that if we do our job well and someone goes to the shelf for something they need—the shelf is full.
Fueling Transportation Breakthroughs
Doug Mueller was enjoying a long, happy career at Schneider National when Craig Dickman, a former colleague, proposed Mueller join him in a new kind of business. MORE TO THE STORY: On Becoming Breakthrough Fuel would help shippers save money on fuel surcharges, allowing them to base those charges not on a nationwide index, but […]
FedEx Reserves 20 Tesla Semi Electric Trucks
FedEx Corp. has placed a reservation for 20 Tesla Semi trucks. Less-than-truckload unit FedEx Freight will operate the fully electric trucks, which are scheduled to begin production in 2019. This new big rig will deliver a far better experience for truck drivers, while increasing safety and significantly reducing the cost of cargo transport, according to […]
2018 Top 100 Logistics IT Providers
Need logistics IT solutions? These leading providers, presented alphabetically, offer the services that match your supply chain needs. Search the Logistics IT Decision Support Tool for an even deeper dive.
Checking In: The Last Grimy Mile
At the end of March, in between nor’easters in New York City, I went out for a lunchtime stroll. I wanted to check out the 14 new gleaming skyscrapers of the Hudson Yards development—a “self contained, e-commerce friendly city within a city”—where thousands of young urban professionals won’t ever have to leave their apartments to […]
Noted – The Supply Chain in Brief
Sealed Deals Gifts, toys, apparel, and accessories e-tailer Hollar deployed inVia Robotics’ Picker robots and cloud-based Robotics-as-a-Service management system to streamline e-commerce fulfillment in its Los Angeles warehouse. Hollar uses the collaborative mobile robotics platform to automate goods-to-person fulfillment, boosting warehouse productivity. The e-tailer deployed 100 inVia Picker robots and will scale as needed to […]
2018 Top 100 Logistics IT Market Research Survey
Inbound Logistics surveys the supply chain technology market to evaluate the latest trends and uncover the most innovative providers in their respective fields.