The Role of Relationships in Automated Brokerage
Q: Recently we have seen an emphasis on technological tools working towards an “Uber for trucking” model. Is this achievable in the brokerage industry? A: To answer this question, let’s first clarify the analogy itself—Uber for trucking. Nowadays, companies are setting out to entirely automate the brokerage process by better connecting the brokerage firms with […]
How Leadership Training Can Improve Company Culture
Use this advice to implement a leadership training program.
Optimizing Your Supply Chain
Q: How can today’s manufacturers deal with increasing regulations, demand volatility, and shifting global trade currents? A: While supply chain managers work diligently to design and oversee extended supply chains, one aspect that often falls through the "operational cracks" is supporting the corresponding financial supply chain. Orchestrating the end-to-end cash flow velocity and supporting transactions […]
Doug Waggoner: Managing By Consensus and Common Sense
MORE TO THE STORY: Flying, Coding, and Watching Kids Grow Up When Doug Waggoner joined Echo Global Logistics as CEO in 2006, the company employed 35 people. Since then, the team has grown to more than 2,300, about 80 percent from the millennial generation, spread across more than 30 offices. Now chairman as well as […]
Accurate Transit Times: The Backbone of Efficient Supply Chains
Q: CarrierConnect® has been a crucial SMC³ product for nearly 20 years, and the company has continued to make upgrades during that time. How have customers been reacting to recently added features in CarrierConnect XL 2.0? A: GlobalTranz was the first technology partner to integrate the new XL features, and they discovered true strategic value […]
Instill Passion, Purpose, and Leadership To Attract and Retain Logistics Talent
The talent gap in the logistics field is vast, touching everyone from truck drivers and warehouse staff to supply chain and third-party logistics (3PL) professionals. Finding the right people, and fast, is an ongoing struggle. Seventy-nine percent of 3PLs feel they are unprepared for the looming labor shortage and its impacts, states the Council of […]
Chainsaw Maker Massacres Supply Chain Inefficiencies
Equipment manufacturer Blount International brings out the power tools to plug money leaks and sharpen data management.
Global Logistics—September 2016
Cheat Sheets Wrinkle Target’s Supply Chain Target’s supply chain got a wakeup call when supplier Welspun Inc. allegedly provided a fraudulent product. The retailer recently ended its contract with the India-based textile company, claiming that Welspun supplied Egyptian cotton sheets made from a lower-quality cotton between August 2014 and July 2016. Target’s allegations drove Walmart, […]
Logistics Hotspots: Nine That Shine
These U.S. cities and areas are rising as major logistics hubs and go-to distribution center sites.
Trends—September 2016
Transportation Infrastructure: The Roads to the White House It’s no big secret that American transportation infrastructure is falling apart and sorely underfunded. In 2014, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHA) labeled more than 61,000 U.S. bridges as "structurally deficient." There is currently a $1.4-trillion deficit between transportation funding and spending needs for the next 10 […]
You Can Only Hit So Many Golf Balls
Transportation business retirees enjoy an above par, lucrative second career through Bulk Connection’s agent program.
18 Sure-Fire Ways to Save on LTL Shipments
Carriers and 3PLs reveal road-tested secrets for cutting trucking costs.
2016 Trucking Perspectives
Inbound Logistics’ exclusive trucking market research report delivers shipper and trucker insights into the industry’s challenges and trends.
Politically Direct
Yep, we went there. Supply chain leaders on both sides of the Mexico-U.S. border attending a recent summit hosted by Inbound Logistics and Inbound Logistics LATAM introduced the issue of The Wall and NAFTA while discussing the impact on trade of Brexit and the populist trend that sparked it. Some might consider discussing such a […]
Freight Payment and Auditing Services: Solutions You Can Bank On
Trying to manage your freight spending in house risks leaving money on the table. Partnering with the right freight bill audit and payment service provider can help balance your checks and check your balances.
Houston, We’ve Got a Problem
The Intermodal EXPO, held in Houston, Texas, in September 2016 as part of IANA’s 25th anniversary, includes some particularly unique historical aspects. For example, this is the second year the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) and National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) will hold separate shows. The divorce was prompted by many issues—primarily low attendance […]
Empower Users to Create and Update Labels for Supply Chain Efficiency
The single most important aspect of label design is the ability to convey the correct information, to the correct audience, in a consistent and concise manner. The two keywords here are “correct” and “consistent.” When labels are inaccurate or information is out of date, serious breakdowns in the supply chain can occur. This is often […]
Using Tunnel Scanning to Meet
E-commerce Challenges
The recent increase in the number of consolidation warehouses operated by e-commerce companies that receive orders from many different suppliers in relatively small quantities creates challenges from an ID reading perspective. The small size of their typical order means that consolidation warehouses usually do not have the leverage over their suppliers that would enable them […]
How to Succeed With a Supply Chain Technological Rollout
The late great Yogi Berra famously said, “If you don’t know where you are going, then you’ll wind up someplace else.” Nowhere is this truer than when considering, procuring, and implementing new logistics/supply chain technology. It doesn’t matter if it’s optimization technology, a TMS, a WMS, or any combination. If you (the organization and all […]
Retail Logistics: When Fast Isn’t Fast Enough
To keep customers happy, retailers play a daily game of beat the clock. For some retailers, smart supply chain management strategies and 3PL partnerships keep the orders flowing. For others, well…time may be up.
Working at People Speed
Elon Musk describes the manufacturing operation for the new Tesla as so complex that no humans will participate in building the car. "You really can’t have people in the production line," says Musk. "Otherwise, you’ll automatically drop to people speed." Drop to people speed? Will supply chain impatience—a term I coined to define an inexorable […]
GOOD QUESTION | Has supply chain impatience gotten out of hand?
Absolutely. While it is nice that consumers can get more things faster and cheaper than ever before, it puts tremendous pressure on retailers to keep profits up. Retailers start moving up sales for each season: back to school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It’s getting so bad that I predict the Christmas 2018 season will be […]
Prepping Your DC for Peak Season
Are you ready for the holidays? Today’s retailers and their logistics partners need to ask and answer that question well in advance of the holiday season. Mark Sibley, vice president of customer support for BEUMER Corporation, offers this advice to prepare your distribution center before holiday orders come rolling in. 1. Start early. Don’t start […]
Cross-Border Champion
MORE TO THE STORY: Lowdown on Long Island John Costanzo works in the thick of the world’s largest trading relationship—the one between the United States and Canada. At Purolator International in Jericho, N.Y., a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian company Purolator Inc., the core mission is helping U.S. businesses move goods to customers north of […]
Peter Schuele: Injecting Life Into Supply Chains
Peter Schuele is head of global supply chain and distribution at the life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, which operates as MilliporeSigma in the United States and Canada. He has held this position since 2015. Responsibilities Managing 130 distribution centers around the globe, as well as the supply chain models for the company’s […]
Trends—August 2016
If It Ain’t Broke…Keep It That Way Manufacturers are seeing big benefits from providing maintenance training. Just 40 hours of maintenance training per employee per year can net as much as a 127-percent return on investment, says a new study from Advanced Technology Services (ATS), a manufacturing maintenance consultancy. The study collected data from 1,189 […]
Global Logistics—August 2016
U.S./Mexico Border Project Takes Off Wait To address customs clearance delays and waiting times at the U.S./Mexico border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Mexico’s Tax Administration Service (SAT) launched the Unified Cargo Processing pilot program at Arizona’s Port of Nogales, Mariposa Commercial Facility. The project is posting positive results in its initial stages. […]
Keys to Customer Retention in a Competitive Environment
Q: What do you attribute to be the most significant key factor with customer retention in today’s competitive marketplace? A: Value over price seems to be an old adage that still is true even in today’s market. A key contributor to this is having local sales effort, and knowing customer requirements. Being able to provide […]
What You Need to Know About Nearshoring
Q: When a company begins a nearshoring initiative in Mexico, what is the best way to expand its supply chain to meet the future need without disrupting the service their customers have come to expect? A: When a company initiates a nearshoring program, it is critical to have a partnership with a transportation and logistics […]
Complying With Big-box Retailer Requirements
Complying with big-box retailer regulations is not a one-person job for 3PLs. An integrated team approach is the best way to ensure your company, as a logistics provider, is able to be absolutely reliable to the retailer. Specifically, customer service, compliance, and transportation and operational services equally aid in the assurance of complying with big-box […]
Multiple Channels Are Making Supply Chains More Complex
The global consumer packaged goods (CPG) logistics market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.98% from 2016 to 2020, according to a Research and Markets study entitled Global CPG Logistics Market 2016-2020. For CPG logistics providers who are looking for and finding new ways of helping customers get their products […]
Global Retail Expansion: The Convergence of Marketing, Customer Service, and Supply Chain Strategies
As the global market becomes ever more connected, more and more retailers are struggling to keep up with their international expansion. Brands who never anticipated going global are finding that they all of a sudden are, thanks to the progression of e-commerce and increasing customer expectations. Wisely, this is where many are seeking assistance, and […]
Self-Improving Supply Chains Have Arrived
Imagine a world where supply chain planning systems can mold themselves into their environment, adapt, and improve as the business changes. Imagine systems that can monitor user behavior as well as customer and supplier anomalies, and advise accordingly. These are self-repairing supply chains. Imagine no more. With advances in processor speed and abundance of memory, […]
How to Attract the Best Supply Chain Talent
Everyone in the supply chain management field feels the crunch for frontline, technical, and management talent. Today, leading companies are expanding their talent search from traditional technical sources, such as engineering programs, to include a new area: business schools. The demand for technically oriented people who understand business and possess soft skills such as communication, […]
Black Swan Events: Planning for Supply Chain Resiliency
Major supply chain disruptions, commonly referred to as "Black Swan" events, are high-impact, low-likelihood occurrences that are typically not on your everyday radar. But knowing exactly where your product is in the supply chain is never more important than during these instances. The effects of a hurricane, flood, fluctuating oil prices, political unrest, and port […]
Meal Delivery Services: You’ve Got to be Kitting Me!
Meal kit delivery services are great for consumer convenience and health. But their supply chain complexity can cause plenty of heartburn.
Taking the Show on the Road
Show producers and their logistics partners earn props for their behind-the-scenes work on live entertainment events. From the opening act to the grand finale, here’s how they set the stage for shows on tour.
Florida: Your Partner in Progress
The Sunshine State basks in its role as a logistics superstar, with hot transportation connections via water, air, road and rail. You’ll also warm up to its great quality of life, abundant qualified labor pool, and oceans of experience in keeping your products safe for the long haul.
Site Selection: A Power Production
Locating warehouses and distribution centers in areas offering reliable energy generates cost savings and efficiency.
Optimum Dental Extracts Transportation Cost Savings
Optimum Dental sinks its teeth into a route optimization and planning system, and leaves dentists and their patients smiling.
E-Learning Boosts Supply Chain Management Expertise
The rapid pace of business requires all of us to invest in our teams while quickly learning new skills and taking on new responsibilities. The supply management sector is becoming increasingly more strategic, requiring its professionals to develop new competencies while they are in the midst of busy careers. Procurement professionals must continually sharpen their […]
Make Port Dray Street-turns Mainstream to Reduce Supply Chain Costs
Shipping containers used in the import and export process are the building blocks of global trade. These same containers are also one of the most underutilized assets in the supply chain. Empty container moves cost the industry over $10 billion (USD), annually. One highly inefficient part of the supply chain is container usage inland. In […]
Optimizing Freight Rail Supply Chain Visibility
Freight rail has become an integral part of many global supply chains, driving the need for complete visibility across modes and giving rise to a new suite of technologies. Shippers, third-party logistics service providers, and railcar owners and lessors who have the knowledge to make effective use of these technologies gain an advantage. For example, […]
Is Your Warehouse Ready for Black Friday? Start Preparing This Summer
The world of a distribution center manager is changing rapidly. Whether you’re in a B2C or B2B world, it’s no longer about just keeping up with orders, it’s about establishing and maintaining a competitive advantage to deliver both profitably and seamlessly in response to your customer’s demands. And those are getting tougher by the day. […]
Five Keys to Selecting the Right Transportation Consultant
Many companies utilize the services of an outside consulting firm to assist in the management of specific transportation projects. This is a good practice, particularly for shippers that do not currently have employees with the existing experience, knowledge, and expertise to effectively manage these transportation projects in-house. However, choosing the right transportation consultant can become […]
B2B Commerce Technology Improves Fulfillment Times and Supply Management
For manufacturers and distributors, order delivery speed and product availability have never been more important. As their B2B buyers face the pressures of today’s on-demand economy, fulfillment times and availability can mean the difference between keeping a customer or not. To ensure customer satisfaction, many companies look for workflow improvements in their warehouses and distribution […]
Cross-Border Trade is On a Roll
U.S.-Canada trade will continue to be a mutually beneficial partnership, as long as shippers keep their eye on the ball.
Still Pushing Your Customers Around?
Inbound Logistics published its first healthcare logistics article back in 1994. That article revealed several important reasons for companies to move to demand-driven logistics, even those not in the healthcare value chain. Hillarycare was introduced the year before that article ran. My opinion then was, “Fine, look at Hillarycare, but first cut costs and boost […]
6 Cool Things I Learned Editing This Issue
This summer is a scorcher here in New York. Luckily, this issue is chock full of cool things. Here are a few of my favorites: We asked logistics and supply chain professionals to explain what they do in terms a five-year-old would appreciate. You’ll find their way-cool answers here. Like baseball, logistics is a game […]
GOOD QUESTION | How would you describe your job to a five-year-old?
MORE TO THE STORY: Comments from LinkedIn Your toys and clothes are made far away. They’re put in big metal boxes that go on ships across the ocean. I work with my team to make sure there’s space for our customers’ boxes on those ships. Inna Kuznetsova President and COO, INTTRA I help […]
Using Social Media to Empower Your Supply Chain
Social media benefits supply chain management in many ways. Through their social channels, companies enhance communication with customers, generate demand, reduce operating costs, mitigate risk, increase productivity, and gain marketplace intelligence. Companies that aren’t active on social media are at a disadvantage because most of their customers, suppliers, and competitors are. Ready to leverage social […]
Build a Great Team and Get Out of Their Way
Mike Gardner put himself through college working as a chef in a four-star Italian-American restaurant. But he hadn’t decided on a long-term career when he entered Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Then he took a class in physical distribution management with professor Thomas Speh, and lightning struck. MORE TO THE STORY: Logistics to the Rescue […]
Diandra Hayban: Keeping New York City Prepared
Diandra Hayban is the logistics shelter support program manager for NYC Emergency Management, a coordinating agency for the City of New York that plans and prepares for emergencies and coordinates emergency response and recovery, among other functions. She has been with the agency since 2013. Responsibilities: Managing logistics for NYC emergency shelters, including the agency’s […]
Trends—July 2016
2016: Logistics in Transition It’s transition time for the supply chain and logistics sector. New technologies are on the horizon, but aren’t here yet. Old ways of doing things are being slowly phased out as new ways phase in. Decades-old trade barriers are breaking down, opening new markets to the world. The way consumers shop […]
Global Logistics—July 2016
UK Voters: See EU Later The British exit, or Brexit, referendum by the population of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union (EU) has already had some impact on the supply chain, and will likely have much more in the coming months. The dust is still settling after the narrow 51-percent victory, but as […]
Balancing Inventory for a Better Customer Experience
Q: How is e-commerce impacting inventory management for retailers? A: Inventory is a costly investment for retailers. With the growth of e-commerce, retailers have identified a potential opportunity to reduce working capital by thinning inventory at brick-and-mortar stores—opting instead to maintain major portions of inventory at distribution centers upstream. By adopting this strategy, retailers are […]
How to Stand Out From the Crowd
The changing needs of today’s manufacturers, coupled with the intense challenges third-party logistics (3PL) providers face—from greater reliance on just-in-time inventory and the increasing role of technology, to port congestion and the truck driver shortage—have led to a landscape ripe with competition. Arguably more diversified and sophisticated than ever, the 3PL sector is seeing an […]
How to Be Fashionably Green
The retail industry’s tectonic shift toward sustainability is real, with a renewed focus on clothing made from raw, organic materials, and nontoxic dyes or bleaches, with low water usage, and produced under socially responsible conditions. Yet this shift is only part of the story of how the retail and fashion industry is becoming greener. Other […]
Supply Chain Execs Shift Focus From Sustenance to Survival
While we usually reserve 1990’s nostalgia for fashion, film, and music, a glimpse back at the technology landscape is just as jarring. Many remember a time before the internet was a necessity, but what about the pre-SCM age? For today’s large manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, supply chain management (SCM) has become such an indispensable area […]
Who Are You Doing Business With?
In our ever-connected and increasingly global economy, aggregated, real-time global trade data—such as denied party screening results—helps businesses ensure protection and compliance. Denied party screening is critical in shipping and international trade, and essential for minimizing business risk today. Country governments and international organizations maintain lists of people, organizations, and countries they are prohibited from […]
Physics of a Customer-Centric Supply Chain
The supply chain strategy shift from business cost efficiency to customer purchase location flexibility is similar to the Copernican Revolution. Many companies are becoming customer-centric and putting the customer’s experience at the center of business objectives. Nicolaus Copernicus’ Revolution was the creation of a heliocentric model where the sun—instead of the earth—is the center of […]
Prepare Today for the Workforce of Tomorrow
In the past decade, consumers have embraced the internet to gain control of the shopping landscape. Shoppers no longer clip coupons or wander big box stores without information. Instead, they compare prices, seek out deals, and research and review products on their smartphones—from wherever they happen to be. In response, retailers have to increase consumer […]
Panama Canal Expansion: Four Keys to Unlocking its Potential
The Panama Canal’s new set of locks offers the opportunity to increase ocean transportation by more than twice the number of containers on one ship, creating a potential sea change in economies of scale. Here’s what shippers need to know. Today’s global macroeconomic and cross-border logistics environment is already incredibly complex, with higher U.S. domestic […]
Does Your Supply Chain Need an Alignment?
If your supply chain isn’t aligned with your overall competitive strategy, then performance may fall short of expectations, with higher costs, poor execution, and reduced revenue and profits. When a company develops a strategic growth plan, it has to decide which priorities—cost, quality, time or flexibility—to focus on. It must then manage the supply chain […]
How Secure Is Your Air and Ocean Cargo?
Air and ocean cargo security remains a high priority for supply chain managers across the globe. While cargo theft has been a concern for years, organizations also contend with the risk of terrorist groups uncovering vulnerabilities in global supply chains to carry out illicit cross-border operations. While the United States introduced the C-TPAT program in […]
10 Steps for a Win-Win Shipper-Forwarder Partnership
While many companies rely on forwarders and brokers for compliance, it is ultimately the importer/exporter’s responsibility. Here are 10 key steps to create a win-win partnership with your forwarder where compliance is the top goal. Create SOPs. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) clearly communicate how you expect the forwarder to proceed in certain situations and should […]
Dialing In to the Secondhand Smartphone Market
More than any other mobile device, our gadget-centric society loves smartphones. The next big thing is always right around the corner. And that’s the phone we want. This compelling trend has spawned a budding market for secondhand smartphones. Many consumers are content to chase the next product generation one or two years behind if it […]
The March of Technology
How are you going to make money at the lower margins of 2016? Freight is down, trucks are plentiful, and fuel is down so much that you need to get a lot of new business just to keep your revenue even. Not an easy environment. And it’s going to get tougher. Margins have been coming […]
Is It Time to Think About Logistics Outsourcing?
Changing consumer behaviors, increasing consumer expectations and rapid advancements in technology are converging to create the need for supply chains to be more global, transparent, agile and responsive. We are at a unique point in time with all of these dynamics in place simultaneously that the supply chain function is evolving in its breadth of […]
The Potential of Change
With schools across the country rapidly increasing the use of technology in the classroom, recent graduates entering the logistics workforce expect similar atmospheres. Without even realizing it, these individuals have trained themselves in a variety of ways to further their career. They are comfortable spending hours a day behind the computer, checking their emails religiously, […]
Optimizing Inbound for Improved E-Commerce Fulfillment
E-commerce is changing warehousing. Consumers want to purchase merchandise at any time, from anywhere—whether it is online, mobile, or in a store. As a result, efficient and reliable omni-channel fulfillment has become an imperative for retailers. To better align business models with the new paradigm, retailers and logistics providers are augmenting their distribution networks to […]
Truckload Capacity: There is Always a Truck Going That Way
Hundreds of calls, page by page through the carrier listings. Ninety-nine percent of the replies are, "Sorry, we don’t hire out." But through all the searching, you always find one. That gem in the rough who runs the lane. They are booked out for the week, but now you have them in your pocket. Success! […]
Increased Visibility
The strength of any supply chain is in its individual links. For shippers of all types of freight, that means having visibility into accurate and timely load locations. For shippers, carriers, brokers and third party logistics services providers, the MacroPoint freight tracking solution is proving to be the answer. Today as well, shippers are requiring […]
Preparation: The Key to Successful Business…and Procurement Projects
Shippers everywhere are enjoying the "summer of ’16." Carrier capacity is abundant, and rates, particularly in the truckload spot market, have fallen by double-digit percentages relative to last year. Contrast this with the "winter of ’14" when the Polar Vortex drove spot rates to all-time highs. Since that time, decreasing fuel costs, coupled with favorable […]
Import Express LCL Service
In an industry where speed of information is constantly improving, it is ironic that the actual speed of the various modes used to move cargo (airplanes, trucks, ships, and trains) has improved very little. That makes even the smallest improvement to the speed of delivery an important consideration. Improvements in speed of delivery typically involve […]
Keeping an Eye on Cost Management
The transportation and logistics industry is currently experiencing an acceleration of mergers and acquisitions, which is causing dramatic changes to the supply chain. Are you prepared to manage through this ever-changing environment while keeping a focus on managing cost? The 80/20 Rule of Logistics tells us that 80 percent of supply chain cost and efficiency […]
What You Need to Know About the New SOLAS Regulation
With the introduction of the new Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulation, there has been much discussion about what the new ruling entails, and what it will mean for the industry. There has also been a lot of confusion, particularly regarding who is responsible for implementing the changes and enforcing the ruling. To clear […]
Adapters Win in the Multi-Modal, Omni-Channel Fast Lane
In today’s digital supply chain era, market-leading shippers in North America are racing to adapt to the growing need for the speed, choice, precision, agility and visibility required to satisfy end customers. Responding to multi-modal and omni-channel demands for the rapid flow of goods, forward-thinking supply chain leaders are leveraging advanced analytics, robust supply chain […]
Big Data: Breaking Down Key Information and Putting It to Work
Just mention the word data today and most people will envision something akin to a spinning galaxy full of ones and zeroes that is beyond comprehension. But data doesn’t have to be that way. Big data isn’t this giant nebulous of information that only analytical geniuses can understand. Rather, big data is everywhere and when […]
Is Transportation Management Your Core Competency?
When evaluating your needs for a Transportation Management System (TMS) it’s important to look beyond technology and consider who will manage planning and execution. How do you determine if outsourcing to a Managed Service Provider (MSP) will deliver greater value than developing an in-house team? Making the Decision: Evaluate your core competency— Is your expertise […]
Become an Extension of Your Client’s Brand
As entities responsible for brokering appropriate carrier rates, ensuring accurate quantities of orders, and guaranteeing high quality of products, third-party logistics providers are extensions of companies’ brands. The functions 3PLs perform help shape their clients’ outwardly facing reputation. Here are the most effective ways to become an extension of your client’s brand. Cost Savings Carrier […]
Survey Says: Invest in Warehouse Technology
It’s no secret that e-commerce is changing the landscape of warehousing. Forrester Research estimates online sales in the U.S. will increase 56 percent—from $335 billion to $523 billion—over the next five years. Coupled with ever-growing consumer expectations for instant gratification, the pressure on warehouses is set to grow exponentially. So how do industry leaders plan […]
3PL Customer Service Specialization
Defining customer service can be difficult. Measuring it is even harder. Sometimes ambiguous, customer service is more than being courteous and helpful, it’s also about being knowledgeable. To solve complex problems, and to do so with speed, a 3PL must know a shipper’s needs inside and out. While intricacies of certain shippers and receivers will […]
Young Leaders Share Secrets to Success
When it comes to bringing a fresh perspective to the supply chain, age is just a number.
Navigating the Customs Labyrinth
Complying with the Customs rules and regulations governing imports may feel like you’re caught in endless twists and turns. Here’s how to master the maze.
Healthcare Logistics: Filling a New Prescription for Supply Chain Improvement
Healthcare organizations suffering from high costs and inefficiencies find relief by improving supply chain and distribution processes. The prognosis? Improved patient care and lower healthcare costs.
Get The Scoop: The Ice Cream Supply Chain
From flavor variations to temperature monitoring, when it comes to delivering this sweet treat, ice cream companies have it down cold.
6 Technologies Guaranteed to Disrupt Your Supply Chain
As innovative technological solutions continue to shake up logistics, managing the supply chain is no longer business as usual.
3PL Partnerships: How to Ink the Deal
How to form a relationship with your 3PL that’s so productive and strong, you’ll want to put it in a heart and wear it where everyone can see.
3PL Perspectives 2016
MORE TO THE STORY: Perspectives Methodology 3PLs At A Glance 2016 Top 100 3PLs Ever get a tattoo? You don’t just go to the first place you stumble across. It usually takes some shopping around to find the right parlor. You ask your friends and acquaintances for recommendations. You go on the internet and read […]
Readers’ Choice: Top 10 3PL Excellence Awards 2016
The global supply chain is ever changing. International trade deals, wars, embargoes, company failures, start-ups, and increasing regulations don’t even begin to complete the list of things shippers have to stay on top of. Many companies just don’t have the specialized knowledge in house to successfully manage complex logistics operations. MORE TO THE STORY: 3PLs […]
Materials Handling Equipment Kicks Into High Gear
From narrow aisle configurations to self-guided robotic vehicles, innovation in today’s materials handling equipment is on the fast track.
Project Logistics: Going the Distance
When logistics professionals are tasked with a special project, no matter how enormous, no matter how infeasible, they’re expected to go the extra mile.
Tapping Military Talent: Shoes on the Ground
Companies win the talent battle when they have troops in place in supply chain positions.
Summer Reading Guide: 16 Must-Reads This Summer
Dip into these books to soak up some supply chain savvy and illuminating insights.
Delivery App Perks Up Coffee Sales
A new mobile app stimulates a coffee merchant’s retail sales and logistics processes.
Making Scents of Demand Planning
Bedoukian Research juggles small batch production with intermittent demand by getting smart.
Girl Scout Cookie Sales Go Digital and Milk E-Commerce Innovation
A fully baked logistics and mobile order solution brings Girl Scout cookie sales into the 21st century.
Warehouse Fires Can Cripple Your Business. Preventing Them Just Got Easier.
As warehouse heights have increased with the help of new materials handling technology, so have the risks. That’s why fire codes often require property owners to install dense arrangements of expensive sprinklers throughout the racks. Fortunately, alternative designs can make this “in-rack” sprinkler protection far less cumbersome and costly. The proper sprinklers can be essential […]
How the Panama Canal Expansion Will Shake Up U.S. Shipping
The expansion of the Panama Canal, expected to be completed by the end of June 2016, will rewrite the rules of shipping, with far-ranging impacts for logistics managers, retailers, railroads, and public infrastructure across the United States. More than a decade in the making, the canal expansion not only increases the number of ships that […]