Keeping Vendor Risk Under Control During the Holiday Season
‘Tis the season to be jolly. Yet, for logistics managers, ‘tis perhaps the most stressful time of the year. With businesses offering customers attractive deals and promises of just-in-time delivery, logistics managers are under tremendous pressure to make sure that customer orders are fulfilled in time. Nobody wants to see their name in front-page headline […]
Five LED Lighting Myths Debunked
In an effort to run greener and leaner, many companies have considered making the switch to LED lighting in their industrial and hazardous facilities. In fact, interest in and adoption rate of LED for both new construction and retrofit has been growing rapidly in many applications, including light industrial, such as warehousing, packaging, shipping, and […]
Service With A Demand-driven Smile
What does it mean for retailers to deliver exceptional customer service? Is it matching expectations? Cost-competitive pricing? Dependability? Options? Most consumers expect "all of the above" and then some from their retailers and e-tailers. Demand expectations are also hyper-sensitized because consumers are faced with infinite choices. SKU proliferation extends beyond the store shelf. However demand […]
Reducing Freight Costs
Transportation prices have risen over the past year, but shippers can cut those costs through smart planning. Tim Benedict, senior director of transportation at APL Logistics, offers the following tips for reducing freight costs. 1. Don’t wing it. Electing to use international air instead of expedited ocean for the majority of hot shipments could leave […]
Christopher McGovern: Watch Him Soar
Christopher McGovern is vice president, supply chain management at Aero Precision, a Greenwich AeroGroup company, headquartered in Livermore, Calif. He has held this position since 2014. Responsibilities: Inventory management, sourcing, procurement, and OEM relationships. Experience: Analyst, political/economic department, U.S. Embassy, Oslo, Norway; product researcher, OEM product research leader, program manager—U.S. government, OEM product manager—marketing, manager— […]
Trends—December 2014
10 Best Practices Of SmartWay Shippers Since 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SmartWay Transport Partnership has given organizations that ship freight a set of tools to measure their supply chain’s carbon footprint and make better decisions about how to reduce it. To mark SmartWay’s 10th anniversary, several shipper partners share their best tactics […]
Global Logistics—December 2014
As UK Port Capacity Heads South, Freight Moves North London’s notorious congestion issues extend beyond the city limits. A shortage of inland transport capacity and increasing truck idling times at ports in the south of England are pushing freight to the north. Over the past year, UK-based third-party logistics provider Metro Shipping has transferred several […]
Supply Chain Integration + Collaboration = Time Travel?
Debunking these five myths helps retailers and manufacturers see the real value of dedicated returns management.
Four Reasons Retailers Should Pay Attention to Reverse Logistics
Many retailers have long emphasized agility and cost-efficient movement of freight to stores or customers. However, they often neglect reverse logistics, resulting in missed opportunities for the entire consumer goods supply chain. The multi-channel model—which enables consumers to buy anytime, anywhere—has significantly impacted the retail industry and given rise to the following reasons why retailers […]
The Ins and Outs of Crossdocking Solutions
Crossdocking—immediately converting inbound deliveries to outbound shipments—has become popular among shippers and third-party logistics (3PL) providers, because it reduces inventory costs and improves delivery times by eliminating intermediate warehousing activity. Effective crossdocking requires continuous real-time visibility of shipments from supplier to end customer. Unfortunately, typical enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems don’t provide granular details specific […]
Customer Service: It’s the Thought That Counts
Technology is enabling an unprecedented level of transparency and communication to help shippers and their logistics providers understand each other’s operations, and collaborate in ways that were much more difficult in the past.
Navigating Uncharted Territory
Geodis Wilson helps Alfa Laval deliver complex cargo to global destinations.
Delivering Reliability in a Challenging Market
THE CUSTOMER: This global shipper is a leader in frozen and refrigerated (reefer) food products and logistics marketing. They work with supplier partners and customers in more than 140 countries on six continents. They’re one of Maersk Line North America’s top five refrigerated export customers. THE PARTNER: Maersk Line, Florham Park, NJ Founded in 1904, […]
Food Safety Modernization Act: Safe Travels
The Food Safety Modernization Act will have a huge impact on food supply chains. Here’s your passport to preparation.
Chasing The Horizon: Countdown to Panama Canal Expansion
As the Panama Canal celebrates its centennial, it has the “divided” attention of countless U.S. and global interests hoping to share in its fortunes.
Building an Effective Supply Chain Team
A successful team needs the right mix of talent, skills, and personalities.
Single Dashboard Streamlines Shipments
EAM-Mosca was getting buried in orders, until it strapped down a software solution to automate each step of the shipping process.
Five Key Questions to Ask a Vendor Before Buying Supply Chain Software
Cloud-based systems have changed the game for software in the supply chain, and their benefits are being applauded at every level of the spectrum. It puts software development into the hands of technology professionals and allows supply chain providers to continue focusing on their core competencies. This means that supply chain providers have access to […]
Ensuring Business Sustainability During Disasters, Disruptions, and Service Failures
We have seen horrific natural disasters in recent years that taxed both supply chains and our core businesses. Approximately 85 percent of global supply chains experienced at least one significant disruption during 2013. This affects both an organization’s bottom line and its ability to be there for customers. Businesses that survive natural disasters, operational interruptions, […]
Avoiding Christmas Past: Use Technology to Ensure Timely Holiday Deliveries
The holiday season is quickly approaching, and that means it’s only a matter of time before Santa’s sleigh is filled up with presents from online orders and cross-country relatives. FedEx is anticipating an increase in holiday shipments of 8.8 percent, and UPS is anticipating an 11 percent increase over 2013. Will UPS and FedEx be […]
Adapting Your Supply Chain for the Future…Now
Supply chain practitioners are adept at identifying and adapting to changes in the real world, both in the long and short term. Two examples: One company is preparing its supply chain process for an anticipated explosion of products that don’t exist yet, and many logistics and supply chain practitioners are dealing with satisfying consumer demand […]
Reducing Cargo Theft
Cargo theft results in billions of dollars of loss every year in the United States, but taking precautions can minimize the risk. FreightWatch International’s Supply Chain Intelligence Center offers the following advice for securing your supply chain, and reducing cargo theft. 1. Conduct thorough background investigations. Driver turnover continues to be an enormous vulnerability in […]
Andy Yablin Goes Back to School
Andy Yablin is vice president, transportation at Scholastic Inc. in New York. He worked for the children’s book publisher from 2002 to 2008 and returned there in 2014 to take on his current role. Responsibilities: All transportation from manufacturing facilities to distribution centers, and from distribution centers to customers. Experience: Several positions, concluding with general […]
Trends—November 2014
Competitive Switching: Between a Rock and a Railroad Competitive switching—a directive that would require railroads to switch a customer’s freight to a competitor’s line within a reasonable distance—has been a "third rail" conversation among captive shippers and railroads ever since the threat of re-regulation started ringing through Congressional hallways. More pressing safety and security concerns […]
Global Logistics—November 2014
Middle East Airfreight Ascent: Mecca or Mirage? It wasn’t long ago that media and markets alike were ready to anoint the Middle East as the world’s next airfreight hub. Gulf carriers and airports, once the exclusive backdrop for oil business, have experienced their own boom over the past several years thanks to continued investment in […]
Flexibility Key to Success in Liquor Logistics
The next time you settle down after a hard day with a glass of wine or a mixed drink to help you unwind, take a moment to understand how that alcoholic beverage came to fill your glass. A lot depends on which country you are drinking it in and the many tariffs designed to protect […]
Why BYOD Can Actually Cost You Money
Millions of people have fallen in love with the same object—their smartphone. Many users build their personal lives around mobile devices, but smartphones have made their mark in the professional world as well. The transportation and logistics sectors are no exception. The bring your own device (BYOD) movement has been a major consequence of the […]
3PL Partnerships Can Ease Burden on LATAM Manufacturers
Latin America is fast becoming the destination of choice for companies looking to expand their global footprint. The significant increase in companies establishing manufacturing facilities and distribution centers there over the past several years showcases the impact the region is having on the global economy. Many Latin American governments have orchestrated multiple free trade agreements, […]
Why Retailers Put Their Sleighbells on in May
The sun is shining and the weather is warm, yet the world’s top retailers are humming holiday tunes and preparing for the busy season ahead. Retailers often prep for holiday delivery logistics months in advance, but 2014 saw them beginning preparations earlier than ever—in May. And who could blame them? We all remember last year’s […]
Critical Shipments: If I Only Had a Part
A twister hits. Someone drops a house on critical equipment. A service parts logistics manager must be a Wiz of a Wiz to balance time, location, and cost and fix whatever needs fixing—wickedly fast.
How to Use Real-Time Ground Conditions
Speed, safety, and reliability are paramount in today’s supply chain, and shippers and consignees want an optimal balance between all three. But it’s a difficult task as companies continue to optimize their networks, enhancing responsiveness but often increasing their risk exposure. Better demand forecasting and visibility can go a long way toward smoothing out variability. […]
How to Prepare for the Food Safety Modernization Act
When President Obama signed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in January 2011, it marked the first time in more than 70 years that the U.S. government introduced any significant legislative change to the food industry. The motive was clear: Educate and instruct public and private sectors on how […]
Three Ways a WCS Can Improve Your Operation
Just as customer expectations have become more diverse and specific over the past few years, retailers are evolving in the way they fulfill those orders. There just doesn’t seem to be a one-size-fits-all solution for distribution in the current landscape. Big retailers are automating as much of their facilities as possible and are adopting new […]
Intermodal Transportation’s Solution to Our Evolving Supply Chain Demands
One of the top supply chain trends impacting the transportation industry today is intermodal transportation. Over the past few years, capacity has been squeezed with driver shortages, increased demand, increased fuel prices, and heightened government oversight. All these extenuating circumstances affect everything from pricing to timing of loads, and executives are looking for the answer […]
Modal Harmony in a Discordant Market
When U.S. gas prices hit all-time highs in summer 2008, surpassing $4 per gallon and $140 per barrel, shippers felt the pinch. For some, it pushed the needle in a new direction. Shippers such as Welch’s used the 2008 gas crisis as a burning platform to test intermodal solutions in certain lanes. It was a […]
Selecting a Yard Management System
Yard management systems (YMS) enable companies to connect to activity in the yard, on the docks, and at the gates—improving the flow of goods in and out of the facility. A YMS should be easy to use and quickly adopted by end users, recommends Nate Harris, president, Cypress Inland Corporation, a yard management software company […]
Leslie Dean: Serving Up FroYo Mojo
Leslie Dean is senior director, supply chain at Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt in Encino, Calif. She has held that position since 2013. Responsibilities: Identifying suppliers and negotiating contracts; defining product specifications for proprietary goods; supporting the marketing team in product development; managing third-party distribution relationships. Experience: Director of purchasing/distribution, general manager international operations, quality assurance, Mrs. […]
Trends—October 2014
UPS, Christmas 2014: ‘Fixed It!’ After the 2013 peak holiday season, e-commerce shoppers took to the phones and social media to tell e-tailers, and, ultimately express transportation companies, how they ruined Christmas. As it turns out, Santa actually drives a big brown truck, and he failed to get a substantial number of gifts under the […]
Global Logistics—October 2014
Game of Drones In the latest installment of the drone saga, German logistics company DHL is using a "parcelcopter" to make deliveries to the North Sea island of Juist, home to around 1,700 people. The company claims this is the first instance of unmanned aircraft transporting parcels in Europe. Joining the ranks of Amazon and […]
A Lean and Agile Supply Chain: Not an Option, But a Necessity
In today’s global, dynamic economy, it is beneficial for companies to operate a supply chain that is both Lean and agile. Using Lean and agile in combination is known as having a hybrid supply chain strategy. A hybrid supply chain strategy may be appropriate for a company attempting to become a "mass customizer"—producing progressively smaller […]
Logistics Sector Leads the Internet of Things Revolution
The Internet of Things (IoT) has been hailed for years as the technology wave of the future. But while we were waiting for refrigerators that order from the store when we’re low on milk, the logistics sector has been making the first tangible forays into a real IoT environment. Using connected devices such as sensors […]
Making Hazmat Regulation Compliance Less Hazardous
Hazardous material (hazmat) transport regulations can often seem like a foreign language. An abundance of unique terms leaves many shippers perplexed. Even the phrase "hazardous materials" can be confusing because the term "dangerous goods" is standard outside the United States. And with regulations constantly shifting and changing, it gets increasingly harder for shippers to remain […]
Intermodal: Too Much of a Good Thing?
The growing popularity of intermodal transportation leaves more shippers planning their way around equipment shortages and traffic jams.
Bridging Performance Gaps with GTM
Q: What is driving investment in global trade management systems? A: From 2003 to 2013, the value of world merchandise trade nearly tripled, with companies from large to small aggressively pursuing emerging markets as a way to grow top-line revenues and reduce costs through low-cost country sourcing. According to a July 2013 SCM World survey, […]
How to Get More From Your TMS
Q: Capacity is top-of-mind today. How can supply chain partners collaborate around Transportation Management Systems (TMS) to create capacity? A: There are many ways to collaborate to generate capacity. For example, shippers are increasingly participating in general load boards, tapping into capacity that sometimes flies under the radar. To be successful, they need a TMS […]
Uncovering Value Through Performance Metrics
Q: How do performance metrics aid a shipper in getting the most supply chain benefit from their containerized transportation providers? A: Performance metrics help uncover value throughout global supply chains. When these metrics are used properly, value can be found in all areas and go much deeper than the typical price and vessel reliability data […]
Understanding Capacity Constraints
The trucking industry faces capacity constraints, but there are solutions available to help shippers minimize the impact.
Shippers Get Creative With Multimodal Solutions
Q: What are some imaginative ways that different transport modes can work together to create new choices for shippers? A: In today’s global marketplace, shippers often need solutions that go beyond U.S. borders and involve multiple modes to move goods from the point of origin to the final destination. Rail transportation is a critical link […]
From the Outside In: Supply Chain as Strategic Advantage
Even non-supply chain executives appreciate the value of flexible and agile operations.
Star Search: Discovering the Best Site for Your Business
Finding the right site for your new manufacturing plant or distribution facility isn’t an overnight sensation. You have to pay your dues by investigating infrastructure, quality of life issues, utilities and taxes, and more. These locations deliver the goods.
Memphis: America’s Multimodal City
Connecting global supply chains through river, highway, rail, and air transport, Memphis gives businesses the ultimate logistics advantage.
Automation That’s Worth the Weight
When dietary supplement company Nature’s Way wanted to trim down excess distribution space, it embarked on a design and technology regime. Get the skinny here.
The Spot Market – And How Not to Use It
Many shippers don’t realize that they are sabotaging themselves in the spot freight market. It is standard rationale that competitive bidding achieves a lower price. However, our application of that principle distorts Adam Smith’s law of supply and demand by creating a false demand “bubble” that results in higher prices and less profit for shippers. […]
Challenges for Today’s Global Supply Chain: Cost, Profitability and Personalization
When market research firm PWC put out its Global Supply Study in 2013, the concerns of the 500 surveyed executives were mostly what one would expect: profitability, cost management, and customer satisfaction. A fourth concern, however, indicates a shift in global supply chain realities. PWC’s study participants are worried about flexibility – and they should […]
How to Determine Whether Your Freight Broker Is Legitimate
Wouldn’t it be great if you did your business trusting all of the parties involved without a shadow of a doubt? Sometimes this is indeed possible – when you’ve worked with the same partners for years, and you’ve managed to build a work environment of mutual trust and cooperation. Most of the time, however, it’s […]
Regulation as an Opportunity
Manufacturers are facing an increasing number of regulations in a variety of areas from increasing food safety to meeting specific ground-level ozone policies. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010, signed into law in 2011, is just one example of recent legislation. Resulting from widespread cases of tainted eggs and peanut butter, the sweeping […]
Six Key Areas Every Purchasing Expert Should Address
There was a time when purchasing was a relatively straightforward task. You found the best price at the best terms and negotiated a contract. Signed. Sealed. Done. Sorry to say those days are long gone. When considering the company’s needs, you need to look very closely at the current economic conditions and trends, and base […]
Build Your Driver-Friendly Brand
Companies spend tons of money building brand equity, but sometimes risk having it washed away in a flood of bad reviews on social media sites such as Yelp. The same thing can happen to shippers when they are evaluated by drivers serving their facilities. Drivers have always shared their experiences; some may even have reviewed […]
Negotiating Rail Freight Rates
The best way to improve railroad contract negotiations is to understand the market and the opportunities to increase competition for your traffic. Jay Roman, president of Escalation Consultants Inc., Gaithersburg, Md., offers the following advice for reducing rail freight rates. 1. Shake off the rail monopoly power syndrome. Shippers sometimes hesitate to try to reduce […]
Tamsen Fricke: Finding the Sweet Spot
Tamsen Fricke has served as operations manager at Divine Chocolate USA in Washington, D.C., since 2013. Responsibilities: Imports, inventory management, national distribution, 3PL management, quality control, customer service, operations strategy, and regulatory compliance. Experience: Account executive, Latinflor/Flortec; account executive, Panatlantic Logistics S.A.; senior inside sales coordinator, U.S. government client liaison, government service program manager, Panalpina. […]
Trends—September 2014
HCS Updates: Asked and Answered The Occupational Safety and Health Administration‘s (OSHA) 2012 Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) is sure to elicit a supply chain reaction from chemical manufacturers, distributors, and end users. The updates to HCS 1994, OSHA’s previous convention, feature some cosmetic changes—"material safety data sheets" are now referred to as "safety data sheets"— […]
Global Logistics—September 2014
Eruption Disruption: What’s Your Plan? It’s déjà vu all over again. The bubbling Bardarbunga volcano compelled Iceland authorities to raise their aviation warning to orange—the second-highest level—as the possibility for another widespread ash cloud grows more likely. It was a little more than four years ago when an ash cloud from the island’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano […]
Nearshoring: Mexico – Is It Time?
Mexico presents an attractive option for U.S.-based companies moving all or a portion of their supply chains closer to home.
Product Returns: 5 Myths Busted
Retailers and manufacturers often avoid dealing with product returns until returned inventory clogs up the warehouse or write-offs hit their P&L. When the returns problem gets big enough to force action, they attempt to deal with it as quickly and cheaply as possible. Executives often avoid returns issues because they believe in one or more […]
Are You Ready for the Capacity Crisis? Oh, It’s Here
Funny thing, predictions. We gravitate toward them, some of us armed with a dollop of healthy skepticism. But when respected analyst John Larkin announced in 2010 that the trucking industry was facing the "mother of all capacity shortages," people listened. We haven’t quite reached the "mother" level yet, but the evidence says it’s not far […]
Transportation Modeling: Is There Ever an Average Day?
Most large shippers spend a great deal of time and money collecting, analyzing, and maintaining the data used to drive daily transportation planning and execution. When codified and integrated into the shipper’s transportation system, this data becomes the organization’s transportation policy. This policy is comprised of lanes, modes, rates, service levels, capacity, and a multitude […]
By the Numbers: Tracking Carrier Performance
How well is your trucking company working for you? Metrics offer insight into carrier performance and benchmarks for improvement goals.
Steering Transportation Management Strategies
In a market where carriers can call the shots, smart transportation management is more important than ever. Here are some strategies driving success.
2014 Trucking Perspectives
Inbound Logistics’ exclusive trucking market research report delivers shipper and motor carrier insights into trucking challenges and trends.
A Mobile Cure for the Warehouse Blues
Companies are under constant pressure to improve warehouse efficiency and reduce errors. Mobile communications technologies help them rise to the challenge.
Freight Audit and Payment Services: Stacking Up Savings
Analyzing shipment data can reveal trouble spots and identify opportunities to cut costs. Freight audit and payment services provide the supply chain analytics and expertise to give shippers an edge.
Boost Your Workforce’s Value Through Training and Mentoring
Q: What is a company’s most important and most often neglected resource? A: People are the number one resource a company has. Too often they are also the most neglected when it comes to improvements. Companies spend significant resources on trucks, trailers, and technology, but sometimes invest very little in their human capital. Keep your […]
A National Standard for Hiring ‘Safe’ Motor Carriers
Q: Is there confusion over what constitutes a safe carrier when screening and contracting for shipments? A: Most definitely. Unfortunately, the courts are deciding safety standards for carriers, and their opinions vary widely from state to state. This puts contractors—shippers, brokers, forwarders, and receivers—in an awkward position, particularly when something goes wrong, such as a […]
Choosing Enterprise vs. Software-as-a-Service TMS
Q: What platform options are available to companies investing in transportation management systems? A: Transportation management systems (TMS) come in two essential forms. The traditional form is enterprise software—applications installed on servers that you buy and maintain. The more recent—though hardly new—form is Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), which is provided and maintained by a vendor on the […]
3PL Partnership Provides The Total Package
Intertape Polymer Group’s transportation strategy was getting a bum wrap, until an outsourcing partnership enabled greater inventory control and profit margins that stick.
Electronic On-board Recorders: The Gateway to Intelligent Fleet Management
As the transportation industry continues to evolve, more fleets are reverting from commercial on-board computers back to running fleet management software on drivers’ personal devices. The main reason for this is cost, as companies generally view the hardware as free. Personal devices frequently break and need replacement, however, because they aren’t designed for the rugged […]
House Members Seek to Set Due Diligence Standards for Motor Carrier Hiring
On May 22, 2014, Representatives Duncan (R-Tenn.), Paulsen (R-Minn.), and Davis (R-Ill.) introduced legislation in the United States House of Representatives entitled “To enhance interstate commerce by creating a National Hiring Standard for Motor Carriers,” H.R. 4727 (the “Bill”). If the Bill were to be enacted into law, the states would be prohibited from imposing […]
The New Retail: Three Legs to Stand On
Did you ever read a magazine or newspaper article and get the feeling that something was missing? It happened to me when I read several business press articles touting e-commerce as the savior of retailers. That "something’s missing" feeling bothered me as I read various vague descriptions of how e-commerce is the driving force behind […]
Streamlining Reverse Logistics
Efficiently managing damaged goods, expired products, and inventory returns can be challenging for shippers. Brian Crow, global marketing manager at chemical management services provider Rinchem Company Inc., offers the following recommendations for proactively and efficiently managing reverse logistics material flows, while significantly reducing costs. 1. Use tech tools to track returned inventory. Many warehouse management […]
Chet Mullen: Material Guy
Chet Mullen is director of materials planning and logistics at Raymond Corporation, a manufacturer of materials handling equipment and systems, in Greene, N.Y. Raymond is a division of Toyota Industries. Mullen has held his position there since 2010. Responsibilities: Sales operations planning (materials planning, master scheduling, configuration management and order entry); material control (internal warehousing, […]
Trends—August 2014
Speed Reading: The Same-Day Book Delivery Race is On Amazon had no sooner expanded same-day delivery for select products in six new cities—Baltimore, Dallas, Indianapolis, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.—than Google and Barnes & Noble teamed up to deliver books with similar speed. Using Google Shopping Express, bibliophiles in the Big Apple, west Los […]
Global Logistics—August 2014
European Ports Stuffed with Congestion A summer labor shortage and longer processing time for larger ships is creating congestion around European port cities and forcing ocean carriers to levy surcharges on tardy shippers. Europe’s top ports — Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg — are among several cities dealing with congestion issues. Europe is constrained by space, […]
Managing SKU Proliferation in the Beverage Industry
Q: What is SKU proliferation, and what drives it? A: Competition is driving beverage makers to expand their portfolios to provide a wider array of product, flavor, package, and beverage choices. All these choices generate new stockkeeping units (SKUs). SKU proliferation, in turn, drives the need for smarter use of labor, distribution networks, warehousing space, […]
Calculating the Benefits of Freight Bill Auditing
In the world of big data, a decimal point can make all the difference. Because freight charges represent up to 10 percent of a company’s total expenses, identifying and correcting freight bill errors through auditing is crucial, and shippers want to glean the same insights for their global transportation moves as they capture from domestic […]
Selecting the Right Technology to Support Your Lean Operations
Technology plays a key role in enabling Lean supply chain operations. For example, connecting to suppliers in real time facilitates re-supplying parts and materials for a just-in-time production environment. But choosing the wrong software can create waste in terms of the time, effort, and money spent evaluating, selecting, implementing, and using the system. Surveys commonly […]
Are You Ready to ACE It?
On Feb. 19, 2014, President Obama signed an Executive Order intended to streamline the export/import process. It establishes December 2016 as the completion date for the International Trade Data System (ITDS), which will allow businesses to transmit, through an electronic "single-window," all the data required to import or export goods. The Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) […]
New Retail Strategies: It’s a Store! It’s a Site! It’s a Warehouse!
E-commerce vendors and traditional merchants stake their claims in an evolving landscape.
First Aid for the Hospital Supply Chain
Hospitals are aching to cut costs and increase efficiencies. Some supply chain management therapy might be just what the doctor ordered.
Incoterms® 2010: Speaking the Same Language
Incoterms 2010 rules are 11 terms of shipment and delivery used in business-to-business purchase contracts and tangible portable goods sales. The rules were developed by the International Chamber of Commerce, a Paris-based organization providing trade-related rules and services through its worldwide network of affiliates. Since their inception in 1936, Incoterms have received worldwide acceptance. They […]
Utilities and Site Selection: Power Players
Choosing the best location for your business requires plugging into the right electrical and natural gas resources. These top spots will get you energized for success.
Diving Into Multi-Channel Fulfillment
KaiKini Bikinis’ integrated inventory control and shipping operations solution brings savings that are anything but itsy bitsy teeny weeny.
How the Internet of Things Impacts Supply Chains
When someone mentions the Internet of Things (IoT), most people think of electronics or wearables – the types of technologies that are driving adoption of a highly personalized “smart” consumer lifestyle. But there’s much more to the IoT story, and more specifically, its impact on the supply chain. Research firm Gartner recently released a write-up […]
3PL Evolution Continues
For better or for worse, I have been the editor of Inbound Logistics for nearly 25 years—before the term third-party logistics, or 3PL, even existed. That means I spent about two decades (gulp!) watching the evolution of the third-party logistics sector, and all the different types of companies providing value-added logistics solutions. It has been […]
3PL e-Volution Continues
While the editor of Inbound Logistics is content to use her column to take you on an archeological journey through 3PL history, I prefer to take you on a trip forward. We all know Amazon and eBay as e-commerce titans that match millions of customers with the products they demand, when they want them. Both […]
Preventing Shipment Damage
While it is impossible to prevent every mishap along the supply chain, shippers can take action to reduce product damage and returns. David Faulkenberry, senior vice president of logistics provider XPO Last Mile, offers these damage prevention tactics. 1. Allow time for testing. Before implementing a widespread rollout of new merchandise, packaging, or providers, test […]
Bruce Kulp Scores Big
Bruce Kulp is senior vice president, supply chain and refurbishment, at video gaming and consumer electronics retailer Game Stop, in Grapevine, Texas. He has held this position since 2010. Responsibilities: Procurement, distribution, store allocation, transportation and logistics, refurbishment, materials management, research and development. Experience: Vice president of distribution, vice president of logistics, Electronic Data Systems […]
Trends—July 2014
The 25th Annual State of Logistics Report: Ready For a New Route After a rollercoaster year for the economy and the transportation sector, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and Penske Logistics released their 25th annual State of Logistics report. Aptly titled Ready For a New Route, the report focuses on 2013’s weak economy, […]
Global Logistics—July 2014
On the Scene at CeMAT 2014 For more than 53,000 warehouse and manufacturing facility operators and equipment buyers, CeMAT 2014 was the ultimate shopping expedition. At the biennial event—held in Hannover, Germany, from May 19 to 23, 2014—1,025 exhibitors showed off 4,000 state-of-the-art warehousing, packaging, and inventory management solutions. Occupying 1.3 million square feet of […]
The Evolution of Enterprise Logistics
Utilizing new technologies and sophisticated business intelligence tools, leading-edge companies are transforming their supply chains and their enterprises through data science. The journey from simple execution-based transportation management to predictive, strategic planning—powered by analytics—has accelerated with a new emphasis on supply chain engineering, LEAN consulting and Big Data solutions. While precise in process, the co-managed […]
What is a True Integrated Logistics Services Partner and How Do You Find One?
Integrated Logistics Services is a term that has been tossed around quite a bit lately, but what is it exactly; how does the conversation begin; and what should you look for in a real 3PL or 4PL solutions provider? By definition, an Integrated Logistics Services Provider or ISP is a company that performs a variety […]