Phil Van Wormer

Tracking Warehouse Inventory on the Move

Q: Despite technology advances in end-to-end supply chain visibility, the warehouse is still a “blind spot” for many companies. What can be done to improve visibility within the four walls to bring the same level of excellence achieved in other areas of the supply chain? Van Wormer: Over-the-road transportation fleets have gained tremendous productivity through […]

Ravi Pappu

RFID Delivers the Power to Transform Markets

Q: The business cases for achieving improved visibility throughout the supply chain have been identified. What technologies should logistics providers consider to get there? Pappu: Physical objects are becoming coupled with a myriad of radio technologies to drive a communications revolution. For instance, location information from GPS satellites 16 miles above the earth is being […]

New Kids in Town: 3PLs Move Into the TMS Market<br />

New Kids in Town: 3PLs Move Into the TMS Market

MORE TO THE STORY: Software House or 3PL? Addressing Your TMS Needs Changing the TMS Scene If you want to manage transportation in-house, you contract with a software vendor for a transportation management system (TMS). If you want to outsource, you ask a third-party logistics (3PL) provider to handle transportation for you. Those have been […]

Colgate Logistics Delivers Smiles

Colgate Logistics Delivers Smiles

Cutting logistics costs makes management happy. Sharing savings and collaborating to improve efficiency makes customers and suppliers happy. And when it all hits the bottom line, even Colgate’s investors start smiling.

Keith Biondo

The Future Ain’t What It Used to Be

As baseball’s Bard of Brooklyn, Yogi Berra, once said, “It is tough making predictions, especially about the future.” Those who orchestrate supply networks and supporting transportation and logistics operations in volatile economic times face stark reminders of how difficult predicting future product flow requirements can be. As if that weren’t true enough, Yogi also said, […]

Trends—April 2011

Japan Crisis Creates SC Aftershocks The devastation and tragedy unleashed on Japan by a trio of domino-like forces—an earthquake, then a tsunami, and finally a nuclear meltdown—is now beginning to topple global supply chains. The immediate effect on U.S. companies with operations in Japan was muted, according to sources Inbound Logistics spoke with soon after […]

Global Logistics—April 2011

The Swoosh Swoops in on China As a sign of China’s booming consumerism, Nike recently debuted its largest Asian logistics center in Jiangsu province. The U.S. sportswear and equipment maker is preparing for rapid growth in its second-biggest global market. The 2.2-million-square-foot logistics center in the city of Taicang is the company’s first mega facility […]

High Tech: The Rise of SaaS and the Cloud

Supply chain technology is going to the cloud—yet the forecast is anything but gray. Cloud-based multi-tenant solutions help companies achieve better execution, visibility, cost savings, and collaboration with trading partners across the supply chain.

Reducing Ocean Freight Costs

The best way to maximize ocean freight purchasing efficiencies is effective planning. Get a clear understanding of your shipments’ scope, frequency, and quantity, then cement relationships with carriers to better plan your containers, advises Mark Malambri, senior vice president, global ocean products for Houston-based CEVA Logistics. Malambri offers the following tips to help shippers reduce […]

Mad About Trade

Can Americans stop being angry about trade and instead get excited about the value it creates?

Cheryl Harrity: Cooking Up World-Class Service

NAME: Cheryl Harrity TITLE: Corporate director of supply chain COMPANY: MGP Ingredients, Inc., Atchison, Kansas, since 2010 PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE INCLUDES: Traffic specialist, fleet supervisor, warehouse supervisor, Acme Markets; consultant, logistics practice, KPMG Peat Marwick; vice president of transportation, CS Integrated; professor, Letter of Appointment, University of Nevada, Reno; practice lead, supply chain, APQC; partner, NaviChain […]

10 Ways to Gain Control Over Parcel Transportation Costs

The amount of effort shippers put into carrier management directly correlates to their success at controlling transportation costs. Incumbent carriers often know more about their client’s shipments than the shipper does. But shippers can tilt the actionable information scales in their favor to achieve lower parcel transportation costs. Here are 10 points shippers should consider […]

Avoid Big Losses When Shipping Big Machinery

In their journey from manufacturer to customer, large pieces of sophisticated machinery often sustain costly damage due to lack of care and attention in packaging and handling. The losses, however, often go beyond the machinery’s value. Businesses can also suffer significant production shortfalls if their facilities grind to a halt as they wait for replacement […]

Going Mobile: Optimizing Inventory Management

One of the easiest ways to save money in your organization is by operating efficiently and productively, with no wasted resources. Central to this strategy is having the right amount of product at the right time—no more, no less. By optimizing inventory, organizations are able to improve customer service levels up to 25 percent, according […]

Tom Heine

Data in a Flash: Utilizing EDI

Q: Where did EDI come from? Heine: Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) has been used in various forms since the 1960s. Today, all Fortune 1000 companies use EDI, as do millions of other businesses. In the transportation field, big retailers led the way in implementing EDI. In the mid-1980s, EDI standards emerged, and each type of […]

J. Kenneth Hazen

Third-Party Services Can Simplify Global Trade Complexity

Q: Why do companies have such a hard time embracing global trade management? Hazen: Companies may not understand the complexity behind constantly changing regulations. The diversity of individual governments and cultures presents difficulties in embracing global trade management. Companies spend significant resources dealing with basic needs to ensure a successful, seamless process with each trading […]

Choosing the Right Tools for the Job

Q: What does the profusion of cloud-based value chain applications and services tell us about the future of supply chain automation? O’Leary: We believe EXTOL and other technology vendors will continue to offer both cloud-based and on-premise delivery of supply chain automation products and services, for the foreseeable future. Cloud-based offerings bring new delivery options […]

George Kontoravdis, PhD

The New Breed of Cloud-Based TMS

Q: How can today’s manufacturers deal with increasing regulations, demand volatility, and shifting global trade currents? Kontoravdis: We live in exciting and challenging times. The Internet is bringing new ways of collaborating, communicating, and transacting across borders. At the same time, globalization brings economies and supply chains closer than ever before. Recently, supply chain issues […]

TMS Helps Shippers Rise Above the Status Quo

Q: What supply chain technology challenges or issues do today’s business leaders face? McCarrick: One of the biggest challenges facing business leaders today is how to effectively and efficiently control cost. Freightquote.com works with shippers to find the optimal pricing solution to assist them in better controlling their transportation budget. For example, many of our […]

Achieving Air and Ocean Freight Flexibility

Q: There has been a trend of airfreight traffic shifting to freight forwarding by sea. How can air freight compete? Zinner: The shift toward ocean freight is purely cost-driven. The real question is how to make air freight a less expensive and, therefore, a more competitive option. Both air and ocean shipments often have the […]

Chris Timmer

Enhanced Visibility: The Future of TMS

Q: How does a SaaS transportation management system (TMS) encourage collaboration, and why is collaboration important in today’s challenging economic environment? Timmer: In a SaaS multi-tenant TMS environment, all community members of the transportation network operate from the same instance of the TMS software, regardless of their point or date of entry into the network […]

Ensuring Successful System Integration

Q: What factors make software system integration necessary? Rodriguez: Variety among parties is a fact in the supply chain. Because of that variety, there is no software system that covers the immensity of combinations and scenarios that can occur in today’s supply chain. In the same way, there is no software right for every supply […]

Jim Preuninger

Global Trade Management Software: International Trading Made Easier

Q: What role does technology play in optimizing global supply chains? Preuninger: Many companies have seen the value in using global trade management (GTM) software to lower costs, ensure regulatory compliance, improve customer service, and automate facets of their supply chain operations. Two capabilities that leading companies are using today to weather the downturn are […]

Voice Technology Frees the Warehouse Workforce

Q: The supply chain and logistics sector has been positively impacted by a wide variety of input and output technologies. What are the most exciting changes inside the warehouse today? Wills: Over the past few years, a lot of companies have integrated and benefited from voice technology, which frees the warehouse workforce to use their […]

Tom Madzy

The Secrets to a Successful Global Trade Management Program

Q: What are the elements of a successful global trade management program? Madzy: Global trade management is a dilemma for most organizations because it is an enterprise-wide discipline that needs to be developed. In today’s decentralized and outsourced business climate, it is difficult to bring together all the resources and expertise required to develop and […]

Benchmarking Data Supports Pricing Decisions

Q: How can shippers and logistics service providers (LSPs) ensure that their business methods and metrics conform to best practices for the industry? Schrader: The best transportation companies identify and measure their key performance indicators and strive for continuous improvement. Most companies have done a good job using their transportation management system or enterprise resource […]

Felecia Stratton

Managing Risk in a Chain of Fire

Supply chain dominoes keep falling far and wide. In addition to man-made disruptions such as political instability, piracy, terrorism, and war, natural disasters such as the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, and the tidal waves that rippled throughout the Pacific ring including Alaska and Hawaii, have rattled the world over […]

Establishing a Successful Core Carrier Program

It’s easy to assume that the “core” in core carrier is synonymous with “one of just a few.” But the success of a core carrier program has less to do with the number of carriers than it does with ensuring that each provider selected is equal to the task of meeting your company’s needs in […]

Brian Hatfield’s Supply Chain Stylings<br />

Brian Hatfield’s Supply Chain Stylings

NAME: Brian Hatfield TITLE: Vice president of supply chain COMPANY: KPSS Inc., Linthicum, Md., since 2006 PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: Production supervisor, The Dial Corp.; logistics manager, Sealright/Hutemaki; general manager, Lake River Corp.; regional logistics manager, director of supply chain, Alcoa Corp. EDUCATION: BS, finance and production management, Illinois State University, 1985; MBA, Keller Graduate School of […]

Trends—March 2011

Trends—March 2011

Texas Holds ‘em, Amazon Folds In 2005, Amazon.com announced plans to build a new distribution center in Irving, Texas, near the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The city council cleared the way for the facility by approving an economic development incentive package that provided tax rebates to the company for six years, with options to extend […]

Global Logistics—March 2011

Global Logistics—March 2011

A New Suez Crisis? The 2011 revolution in Egypt and eventual overthrow of President Hosni Mubarek’s regime reminded global shippers how quickly political undercurrents can gnarl supply chains. Rumors persist about a closure at the Suez Canal, extended delays at nearby ports, and a shortage of ocean capacity between Asia and Europe as a consequence. […]

PETCO’s Pet Project<br />

PETCO’s Pet Project

For pet supply retailer PETCO, honoring its commitment to superior customer service meant finding a loyal logistics partner.

Christopher Chung

Efficient Use of State Resources Keeps Transportation Flowing

States have fewer dollars to spend on transportation these days, but that does not mean that highways and roads are destined to fall into disrepair. How can transport departments ensure the smooth, safe travel of goods and people in cash-strapped times? The Show-Me State’s answer: Change the way business is done. Missouri, on track to […]

Jim Bengier

Retail Recovery Depends on an Integrated Supply Chain Strategy

Although retail sales have shown some increase in early 2011, many economists caution that spending will remain modest as long as wages stay flat and job creation weak. Even as consumers begin to loosen their purse strings, it is essential for retailers to remain cautious and operate at the most efficient levels possible to ensure […]

John Haber

Five Market Concerns Driving Shipper Cost Increases

It has never been more expensive or frustrating to be a shipper. Rates are up, capacity is down, and, while Wall Street analysts are bullish on the transportation sector, many businesses are still struggling. It’s a disparity that contributes to billions of dollars of shipper overspending each year. The following market concerns will have the […]

The Last Mile’s Lasting Impact<br />

The Last Mile’s Lasting Impact

From traditional heavy goods shipments to the new influx of e-commerce-fueled home deliveries, the last mile plays a crucial role in the supply chain. Get it wrong, and you risk alienating consumers; get it right, and you may just gain a customer for life.

C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.

Global Air Service That Inspires Customer Confidence

When you buy global air transportation services, what you are really buying is confidence. That’s because when you send freight by air— and when your customer is anxiously waiting for that shipment to meet production schedules or avoid penalties— no one can afford uncertainty. The freight has to be there on time, period, no matter […]

Kevin Shoemaker

Who’s Comparing Your Import Data?

If you don’t file accurate import data with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, you put your company at risk for penalties and fines, warns Kevin Shoemaker, director, global solutions for Integration Point Inc.

A New Day Dawns for 3PL Partnerships

A New Day Dawns for 3PL Partnerships

Most logistics outsourcers today use an RFQ to select their 3PLs. But that model is outdated and ineffective. A handful of forward-thinking shippers and logistics providers are instead embracing a collaborative outsourcing method, with powerful results.

Trends—February 2011

Trends—February 2011

Where Demand Moves, DCs Follow Businesses are always keen to identify where populations are migrating and demand is building. Demographic shifts keep retail locations and distribution networks in constant flux. They also illuminate states that are attracting or losing people and business. If Atlas Van Lines’ 2010 Migration Patterns study is any indication, consumers are […]

Global Logistics—February 2011

Global Logistics—February 2011

Largest Airlines Target Asia, Latin America The world’s five largest airlines now hail from Asia and Latin America, reflecting industry’s shift away from U.S. and European markets to higher-growth countries, according to a recent report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The data suggests that airline expansion for both freighter and passenger activity will […]

The Perfect Storm: Weathering a Chassis Crisis

The Perfect Storm: Weathering a Chassis Crisis

Economic recession, cost-conscious ocean carriers, a half-baked federal mandate, and ambivalent ports have dropped another heavy load on the U.S. trucking industry. But who’s the real victim of a widespread chassis shortage? And who’s to blame?

Mark Laufer

Balancing Shipper and Carrier Interests

The past two years have been a roller coaster ride for both carriers and shippers. After the financial crisis, carriers dropped their rates to unprecedented levels. Service contracts locked in these non-compensatory rates, and volumes dropped precipitously. Ocean carriers took ships out of service, and capacity cuts were steep and drastic. The financial viability of […]

Joe White

How the Driver Shortage Impacts Capacity

It is likely that a driver shortage is coming, due to pressures such as an aging driver workforce, the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Compliance Safety Accountability program, and the anticipated DOT-mandated reduction in driving hours. Yet many supply chain professionals have yet to grasp how a driver shortage impacts capacity. Simply put, a driver shortage […]

Jerry Levy

White Glove Services: Ask for What You Need

White glove service is one of the supply chain’s most complex specialty areas, encompassing everything from first- and final-mile value-added services, to delicate or high-value product handling. Because of white glove services’ specialized nature, shippers must define their specific requirements for these projects in their RFPs, and service providers need to thoroughly evaluate the scope […]

Keith Biondo

Gaining Ground

The fortunes of many companies were balanced on the backs of their supply chain, logistics, and transportation managers during the past year. In concert with their carriers, and technology and logistics partners, business logistics professionals across the country produced real supply chain gain by aligning demand to supply. That’s why we chose “Supply Chain Gain” […]

Felecia Stratton

Gaining Even More Ground

Building the January Logistics Planner is always a process of incremental addition. That’s the only way you can even approach, let alone execute, a 528-page issue during the busy holiday season. Along the way, there are measured benchmarks: meetings, deadlines, rough drafts, edits, designed proofs, polished articles, then a print date. The final product, which […]

David Holt

Growing a Statewide Logistics Sector

Recognizing that advanced manufacturing and the logistics sector represent a key economic development opportunity for Indiana, local leaders formed Conexus Indiana, a statewide forum for key logistics and manufacturing employers, academia, and government. Its goals are to attract and grow logistics and advanced manufacturing companies, add value to the goods that move through the state, […]

John Pattullo

Making Sustainability a Reality

The logistics and transport market sector contributes 5.5 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions, according to 2009 research produced by the World Economic Forum. The sector’s lack of understanding about the current emissions baseline is the biggest obstacle to establishing a meaningful green supply chain strategy. Even with a starting point of such magnitude, […]

Freight Equals Politics

As the population shifts and Republicans gain control of Congress, it is time to strengthen the connection between our economic engine and political tide.

Rick Register

Top Five Ways Warehouse Management Systems Deliver ROI

As the economy recovers, many companies are considering upgrades to their existing warehouse management systems (WMS) or deciding to invest in a WMS for the first time. All executives making these decisions want to know when they can expect to see a return on investment (ROI) for their technology selection. Here are five areas where […]

Eric Cohen: Making a Clean Sweep<br />

Eric Cohen: Making a Clean Sweep

NAME: Eric Cohen TITLE: Vice president of logistics COMPANY: Waxie Sanitary Supply, San Diego, since 2000 PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: Captain, supply and logistics officer, U.S. Marine Corps; factory representative, Volvo Cars North America; assistant director of logistics, Kaiser Permanente; corporate operations director, senior director of logistics, Waxie Sanitary Supply EDUCATION: University of California, San Diego, B.A. […]

C. Daniel Negron

Do You Know Who You’re Doing Business With?

Q: My company’s cargo volumes are increasing now that the economic slowdown is beginning to turn. We are receiving orders from new customers we developed through international marketing efforts. What should we look for when screening new clients? A: As you enter into new business relationships, it is important that you know your customer. Five […]

Discovering Savings Through Freight Payment Services

Freight payment services can make it easier to process carrier invoices. They also enhance freight spend visibility, which can drive better strategy and planning. Today’s systems often include Web services to help shippers streamline information exchange. Some freight payment systems even deliver mobile access to transportation spend for immediate reporting and decision-making. Discover savings through […]

Brad Constantini

Protect Your Supply Chain From Merger Mania

In recent months, several third-party logistics (3PL) providers have merged to form large conglomerates, and consolidation in the 3PL market is likely to continue. Although the trend is not new, the New Year is a good time for companies to take a closer look at 3PL relationships and consider how they impact supply chain performance. […]

4PLs Take Control<br />

4PLs Take Control

Much like air traffic controllers, 4PLs guide transportation operations, manage product flow, and sometimes help avert disaster.

Supply Chain Gain: Global Growth

Contingency suppliers, sourcing differentiation, special incentives, and a host of other strategies generate improvements in supply chains that reach around the world.

The Wheels of Change: Questions & Answers with Ed Melching<br />

The Wheels of Change: Questions & Answers with Ed Melching

When Navistar sought to position itself for worldwide growth across all divisions by recasting its supply chain operations, it wiped the slate completely clean and put an engineer with zero logistics experience in charge. Here’s the story of how Ed Melching led Navistar to global growth—and significant supply chain gains.

Following the LEED

Following the LEED

Industrial property developers are cultivating greener distribution facilities and nurturing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards compliance.

Certifiable Results<br />

Certifiable Results

SmartWay Partner. ISO. C-TPAT. Cargo Network Service. Cargo 2000. FAST. Logistics service providers attain a multitude of certifications, but what does it mean for shippers? Find out how providers qualify, and what you can gain from working with certified partners.

Trends—January 2011

Trends—January 2011

Supply Chain Influences That Have Made Their Mark Supply chain innovation is as old as history. Consider the very beginning, that first impulse to sow seed. Flint-sharpened sticks enabled hunters and gatherers to stop roaming, then grow and harvest staple crops. Animal husbandry soon followed. This created an impetus to store and transport goods. Surplus […]

Global Logistics—January 2011

Global Logistics—January 2011

Russia and China: Eurasia’s Odd Couple For two countries that geographically touch and have historically close trade ties, Russia and China are worlds apart in terms of economic vitality. While Russia idly pumps oil for export, leaving its economy vulnerable to global commodity price fluctuations, China is fastidious to a fault, protecting its own economic […]

On the Road: Midnight in Memphis

FedEx primary package facility processes 2,500 items an hour. A behind-the-scenes look reveals how the bustling facility operates. MORE TO THE STORY: A Matter of Choice   Destination: Memphis, Tenn. Location: Memphis is the largest city in Tennessee, third-largest city in the U.S. Southeast, located in the southwest corner of the state along the Mississippi […]

Ask the (M)experts 2011

Ask the (M)experts 2011

For an update on what’s new in security, infrastructure, and manufacturing in Mexico since last year’s edition of Ask the (M)experts, Inbound Logistics checked in with a new crop of supply chain leaders and economic development experts— and some of last year’s MVPs.

Joe Perillo: The Persuader

NAME: Joe Perillo TITLE: Director of supply chain, logistics, and lean enterprise COMPANY: PTR Baler and Compactor, Philadelphia, since 2007 PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: Aircraft technician, U.S. Marine Corps; FAA-certified aircraft maintenance supervisor, Continental Airlines; production plant manager, Cardone Industries; advanced lean manufacturing specialist, DVIRC EDUCATION: University of Phoenix, BS in business management, 2007 Joe Perillo’s business […]

Danny Halim

Navigating Global Supply Chain Risks

Risk management is an essential ingredient in global logistics planning. Unexpected events such as natural disasters, political unrest, regulatory constraints, and product recalls can disrupt the supply chain and, in turn, negatively impact sales, profit, and a company’s reputation in the market. Many companies, however, are still in reactive mode when it comes to adapting […]

Dan Steere

Driven to Succeed: Building a Safer Fleet

When it comes to managing fleets, we all want to make safety a top priority. But creating a safety culture isn’t easy. And the unfortunate fact is that much of what we do to promote safety simply isn’t effective. States that passed anti-texting bans actually saw an increase in accidents, according to a study by […]