Finding the Best NAFTA Carriers
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was crafted to reduce tariff complexity and foster efficient movement of goods between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The challenge for shippers is finding carriers that can maneuver among the three government jurisdictions, and understand and follow their rules. NAFTA carriers have secured the required licensing and […]
Carrier Challenges Are Your Challenges, Too
One attractive component of the logistics industry is the variety of problem-solving opportunities it offers. Currently, inflationary costs pressuring carriers is the biggest problem-solving opportunity in the supply chain. The entire industry is wrestling with this challenge—and will be for the foreseeable future. Discussing the prospect of ongoing cost escalations is a challenging conversation to […]
The Time is Right for Wireless Automation
The public for-hire motor freight market has been growing consistently, while significant consolidation has occurred. Even for the best operators, however, margins remain in the low single digits. Motor freight carriers are challenged to improve service levels, reduce damage, optimize pick-up and delivery, and significantly improve shipment visibility. To date, mobile communications solutions aimed at […]
Tis the Season to be Shipping
The peak season for holiday shipping used to start in September, but carriers now say November is their busiest month, thanks to manufacturers and retailers better matching demand to supply. You can make the case that demand-driven logistics practices drive retailing excellence by speeding inventory and slashing the sourcing-to-sales cycle. You might even say that […]
Giving Voice To Warehouse Productivity
ODW Logistics’ success speaks volumes about the benefits of voice technology.
Unwrapping Seasonality Challenges
All retailers and vendors want for Christmas is supply chain success. Using logistics technology, savvy shipping strategies, and better planning, many will get their wish.
Getting Service Parts Logistics Up To Speed
“What’s the difference between a drug store and a fire station?” That’s not a trick question, but a way to understand the service parts supply chain. “You expect to see goods moving rapidly through a drug store or retail chain,” explains Dr. Morris Cohen, Panasonic professor of manufacturing and logistics and co-director of the Fishman-Davidson […]
Global Logistics—November 2006
Global Trucking Woes High fuel costs and a shortage of truck drivers aren’t concerns for fleet operators only in the United States, finds a new study from GE Capital Solutions. Nearly 70 percent of trucking industry leaders in Canada, the United Kingdom, and France also feel high fuel prices and the driver shortage place their […]
Mark Smith: Remaking SC Strategy, Again
It is amazing how much can change in a mere 18 months. When Mark Smith left his job as head of operations for GTSI in early 2005, the company focused mainly on reselling information technology products—such as notebook computers and software packages—to government organizations. But in September 2006, when Smith returned to the Chantilly, Va.-based […]
Talking Tech at CSCMP
The annual Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) conference in San Antonio last month provided a great opportunity to catch up on the latest innovations in logistics technology. The Supply Chain Technology Solutions educational track, and the many sessions that dealt with logistics technology, expertly dissected top tech capabilities in everything from global trade […]
From Doughnuts to Dollars
Krispy Kreme finds sweet savings in streamlining financial and supply chain transactions with EDI.
How to Improve Rail Velocity
Improving rail velocity, which entails expediting rail car turnsand making better use of equipment to create a more fluid railroad, is a growing priority for shippers of all stripes. It promises to keep existing rail customers happy while luring non-traditional shippers to the tracks – especially as traffic-choked highways and high fuel prices make the […]
How to Outsource Freight Bill Payment
As transportation costs continue to soar, some businesses are looking to reduce operational spend by outsourcing freight payment audit and reconciliation to third-party companies. An estimated 65 percent of major corporations currently outsource their freight payment function as a result of prohibitive labor, processing, and technology costs, as well as the complexities of coordinating internal […]
How to Ship Expedited Oversized Cargo
Problem: You need to ship an oversized, irregularly shaped piece of equipment expedited to Shanghai. Now what? Step 1: Build the shipment and prepare it for tendering to the carrier. The key question in building your shipment is: how will the carrier handle it? Forklift handling is ideal, so the cargo should be palletized. If […]
How to Construct Build-to-Suit Projects
Increasingly, U.S. companies are embracing build-to-suit (BTS) development projects to leverage the capital, resources, and expertise of commercial real estate developers, while dictating the design, construction, and management of new facilities themselves. Consider, for example, a company that wants to locate a distribution facility on the West Coast to accommodate growing inbound volume from Asia. […]
Trends-November 2006
Despite the hot and humid San Antonio weather, last month’s CSCMP annual conference served as a refreshing reminder of the breadth and depth of the modern supply chain industry. More than 3,000 attendees assembled from October 15 to 18 to gather food for thought on global logistics, sourcing, supply chain technology, transportation, and warehousing best […]
Optimizing Your Forklift Fleet
Purchasing a new forklift can be expensive, but that’s just a fraction of what it costs to operate it efficiently—or inefficiently. Getting the most bang for your forklift buck means understanding the products you move and establishing baseline costs as a start. Here are 10 tips for optimizing your forklift fleet, from Joseph Lafergola, manager, […]
Port Diversion Strategy: Consistency Beats Velocity
A steady increase in imports from Asia during the last five years has helped create a logistics dilemma for U.S. businesses using West Coast ports. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and their key partners—rail, labor, stevedores, truckers, and distribution centers—were not properly prepared to handle these volumes, leading to significant receiving and […]
Wireless Capabilities: A Must-Have for Fleet Operators
Wireless technology has become a mainstay for today’s distribution, wholesale, and retail fleet operators—especially in the area of last-mile delivery. The ability to communicate information in real time is key to controlling costs and maintaining efficient operations on the road. Wireless technology’s features and options, as well as its service and hardware costs, continue to […]
U.S. Manufacturers: Have Logistics, Will Prosper
For generations, small and medium-sized manufacturers have been vital to the innovation and productivity of America’s economy. These manufacturers—defined by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) as those with fewer than 500 employees and fewer than 2,500 employees, respectively—underpin our nation’s success in international markets, and play a critical role in the future of America’s […]
SAFE, At Home
The shipping community, with government assistance, is the defensive line protecting us from threats caused by nuclear proliferation. Where’s the global anti-nuke movement? They must be sitting this one out, waiting for the next power plant to open. We know exactly where Congress is, however. The Security and Accountability for Every Port Act (SAFE) offers […]
Teamwork Wins the WMS Game
Canadian sporting goods retailer The Forzani Group drafts Q4 Logistics to tackle a WMS implementation.
High 5: Air Cargo’s Top Challenges
Increasing fuel prices, security threats, changing inventory strategies, mode shifting, and provider consolidation have the air cargo industry in a tailspin. Here’s how carriers and shippers plan to fly past these challenges.
WMS: Beyond the Basics
Think you know absolutely everything about your warehouse management system’s capabilities? Think again.
Paying the Bills: Choosing The Right Freight Bill Payment Provider
Any firm that ships anything is familiar with freight bills and the process for paying them. Less understood is the industry that has been built around outsourcing these payment activities. Why outsource freight bill payment services? There are several good reasons; the most popular is the possibility of reduced costs. It costs a large company […]
Global Logistics—October 2006
Global Transportation Providers is Bigger Better Despite the billions of dollars spent on supply chain mergers recently, shippers don’t necessarily think bigger is better when it comes to global transportation, finds a new survey of logistics executives from 52 global firms such as Bayer, Honda, and Pfizer. Many shippers feel one provider—regardless of size—cannot offer […]
Milton Young: A Tree Grows in Houston
Milton Young is in the Christmas tree business, but not the kind you decorate with tinsel and twinkling lights. His employer, Houston-based FMC Technologies, manufactures valve assemblies that control the flow of product pumped from undersea petroleum fields. Called “subsea Christmas trees” for their branching shape, these systems are engineered to withstand rough usage one […]
Cargo Security: Collaborate, Prevent, React
Q: With all the cargo security initiatives that have been implemented recently, what can transportation companies expect for the future? A: After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, both government and industry launched unprecedented efforts to ensure cargo safety throughout the transportation chain. Despite these collaborative efforts, maintaining a safe and secure transportation system remains a […]
Voice Technology Hitting a High Note?
When a new whitepaper written by Pittsburgh, Pa.-based voice technology provider Vocollect landed in my e-mail inbox, I was not surprised to find it full of positive information about the wonders of voice-directed picking. After all, companies don’t prosper by releasing negative whitepapers. The paper, Using Voice-Directed Work in the Supply Chain, showcases the ability […]
Peeling Away a ‘Band-Aid And Bubblegum’ Operation
Specialized shipping and global trade software complements Speedline Technologies’ slowing ERP system.
Trends-October 2006
To scan 100 percent of containers entering or leaving the United States or not to scan 100 percent? That was the question facing the Senate last month. After much debate and several amendments attempting to require 100-percent container scanning, the Senate in September approved final passage of the Port Security Improvement Act of 2006. It […]
Improving Picking Practices
Companies often think their picking operation is efficient as long as products roll out on time and customers are happy. But most picking operations in warehouses across America could use a re-organization, says John Giangrande, senior account executive with distribution software provider Fortna Inc. He offers these 10 tips to improve picking practices. 1. Profile […]
Fashion Thinks Global: The ‘Pat Riley’ Effect
While in Bangkok recently, I visited an Indian tailor to have some shirts made. As I was describing the type of collar I wanted, the tailor interjected, “Oh, the Pat Riley!” Pat Riley is, of course, the successful NBA basketball coach. Perhaps a household name in America, but among traditionally dressed turbaned Indian tailors in […]
Negligent Hiring: Not Just a Broker/3PL Problem
It may come as a great surprise to shippers that, according to a recent ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court, they may be held liable for "negligent hiring" of truckers. Since the Schramm v. Foster case—a Maryland court ruling that found a 3PL guilty for hiring a carrier that caused an accident injuring two […]
Winning the War Against Inventory Fluff
Nothing is more frustrating for DC managers than seeing unused, dust-covered pallets wasting away in a prime picking zone. Those 10,000 talking Pee Wee Herman dolls your buying department purchased a decade ago, for example, take up valuable space. Being greeted by Pee Wee every morning for the past 10 years is a reminder that […]
A Supply Chain That Tires Easily
Hankook Tire is on a roll, finding help to complete the final leg of its global supply chain.
Rising Costs? Lateral Thinking May Help
There are two sides to the rising trucking costs issue—the carriers’ and the shippers’. Carriers say the confluence of rising diesel prices; the driver shortage; government mandates reducing gas mileage on new equipment and driver productivity; higher taxes, insurance, and compliance costs; and increased security costs for better background checks creates a “perfect storm” for […]
Throwing the Book at an Old WMS
With a new WMS implementation, book wholesaler Bookazine begins the next chapter in its success story.
Trucking Perspectives 2006: IL’s Motor Freight Market Insight Survey
Anyone who has spent time traversing U.S. highways and byways recently has likely witnessed firsthand some of the challenges facing domestic shippers and carriers: security delays at border crossings, infrastructure improvement projects that bottleneck traffic, and gas stations spinning prices like rental car odometers. Capacity and cost constraints as a result of high fuel prices, […]
Buying Trucking Services: Managing the New “Normal”
While guaranteed capacity to haul freight was once a sure thing, times have changed. How are shippers and carriers dealing with today’s tight transportation environment? It’s all about collaboration—to mitigate capacity constraints, the driver shortage, and tough new federal regulations.
Private Fleets: Your Own Private Ride
Targeting service, capacity and cost issues, companies turn to private fleets.
It’s 4 U: Tracking Cell Phones From Manufacturer To Market
Mobile handset and device manufacturers are evolving their product lines and adapting their global supply chains to meet the ever-shifting needs of consumers.
Global Logistics—September 2006
Ocean Shippers Get Global Guarantee Companies that source products from China—and who’s not on that list these days?—have to balance shipment time with cost when selecting an import transportation mode. Traditionally, the choices were either to use air freight for speed but spend more, or cut costs by using ocean shipping and deal with slow […]
Melissa Grant: She’s in Hot Water
“Most people don’t think about their water heater until they don’t have hot water,” says Melissa Grant. As demand planning manager at Rheem Water Heating, Montgomery, Ala., Grant spends her days figuring out how many people will turn their thoughts in that direction, and how their visions of soothing baths and spotless dishes will translate […]
Say Goodbye to ‘Dumb’ Devices
Of all the recent supply chain process evolutions – from push to pull, fat to lean, and manual to automated everything – one of the most compelling transformations is currently unfolding in an unexpected place: supply chain data capture devices. Forklifts, truck trailers, shipping containers, and other everyday logistics items look at first glance to […]
Relieving Global Trade Aches and Pains
SAP’s global trade solution is the right medicine for Bayer, helping it centralize, standardize, and further automate international trade activities.
The Seven Abilities of Highly Effective 3PLs
The right logistics provider can bring you convenience, cost savings, and competitive advantage as you work to deliver the right product to the right place at the right time at the right price. Execution is the key, central to responding to fluctuating pressures of production schedules, capacity, weather, or other influences on your strategic supply […]
Trends-September 2006
Shippers today face a variety of concerns: high transportation costs; port, rail, and highway congestion; labor shortages; and complex security issues. Despite these challenges, they are finding ways to develop strategies and tactics that improve supply chain efficiency, finds a new report by University of Denver logistics expert Paul Nuzum. Forward-thinking companies are overcoming transportation […]
Finding Capacity When None Exists
Shippers everywhere are having trouble finding capacity, thanks to the driver shortage, fewer trucks, and rising fuel and insurance costs. These challenges are likely here to stay for awhile, so shippers need to plan ahead. Here are 10 tips on finding capacity, from John N. Roberts III, executive vice president, enterprise solutions, and Gary L. […]
Technology Smooths Transportation’s Bumpy Ride
We’ve come a long way from the horse-and-buggy era when a transportation company’s biggest expense was feeding horses. Today, fuel costs nibble away at profits, and the transportation industry’s operational base is severely threatened. Fleet owners, as well as less-than-truckload (LTL) and delivery companies, face increased manpower and fuel expenses. Currently, the U.S. national average […]
Taking the Bite Out of Crunch-Time Staffing
Seasonal hiring is one of the biggest challenges an operational manager is likely to face. Finding enough workers with the right skills to get the job done when projects are due, orders are set, and deadlines are looming can be daunting. How did seasonal hiring become such a challenge? Chances are, “human resources expert” was […]
Inbound We Trust
If I had a dollar for every time a reader asked me, “Why inbound? Why demand-driven?” I’d be living in a nice little house by the beach. And considering the number of new readers asking that question, it soon might be a nicer little house by the beach. Who are these new readers? Last year, […]
The Consumer Products Supply Chain: Shopping for Solutions
“2005 was a remarkable year for the consumer products (CP) industry. A devastating hurricane season displaced consumers, closed retailers’ doors, drove huge demand swings across categories and caused sizable price increases for many products. The hurricanes further increased high fuel costs, which strained budgets among low-income consumers and pushed packaging and distribution costs sky high. […]
Temperature-Controlled Logistics: Cold Comfort
Perishable-food shippers are warming up to the idea that public refrigerated warehouses and 3PLs are well equipped to handle their diverse temperature-controlled storage and transportation needs. Outsourcing refrigerated logistics lets food companies chill a little—and focus on core competencies to better serve consumers.
Logistics by the Book
Lying on the beach, you can get away with reading pretty much any book. But as the hot summer sun starts to fade and fall kicks in, it’s time to toss something a bit more serious into your laptop bag. Put down the John Grisham and pick up one of these books to kickstart a new season of logistics learning.
Global Logistics—August 2006
U.S. Businesses Sing Singapores Praises Though Singapore is a small country, it is starting to carry a great deal of clout among global businesses. U.S. enterprises are just beginning to recognize the city-state’s emerging potential as a strategic logistics location. Motorola recently announced it would invest $60 million over the next two years to make […]
Keith Anderkin: Keeping Fast Food Fast
When you see an ad for a limited-time offer on a special sandwich at Arby’s, it means Keith Anderkin and his team have been busy. Anderkin is vice president of procurement for ARCOP, the Atlanta-based nonprofit purchasing and distribution co-op that serves Arby’s franchisees, and he oversees procurement of nearly all the food and packaging […]
Build Your Case With Bills of Lading
Q: I work for a company that imports and exports cargo from countries all over the world. One of our import containers was recently stolen from a delivering carrier’s lot in Jacksonville, Fla., and was never recovered. Who is responsible for the loss—the Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) that arranged the shipment, the ocean carrier, or […]
We’ve Got a Long Way to Go, Baby
The globalization of commerce has made sophisticated logistics technology not just a luxurious expense for the Fortune 50, but a necessity for companies of all sizes and in all industries. A typical apparel company, for example, might source fabric from China, manufacture garments in Malaysia, send them to Italy for custom design work, then ship […]
I Sync, Therefore I Am
SuperValu derives super value from a product data synchronization initiative.
Trends-August 2006
The Supply Chain Planning (SCP) market has stabilized and is poised for compounded annual growth of 2.4 percent over the next five years, according to ARC Advisory Group. The market will grow from $1.05 billion in 2005 to more than $1.18 billion by 2010 (see chart), predicts the Dedham, Mass.-based think tank in its report, Supply […]
Selecting a Regional LTL Carrier
Partnering with the right regional less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier can be challenging, especially for companies that utilize just-in-time delivery. LTL carriers that provide expert technology capabilities and service flexibility make ideal partners, according to Richard Low, president of Cle Elum, Wash.-based Shoemaker Manufacturing. Shoemaker provides residential and commercial heating grills, registers, and diffusers for just-in-time delivery […]
Proving Material Deviation
One question shippers frequently ask is, "How do we avoid carriers’ liability limits when they are negligent?" Generally speaking, carriers’ limitations apply if they are lawfully incorporated into a contract of carriage. If a shipper agrees to contract a low liability limit to obtain a lower rate, carrier negligence does not overcome that limit. In […]
Choosing a WMS That Won’t Get You Fired
Many companies—Nike, Hewlett-Packard, Sainsbury’s, MFI Furniture Group, Molnlycke Health Care, and Heinz’s Portion Pac division, among others—have suffered well-publicized Warehouse Management System (WMS) failures in recent years. When Nike’s $400-million WMS project went awry, the company lost $100 million in one quarter and its stock plunged 20 percent. MFI Furniture’s WMS bugs forced it to […]
Carriers Face Challenges, Shippers Pay the Price
Unless shippers have just returned from Mars, they are aware that motor carriers have been hit with severe cost and capacity issues during the past three years. At the same time, however, if they haven’t been visiting other planets, they also know shippers are paying a heavy price. Shippers first became aware of serious industry-wide […]
Sailing Through a Shipping Maelstrom
The world’s largest appliance manufacturer sets sail with a new tool to coordinate and optimize ocean freight transportation services.
Going Above & Beyond: The Norm for Top 3PLs
Whether a third-party logistics provider receives enough reader votes to win an Inbound Logistics Top 10 Excellence Award (page 100), or is chosen by the editors for the Top 100 3PL list (page 128), they share one common attribute—they go above and beyond the norm to meet, exceed, and in some cases anticipate their customers’ […]
Raising the Bar on Customer Service
A new WMS helps ATC Logistics and Electronics better serve the upwardly mobile cell phone industry. You can hear them now.
3PLs: Business Unusual
Wonders abound in Canyonlands National Park, Utah—from its native Pueblo wall paintings and famed arches, to an infinite maze of red rock canyons and rare flora and fauna. Yet, it is the sight of a lone brown truck barreling down a remote two-lane road that truly stands out. What can Brown do for the National […]
3PL Hybrids: Becoming a 3PL for Fun and Profit
While the third-party logistics market has grown at a compound annual rate of 14.2 percent since 1996, 3PLs have only penetrated 12 percent of the market potential in the United States. The market is still fragmented, with plenty of room for growth. Such attributes make the sector attractive to companies looking for business opportunities. If […]
IL Exclusive Research: 3PL Perspectives
The Inbound Logistics 3PL Market Insight Survey provides a new perspective on the 3PL market, as seen through the eyes of leading 3PL executives. Where and how is the 3PL market going and growing? What challenges do 3PLs face and how will they face them? What do 3PLs think you want and how will they […]
Supply Chain Data: Keeping It Clean
The call came on Dec. 27, 2002. The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort would deploy to Southwest Asia within one week to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq. The medical directorate, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), faced the daunting task of outfitting the vessel with all pharmaceutical, medical/surgical, and capital equipment items required for […]
Green Thumbs Up
Want to grow profits? Plant the seeds of environmental concerns, rake in supply chain best practices, and watch what sprouts.
The Ocean Carrier Connection
Inbound Logistics sets its sails on some of the industry’s top players
Launching an RFID Pilot that Flies
The best way to separate the hype from the reality surrounding RFID technology is to set up and execute a controlled pilot to determine what benefits RFID can bring to your organization. Here are three practical pilots to get you off the ground.
Global Logistics—July 2006
Logistics and Technology On the Rise in Latin America As an emerging logistics market, Latin America has a lot going for it: low-cost labor, proximity to the United States, and abundant natural resources, among other attributes. Soon, it will add access to sophisticated logistics technology to the list, thanks in part to a new agreement […]
Inventory Reduction: Supply Chain’s Holy Grail
In the United States, businesses invested some $1.63 trillion in inventories during 2004, a new record high according to the 16th Annual State of Logistics Report sponsored by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Companies constantly search for ways to reduce their inventory exposure. We see this every day with our clients who all […]
Amilia Pickerill: Go With the Flow
Swagelok Company’s fluid system components keep liquids and gases flowing, and Amilia Pickerill keeps those components streaming to customers around the world. Pickerill is logistics program manager for Swagelok, a Cleveland-area firm whose fittings, valves, filters, hoses, and other products play important roles in research and in the pharmaceutical, oil and gas, power, petrochemical, alternative […]
Metals and Liquids: RFID Kryptonite?
A recent conversation with my seven-year-old nephew turned to the new Superman movie. “Superman is cool because he can bend steel with his bare hands,” he told me. Ironically, his statement made me think of an e-mail from a reader who was searching not for someone to bend steel, but for an RFID product that […]
Demand Planning Changes Minds
A mission to improve demand planning and customer service led European manufacturer Tenaris to embrace new technology and a new mindset.
First-Time Outsourcers Can Keep Customers Happy
Companies that are considering outsourcing warehouse operations for the first time should keep several issues in mind. Most important is ensuring that customer service is enhanced, rather than diminished, in the process. Another important consideration is what logisticians call Optimized Network Design—or, more simply, “Where should I locate my outsourced warehouse, and how many should […]
Trends-July
Put more than 700 supply chain executives in one room for an executive conference, and you’d expect the dialogue to center on such topics as reducing inventory, increasing visibility, speeding global distribution, and other standard best-practices fare. You’d also expect the keynote speaker to be a supply chain luminary or respected old-guard business leader. But […]
Trends-July 2006
Global supply chains are becoming longer, deeper, and more connected, but as the past five years have proven, they are also more vulnerable to disruptions that threaten the fluidity of foreign trade. The challenge for global shippers is to create a cross-enterprise blueprint that incorporates security and contingency planning as core business practices, said economist […]
Selecting RFID Middleware
Middleware for RFID applications sits between the RFID reader and conventional middleware, facilitating communication between enterprise systems and automatic identification devices. Some RFID middleware includes full track-and-trace reporting, device and network diagnostics utilities, and an open development platform, while other solutions focus solely on data consolidation and translation. How do you choose the RFID middleware […]
Securing Truckload Capacity While Reducing Overall Costs
The motor freight industry continues to be plagued by cost pressures that keep truckload capacity tight and drive shipping costs to record-high levels. Currently, motor freight carriers are struggling with: The growing driver shortage. The lack of long-haul drivers is the fifth-largest position shortage in America—195,000 drivers less than the existing need. Hours-of-Service (HOS) rules. […]
PET Project Improves Railcar Tracking/Tracing
Amcor PET’s peeve was inaccurate data on inbound rail shipments. A new automated tracking/tracing system got the company back on track.
Self-Criticism and Shared Pain
Jeff Shane shares our pain. Who is he and what is the cause of our shared transportation weltschmertz? Shane is the Undersecretary for Policy at the Department of Transportation and appeared to be thinking out loud at a recent speech to National Industrial Transportation League members. Shane was right there with us when we spent […]
Outlook and Opportunities in Chemical Logistics
Today: getting goods to and from the warehouse; tomorrow: where to put the warehouse?
Chemical Producers Put New Emphasis on Logistics Safety and Security
Responsible Care becomes the common ground for shippers and service providers.
True Shipper-Logistics Provider Inegration Inches Closer to Reality
Service providers are moving inside the fence line and working with shippers’ customers.
Good Chemistry: Chemical Companies Tackle Multiple Challenges
In a volatile industry, chemical companies tackle multiple logistics challenges.
Breaking Point: Ports Perform Under Pressure
U.S. container ports are busy trying to update aging infrastructure and ease congestion, while handling increased demand. Can the government and private sector help? What does the future hold?
Piecing Together the Intermodal PuzzleJune, 2006
Stumped by transportation challenges such as rising costs, capacity congestion, and infrastructure meltdowns? Here’s a clue: try mixing up modes to see if intermodal is a fit.
Home is Where the Heart (of Economic Development) Is
As state and local authorities survey investments in transportation and distribution infrastructure, one glaring omission interrupts their planning—a lack of oversight and assistance from the federal government. What are they doing about it?
Global Logistics—June 2006
Global Air Cargo Flying Steady Manufacturers, retailers, and distributors shipping goods around the world have kept air cargo carriers busy lately—and the effort is showing up on carrier balance sheets. This increase in global trade, coupled with the airlines’ successful efforts to reign in costs, is starting to pay off. "Recent air cargo data from […]
Don Dickey: Living the Wi-Life
Don Dickey keeps an eye on his product, and his product keeps an eye out for you. Dickey is vice president of logistics and customer support for WiLife, maker of the LukWerks Digital Video Surveillance System. The Draper, Utah, startup markets LukWerks to consumers and small business owners, who use the package of video cameras, […]
Choosing an Intermediary? Buyer Beware
Q: Can importers be held responsible for unauthorized fraudulent acts committed by a customs broker working on their behalf? A: The U.S. Court of International Trade faced this question during a recent case where a textiles manufacturer hired a freight forwarder to act as its importer of record and to file entries on its behalf. […]
Paying by the Drink at D/C Expo
If you missed this year’s Distribution/ Computer Expo, May 23-25 in Chicago—and judging from the poor attendance level, it’s likely you did—you missed seeing the supply chain technology industry line up to pay by the drink. No, I’m not talking about vendors’ after-show bar habits, but rather the industry’s embrace of pay-by-the-drink software solutions. More […]
Slamming the Brakes On Supplier Misbehavior
Tired of dealing manually with vendor shipping violations, aftermarket auto chain Pep Boys shifts to an automated compliance system to steer suppliers in the right direction.
Last Mile Logistics: Key to Competing in the Retail Race
For U.S. retailers with broad global supply chain operations, “last mile”—the portion of transit from the final delivery center to the customer’s door—is really the last hundreds of miles from the destination port to the store. This crucial part of logistics, which accounts for the majority of a shipment’s cost and complexity, is becoming increasingly […]