How to Gain Reverse Logistics Efficiency
Forward thinking companies increasingly need to consider reverse. With so much attention, time, and capital spent on exploring ways to move the enterprise in new directions, what’s left behind is often overlooked and under-controlled. Reverse logistics covers a wide array of services—from inspection, repair, and remanufacturing to consumer returns and aftermarket recycling. It can reduce […]
How to Create a Lean Warehouse Culture
MORE TO THE STORY: Lean in Principle There are three core parts to orchestrating lean tactics in a warehouse: tools, methods, and culture. Most companies have the equipment and processes to embrace lean. Culture, however, is often missing. Crafting an organizational culture that empowers lean concepts is a recurring challenge for companies, yet it yields […]
How to Standardize Fuel Surcharges
MORE TO THE STORY: DRILLING DOWN FREIGHT SPEND A wise person once stated that if you have two watches, you never know what time it is. When considering the effects of fuel surcharges on line-haul rates, this analogy is appropriate. If both are allowed to fluctuate, making sense of total freight spend and the intrinsic […]
Trends-November 2009
The green movement is many things to different parties. But the common element all environmentally conscious supply chain practitioners and consumers should take a vested interest in is transparency—from source to self. Environmental watchdog Greenpeace, whose mission is to bring clarity to environmental issues and threats, knows something about transparency. Proof to point, the organization […]
Outsourced Logistics: Gaining Management Buy-in
What company doesn’t want to achieve greater product availability rates, more flexible work processes, fewer customer complaints, and improved order accuracy? If you can’t seem to reach these goals on your own, it might be time to outsource some of your company’s logistics functions to a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. Steve Dean, senior vice president, […]
A Lesson From Ghana
“Ghana will not become a middle-income status country without a coherent supply chain strategy.” So says leading African academic Dr. Douglas Boateng in an open letter to Ghana’s government (http://snipurl.com/ilghana). Dr. Boateng takes the government to task on its lack of supply chain vision, pointing out that despite the abundance of natural resources≠gold, cocoa, diamonds, […]
Lifetime Achievement: Green Materials Handling
Lifetime Brands’ newly upgraded DC stands as a model of energy conservation.
Intermodal: Ready To Roll
Although volumes dipped in nearly all transport sectors this year, a small boost in domestic intermodal points to a better future for multi-mode transportation as the economy rebounds. In the meantime, intermodal facilities are taking advantage of the lull to upgrade so they’ll be ready when business picks up again.
Special Economic Development Supplement Great Logistics Sites: You’re Welcome
A visit to five U.S. locations that are creating inviting environments for companies striving to achieve logistics excellence.
Global Logistics—October 2009
Rotterdam Rules Inch Forward Most trade conventions come and go. Others linger. When 15 countries, including the United States, ratified the Rotterdam Rules recently in the Dutch port city, the new UN maritime convention updated global standards for transporting ocean cargo initially laid out in The Hague Rules (1924), the Hague-Visby Rules (1968), and the […]
Bill Harlow: Power Play
While racing stock cars at the Hales Corners Speedway in Wisconsin, Bill Harlow took a job at the local Briggs Stratton factory. “Racing was a very expensive hobby,” he says. To support it, he needed a day job. Harlow still works at Briggs Stratton, but in the 31 years since he joined the […]
Embargo Violations: Ignorance is No Excuse
Q:I recently read that DHL paid a $9.4-million fine to settle a claim by the United States for violations of sanctions against shipments to Iran. Can you discuss what happened and how I can avoid a case like this? A:The case you refer to was an action taken by the U.S. Treasury Department regarding 309 […]
Choosing and Using a Freight Forwarder
Choosing the right freight forwarder to support your transportation efforts can mean the difference between satisfied customers or unhappy ones; efficient, cost-effective distribution of your products or careless, wasteful handling of them. The following are some suggestions for choosing and using a freight forwarder. DO YOUR HOMEWORK Before entering into negotiations with a logistics provider, […]
Trends-October 2009
Shippers and service providers have enough difficulty meeting customer demand despite encroaching time, service, and cost constraints without political bureaucracy getting in the way. But it does. Pitched battles over quality of life and the goods that bring quality to life are frequent and fervent—and serve as yet another reminder that domestic transportation policy and […]
Getting Lean to Boost Warehouse Labor Performance
Implementing lean principles through all facets of a warehouse operation is an effective, economical way to boost labor performance. The relentless pursuit of eliminating waste transforms corporate culture, and builds a foundation for optimal performance from the warehouse floor to the corner office. Tim Sroka, senior manager, lean operations for Menlo Worldwide Logistics, a third-party […]
Dialing Into Truck Tone
You pick up the phone and get a dial tone. You move to a keyboard and you have Web tone. Many of us take these amazing enablements for granted, rarely considering how they work, just expecting that they will—all the time, every time. We only consider their absence when and if they fail. But what […]
1919-2009: Celebrating 90 Years in Ship By Truck
They did things the hard way because they had to. They saw opportunities and seized them, took risks, rolled with the punches, and reaped the rewards. They didn’t squeeze pricing or pinch service; everything was set in stone. And they hauled everything and anything during the Great Depression, World War II, and beyond. Join Inbound Logistics as we celebrate the legacies that made motor freight move.
Exclusive Inbound Logistics Research: Trucking Perspectives 2009
Cruising down Interstate I-81 through Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley two things are obvious—NASCAR doesn’t translate well to radio and the trucking industry is alive and well. Negotiating hundreds of miles of white line fever, drafting and passing convoys sandwiched tight with 53-foot trailers, 7,000-gallon tankers, and 96-foot turnpike doubles, offers a shotgun perspective of where the […]
The Perfect Center: Missouri
Need to be within easy reach of just about everything? Missouri is the place to be.
Freight Payment Services Boosting Invoice IQ
Freight payment/audit providers scrutinize shipper invoices using detailed reporting, sophisticated technology, and international capabilities. Here’s a close-up look at how they discover savings and efficiencies.
Global Logistics—September 2009
Demand and Strategy Drive India’s Retail Trade India’s retail industry is enjoying boom times as its economy continues to develop. As the country’s second-largest employer after agriculture, retail is estimated to reach US $590 billion in the next two years, growing at a 13-percent clip between 2007 and 2012. India’s consumer reckoning is largely a […]
Ensuring Your Carrier Promotes Supply Chain Value Through Sustainability
Consumers used to appreciate an environmental consciousness in the businesses they patronized. Now they expect it. Improved sustainability has become the right choice for corporations—economically, environmentally, and legally. Corporate sustainability programs should provide guidelines and measures for strategies such as reducing fuel consumption, reducing or eliminating materials for disposal, and preventing pollution. Shippers formalizing and […]
Chris Osen: Leading From the Center
Pick up a frozen pizza, moisturizer, or weekly planner, and you may well be holding a product from MeadWestvaco (MWV). Formed in 2002 by the merger of the Mead Company and Westvaco Corp., MWV provides packaging solutions for leading brands in health care, personal care, food and beverage, media and entertainment, and many other industries. […]
The Costly Art of Tracking
On Aug. 4, 2009, Astronaut Heidimarie Stefanyshyn-Piper’s $100,000 NASA tool bag dropped out of its heavenly orbit and into the Pacific Ocean. The 30-pound bag, filled with grease guns, trash bags, and a scraper tool, was detected not from a locating signal in the bag, but by sight. Clearly, Boeing’s contract with NASA does not […]
Defining the Ideal Pacific Rim Warehouse
Warehouses may serve the same function regardless of where they are located, but the criteria for choosing and operating these facilities is anything but consistent from one continent to the next. If manufacturing or distribution in Asia is part of your business, keep in mind the following ways in which the ideal facility might look […]
Trends-Sep 2009
Hormel Foods is adding a little zing to its U.S. product offering thanks to a joint venture with Herdez Del Fuerte, a Mexico City-based manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and beverages. Together, they are launching a new brand, MegaMex Foods, to market Mexican foods in the United States. MegaMex Foods, which is expected to […]
Becoming an Indispensable Logistics Manager
Supply chain costs are a leading business expense, and these days CFOs are taking a closer look to get this spending under control. The logistics manager who communicates effectively with corporate management and deftly manages freight costs will be a valuable employee. George Muha, regional sales manager for Mass.-based Logistics Management Inc., offers his advice […]
Finding and Attracting C-Suite Leadership
The days of fragmentation characterizing global logistics are drawing to a close. With globalization, more companies are striving to become end-to-end service providers for global customers. They see an opportunity to greatly improve profitability by offering higher-value services and gaining increased market share. To get there faster, they will continue to pursue mergers and acquisitions […]
Supply Chain Sustainability: What a Difference a Day Makes
Canadian office supply retailer Grand & Toy sells 48-hour delivery as a sustainable go-to-market philosophy. And customers are buying it.
Shades of Green
Inbound Logistics is green—as a mission and as a magazine. Matching demand to supply, our founding principle, is an evergreen strategy that eliminates waste: energy, money, and time. By embracing demand-driven practices, companies optimize transportation, reduce warehouse inventory and costs, increase transparency, and trigger countless efficiencies elsewhere in the enterprise. Executing on demand, and specifying […]
Refashioning Retail Supply Chains
Whether they’re pooling loads or promoting best practices, retailers tag consolidation and collaboration as powerful strategies.
Outpacing the Perils of Perishables
Haunted by the challenges of environmental unpredictability, safety scares, and regulatory red tape, food shippers rely on supply chain efficiency to keep their cool.
Power Brokers
Across the country, public utilities are empowering local and state economic development while helping businesses amp up their site selection due diligence.
Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor: North America’s Energy and Agricultural Heartland
Linking North America’s top energy and agricultural regions, the Ports-to-Plains Corridor helps deliver food and fuel to the city, and keeps the Heartland economy humming.
Global Logistics—August 2009
Brazils Broken Track Record Less Substance More Lines Brazil is a little late coming to the railroad turntable, a reality that has stifled transportation infrastructure and economic development dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. As rural and expansive as the country is, a major rail renaissance has been barely chugging along. For […]
Gabriel Alcazar: He’s Got His Job Down Cold
When you tinker with a job that workers have been doing the same way for years, someone’s bound to get upset. “Change management has always been one of the biggest challenges I have faced,” says Gabriel Alcazar, supply chain manager at Sub-Zero Freezer Company in Phoenix, Ariz. Consider what happened when Alcazar’s team introduced a […]
Learning to Play by New Rules: Managing Logistics Through the Recession
Managing a global business today is brutal. The collective business wisdom is being tested, and our organizations’ hard work on strategy, lean management, and disciplined forecasting and operations planning can’t wipe away current economic woes. The global supply chain isn’t broken, but we’re dealing with a game-changing scenario. As the economy plays havoc with volume, […]
Choosing a Mobile Communications Solution
Communicating with field workers should not be a chore, but without the right equipment, it can be. Jonathan Turner, chief information officer for logistics provider 3PD Inc., Marietta, Ga., offers these tips for selecting a new mobile communications system. 1. Look for hidden costs.Prices for mobile communications solutions can range from several hundred to several […]
Healthy Seaports: An ‘Open for Business’ Sign
Nearly everything we buy or consume—from the clothes we wear, to the food we eat, to the coffee we start our day with—comes to us on a ship, through one of our nation’s seaports. In turn, nearly everything the United States sells in the global marketplace makes its way there via our seaports. This includes […]
10+2: Origin and Destination in Collaboration
The clock is ticking for importers struggling to become compliant with Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Importer Security Filing regulation, commonly known as the 10+2 initiative. On Jan. 26, 2010, the interim final rule becomes mandatory, allowing CBP to begin assessing damages for failure to meet the new data-filing requirements. The key to successful 10+2 […]
Losing Money in LTL? Try Small Parcel
Complacency is costly. Nowhere is this truer than in the way some companies practice less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping. Many shippers are choosing costlier LTL services when they could be using small-parcel shipping. In fact, the average shipper may overspend by 15 to 20 percent on LTL, which is unconscionable in these cost-conscious times. The problem is […]
I Love My Customer
If you think your love for a 3PL is an exclusive one-way street, think again. The feelings are mutual. Sure, you appreciate the value a logistics service provider brings to the relationship: the core intelligence, the sense and sensibility, the thoughtfulness when planning on future demand. But don’t be fooled. 3PLs have a vested business […]
I Love My 3PL
Based on the 6,000+ responses to our annual survey of the third-party logistics market, readers really love their 3PLs. Despite the economic downturn in 2008, more companies responding to the survey—from small B-to-C startups to large multinationals, from healthy businesses weathering the maelstrom to names in the news suffering through privation detailed in today’s headlines—increased […]
Warehouse Automation: Siemens Sorts It Out
Siemens sees labor cost and floor space savings, significant improvements in employee ergonomics and morale, and a fast return on investment from its new materials handling system.
Switched On: Bringing The 3pl Machine To Life
MORE TO THE STORY: WAREHOUSING AGED TO PERFECTION Like any well-oiled, multi-articulated machine, today’s supply chain comprises many inter-related parts that alone serve specific needs and together function as a finely calibrated mechanism for consuming raw materials and spitting out finished goods. Its complexity is borne by countless factors: demand and supply, product differentiation, business […]
3PL Perspectives 2009
As demand wanes, opportunity grows. That’s an axiom seemingly foreign to any industry. In today’s environment, however, standard conventions are turned upside down. Third-party logistics providers (3PLs) have felt their share of the economic gravity tumbling many trades into reactionary huddles. But the 3PL is a unique construction. Adaptable by nature, there is a spring-like […]
SMB/3PL Partnerships: Small Fish, Big Splash
When small and medium-sized firms are ready to swim with the big fish, they team up with 3PLs to gain a sea of business capabilities.
Planning And Maintaining Your Dream Yard
One key to logistics success is a healthy, well-maintained trailer yard. YMS solutions provide the fertilizer to help grow a yard to be proud of.
Summer Reading Guide2009
Summer’s lazy weekends and long nights are the perfect time to catch up on your logistics reading. Dive into these titles for a new supply chain perspective and a logistics knowledge boost.
Northwest Iowa: Connectivity Beyond Expectations
At the core of America’s heartland, Northwest Iowa delivers easy access to major markets, a first-class transportation infrastructure, a welcoming business environment, and outstanding workforce development programs.
Global Logistics
Nationalism is alive and thriving, and that has some public and private sector interests around the world worried that inward-pressing cultural forces could scuttle past efforts to break down bureaucratic trade barriers. Look no further than the recent riots and long-simmering feud between ethnic Han and minority Uighurs in China—a conflict originally stoked by Uighurs’ […]
Why Shippers Should Care About Total Landed Costs
The unprecedented economic downturn, combined with the very unpredictable changes in key supply chain variables over the last few years, shows why shippers should take a more holistic approach when making network configuration decisions. The dramatic spike in fuel prices last year serves a perfect example. The fuel ≥crisis≤ was a catalyst that forced companies […]
It’s 2009. Do You Know Where Your Freight Dollars are Going?
The last two years have proven to be very stressful ones for most supply chain managers. Hundreds of firms have failed and thousands of jobs have been lost throughout the industry. Most managers of virtually all functions are under more pressure to meet corporate goals than ever before. According to the recent CSCMP State of […]
Beth Ford : A Woman of Taste
Some supply chain professionals like their work best when things are humming. Not Beth Ford. “I can’t get enough craziness,” says Ford, executive vice president, head of supply chain at International Flavors Fragrances Inc. (IFF) in New York. What kind of craziness makes Ford’s day? Consider the time during her stint at Mobil Oil […]
Foul Play: When Merchandise is Stolen, Who Pays?
Q:A Philadelphia newspaper recently reported an armed heist of Sports Authority merchandise worth $500,000 from a local 3PL warehouse. According to the account, a former employee of a trucking company that delivered Sports Authority merchandise along the East Coast stole one of the company’s trucks. He and two accomplices held a warehouse guard at gunpoint […]
Automation Grows, But We Still Need People
One endless debate in space exploration is whether, and to what degree, humans can contribute. Do we send more robots to Mars or should we concentrate on a manned mission? While the cost of human space exploration is mind-boggling, it is hard to believe that human perception and inquisitiveness is of no use. It is […]
Mission-Critical Service Parts Logistics: Making the Impossible Possible
Mission-critical service parts logistics requires sound processes, precision, and an organizational commitment to make the seemingly impossible possible. After all, guaranteeing expedited delivery within 90 minutes to four hours anywhere in the world can be a daunting challenge. This is the reality that manufacturers and service providers face, however, particularly for high-tech equipment. With demanding […]
Trends-July 2009
The allure of Central America and the Caribbean as a New World for exploration beguiled 16th-century European traders eager to exploit its wealth of natural resources and labor. Today, the region is attracting colonization of a new order and under its own terms—and U.S. trading partners are equally captivated. As China sourcing becomes more complicated, […]
Optimizing Your Logistics Conference Attendance
If you are spending time and money to attend a logistics conference, you should get the most out of it. Plenty of people and exhibitors will be vying for your attention and you need a plan of attack. The idea is not just to view, but to engage. Kathleen Hedland, director of education and research […]
Does Your Cargo Insurance Deliver?
Cargo theft amounts to $25 billion in direct merchandise losses each year, estimates the National Cargo Security Council. Full truckload theft in 2008 increased 13 percent over the prior year, reports FreightWatch International. Considering that 675,000 registered interstate motor carriers move 65 percent of the freight in the United States, the odds are good that […]
Wrong Street Journal?
A recent Wall St. Journal article, “Clarity is Missing Link in Supply Chain” (May 18, 2009) wrongly defines just-in-time (a small and strictly defined subset of demand-driven logistics), then concludes that practicing JIT in a recession makes things worse. The article opens with the CEO of chip designer Zoran Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif., wondering why his […]
Cleared For Takeoff
Security and customs requirements impose major constraints on airfreight shipments. Two new programs aim to remove some of the obstacles.
Air Cargo Perspectives 2009
Leading air cargo companies share their perceptions on important trends shaping the trajectory of today’s global supply chain.
Chemical Logistics—June 2009
The chemical industry copes with an uncertain economic climate.
Smart Strategy: South Of The Border
Companies that source and manufacture products in Mexico gain opportunities to cut transportation costs, hold less inventory, and provide faster service to customers. But to reap logistics benefits in Mexico, you have to know your way around.
Supply Chain Research Labs: Brain Trust
Relevant, rigorous, and wide-ranging, university studies of supply chain issues focus on real-world challenges.
Sustainable Network Design: The Right Tools Make All the Difference
Until recently, supply chains were designed to deliver goods on time and at the lowest possible cost. This is still the focus for many companies, but as consumer pain increases due to rising energy costs, and environmental concerns such as global warming achieve greater awareness, forward-thinking businesses realize green issues are here to stay. These […]
Measure Your Way to Exceeding C-Suite Expectations
With organizational performance demands at an unprecedented high, the C-Suite is scrutinizing every cost of doing business and looking for places to cut costs while enhancing customer service. Constantly changing corporate goals and the mandate to do more with less adds stress to heightened business goals. One thing is clear: Changes made to your business […]
Elizabeth Little: Little Goes a Long Way
For Elizabeth Little, success lies in the details. There’s always a fresh piece of legislation moving through Congress, a revised rule, or a new security or safety requirement that affects the way companies ship goods across the border. “As the importer of record, I need to know what’s currently happening with everything related to shipping,” […]
Trends-May 2007
It has been a tough year for the trucking industry with empty stores, trailers, and gas tanks casting their lot against carriers and motor freight buyers alike. Shrinking budgets, expanding carbon emissions and fuel efficiency standards, and steady competition from rail/intermodal providers have similarly pushed truckers and shippers into a sustainability strata that augurs a […]
Global Logistics-June 2009
Ademand-driven logistics strategy can help companies save considerable time and expense flowing product through the supply chain. It can also save lives. Wayne, N.J.-based MAQUET Cardiovascular, a newly acquired division of German parent company MAQUET Medical Systems, recently expanded its relationship with third-party logistics provider Menlo Worldwide Logistics in Europe to manage inbound transportation for […]
IN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-May 2009
Products Shippers can fully utilize the space inside a trailer with the Ancra Cargo AutoDeck system, which adjusts the height of each beam to create a customized decking solution. The automated system reduces losses resulting from cargo damage because pallets don’t have to be stacked on top of each other, and increases load averages by 10 to […]
Reducing Damaged Deliveries
It doesn’t matter if you get your customers’ shipments delivered on time if they arrive at the dock unusable. Selecting a carrier that trains its employees to prevent damages is the first step, but shippers should also take a proactive approach to preparing freight for safe, secure delivery to the end user. Paul Lorensen, central […]
Is Dedicated Fleet Service Right for Your Company?
Implementing a dedicated fleet—assigning a group of tractors, trailers, drivers, and other resources exclusively to carry out operations for a chosen set of facilities or lanes in any transportation network—offers a number of potential advantages. Among the benefits shippers may derive are improved on-time delivery performance, guaranteed capacity, and reduced freight transportation costs. Relying on […]
From Sow’s Ear to Silk Purse
Turning adversity into opportunity is standard practice for logistics professionals, but it seems everyone is taking that approach in today’s economic climate. Like most businesses, warehouses and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) are feeling the pinch. The part of their business based on creating value for customers, and sharing in that, is doing OK. But for […]
Energizing Your Warehouse New Strategies For Greater Efficiency
In a tough economy, the universal battle cry is, “Do more with less!” We’re all looking for new ways to squeeze a few more dollars, or a few more hours, from our operations while also delighting customers with ever-better service. In many cases, we’re trying to achieve those goals while saving energy and reducing our […]
Good Things Come From Green Packages
Why are companies sticking with green packaging initiatives in the midst of an economic recession? Because reusing materials, reducing waste, and improving transportation efficiency is not only good for the planet, it’s good for business.
Arkansas: A Natural Wonder
Arkansas has long been known for its geographic diversity and scenic beauty. Now it’s a burgeoning Natural Wonder when it comes to transportation, logistics, and trade.
Make Sure TMS Stands for ‘Time-to-Market Savings’
Broad agreement exists nowadays among logistics managers that Transportation Management Systems (TMS) are a useful—many would say powerful—addition to their arsenal of tools. After all, a good TMS will automate quoting, tendering, billing, and a host of other shipping activities. It will optimize modes, routings, and costs while providing unprecedented visibility to shipment status and […]
Lou Paioletti: Phoenix Rising
It took three months of intense work last fall for Phoenix Contact to shake the bugs from a new, fully automated distribution center in Middletown, Pa. The transition wasn’t easy, says Lou Paioletti, director of logistics at Phoenix Contact USA. But according to the company’s distributors, adjusting to new technologies and processes can take a […]
C.H. Robinson Case: Brokers Learn Liability Lesson
Q: I read about a recent case in which a jury awarded $23.7 million against a transportation broker who hired a motor carrier that was involved in a fatal automobile accident. As I understand it, the transportation broker did not own or operate the truck that caused the accident. How is it possible that the […]
Making Supply Chain Data Dynamic
Today’s supply chain managers are hot for more data and greater integration. Their motive is simple. They recognize that they can wring profit by reducing complexity or isolating actions. It is hard to argue against this point of view, especially when companies integrate data with the goals of cutting costs, reducing working capital by holding […]
Offshoring vs. Right-shoring: How to Decide
For more than a decade, companies have used offshoring as a primary strategy for maximizing value in the global manufacturing supply chain. The advantages of offshoring are eroding, however, due to rising wages in overseas locations, volatile fuel costs, global security concerns, and the worldwide economic crisis. In response, some U.S. manufacturers and parts suppliers […]
Global Logistics-May 2009
“Not in my backyard” posturing has become a familiar obstacle to economic development interests wrestling with local citizenry over infrastructure projects. Recently, Canadian National’s nationally publicized and locally ostracized acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern Railroad, and intention to reroute rail traffic around Chicago to alleviate congestion, drew criticism and legal action from affected […]
Trends-May 2009
Lean times call for equal measures. The U.S. automotive industry has been decimated by a slumping domestic economy and increasing global competition. While some cash-strapped manufacturers join government “bread” lines, still others are turning to their assembly lines. In what amounts to a corporate mandate to level production and lean out its supply chain, General […]
Initiating an Effective Inbound Program
Controlling inbound shipments maximizes efficiency and saves money, but creating an inbound program can be a daunting task. Gene Nusekabel, transportation and logistics industry marketing manager for Sterling Commerce, Dublin, Ohio, offers tips for getting your program on the right track. 1. Create a project team.Call on the expertise of your procurement and logistics representatives, […]
From Click to Curb: Earning and Keeping E-commerce Customers
For consumers who want to avoid dealing with overzealous salespeople and crowded stores, online shopping offers the perfect alternative. U.S. online sales are expected to grow from $132 billion in 2006 to $271 billion in 2011, according to a study by Forrester Research. The same report estimates that the e-commerce market segment could soon claim […]
Finding New Value in Truck Leasing
Back when the economy was humming along, business logistics managers turned to leasing for their transportation programs because it enabled them to focus energy on their core business. Today, logistics managers’ priorities have changed dramatically, but leasing still makes sense. Now, with all eyes on the bottom line, businesses choose leasing because it’s a viable […]
Logistics IT: GoodSource Finds Instant Gratification
A food distributor’s new technology serves up its broker’s freshest rate quotes, without the need for phone calls or emails.
SaaS: A Distribution Model For Tough Times?
The lead article in our annual technology issue 15 years ago featured Barbara Barnhill, transportation supervisor for Elizabeth Arden. She excitedly shared the details of her company’s “revolutionary” inbound transportation program, which racked up million-dollar savings by using the latest technology—a fax machine. Times have changed since the fax machine and its dial tone were […]
IT Perspectives 2009: Exclusive IL Research
Logistics information technology is many things to different companies. It is an investment, a risk, a market neutralizer, and often a competitive differentiator. Technology can micromanage the mundane with extraordinary savings; or it can tackle the extraordinary with mundane consistency. Even as companies tame wanton spending, table strategic endeavors, and closely measure return on investments, […]
Internal Collaboration: A Bright Idea
Leading companies are plugging into current economic volatility to switch up their supply chains and make a connection between internal logistics departments.
Plastics Surgery: Remolding the Supply Chain
In the face of a recession, plastics companies recognize the importance of efficient transportation and supply chain management.
How to Close the Supply Chain Value Gap
When it comes to IT investments in Supply Chain Management, what you see isn’t always what you get (WYSIAWYG for short!). Studies indicate that there’s a huge gap between what customers in various industry groups perceive as required investments and satisfaction with the delivered IT solution. Nevertheless, in today’s competitive and vulnerable economy, it becomes […]
Mike Segal: The Paper Chase
Mike Segal always keeps one eye on the weather. When you ship paper, water damage is a constant concern. “You need watertight equipment and good procedures for managing equipment integrity,” says Segal, director of logistics at Sappi Fine Paper North America, a division of Sappi Ltd., a global company headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. The […]
Global Logistics-Apr 2009
The ocean shipping industry is awash in a sea of confusion. Some liners are putting vessels on furlough to squeeze capacity and offset operating expenses. Others are shifting assets to demand, leaving equipment shortages in underperforming lanes. Shippers beset with their own swelling costs continue to demand make-or-break pricing, while some carriers risk running aground […]
Trends-2009
When consumer spending dips, few companies target high-income shoppers as a potential revenue stream. But few companies can walk in Walmart’s shoes, and the retailer has both attracted more consumers and convinced them to buy bigger-ticket items. With a fresh new logo to boot, Walmart is cleaning up in more ways than one. Its stores […]
Understanding 10+2 Requirements
The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency’s Importer Security Filing (ISF) regulation has become commonly known as the 10+2 initiative because it requires importers and vessel-operating carriers to provide trade data (10 elements and two elements each, respectively) for non-bulk cargo shipments arriving into the United States via ocean. Melissa Irmen, vice president, products and […]
The Evolving Supply Chain Manager
Managing today’s complex supply chain requires the skills of a C-level executive, plus the special knowledge of supply chain disciplines including forecasting, purchasing, transportation, inventory management, quality, warehousing, channel costing, and technology. Fifty years ago, nobody managed a supply chain. Departments and individuals teamed up to obtain supply certainty and efficiency. But conflicting departmental and […]
Refrigerated Transport: Really Remote Control
Poultry distributor Simmons Foods is clucking over its remote monitoring solution that helps prevent costly spoiled food loads.