Articles

Commentary

Felecia Stratton
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3PL Evolution Continues

For better or for worse, I have been the editor of Inbound Logistics for nearly 25 years—before the term third-party logistics, or 3PL, even existed. That means I spent about two decades (gulp!) watching the evolution of the third-party logistics sector, and all the different types of companies providing value-added logistics solutions. It has been […]

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Keith Biondo
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3PL e-Volution Continues

While the editor of Inbound Logistics is content to use her column to take you on an archeological journey through 3PL history, I prefer to take you on a trip forward. We all know Amazon and eBay as e-commerce titans that match millions of customers with the products they demand, when they want them. Both […]

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Stephen Hamilton
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10 Steps to Import Compliance

Ever-changing import rules enforced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) require companies to remain current on regulations and process methodologies—or risk delays and noncompliance fines. Organizations that fail to comply with current customs rules—even in ignorance—can be designated as high risk, and subject to more frequent inspections and longer processing times in the future. […]

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Mike Rozembajgier
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Retailers, Watch Your Waste Lines

Hazardous waste is no longer an issue facing only industrial manufacturing companies. It has become an area of significant concern for retailers, too. When it comes to managing hazardous waste, retailers must strike a precarious balance between complexity and control. The repercussions of achieving this balance can be significant. Not only do such infractions place […]

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Robert Byrne
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Forecasting Seasonal Surges Keeps Products on the Shelf

During busy retail periods, news of retail imports and spot transportation rates tends to grab all the attention. Less prominent, but more interesting, is the constant seasonal and promotional flux in domestic consumer packaged goods (CPG), and how manufacturers manage the resulting transportation surge. For CPG companies, seasonal volume typically represents one-third of annual shipments, […]

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Mike Meehan
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Could New Fuel Efficiency Standards Lead to Transportation Cost Savings?

In February 2014, the Obama administration outlined plans for improving fuel efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions for American trucks. To support this effort, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Transportation must set new standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The rules, which the agencies must issue by March 2016, will have ripple […]

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Curtis Greve
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Why Every Manufacturer Needs a Reverse Logistics Solution

The average manufacturer spends nine to 14 percent of total sales on product returns each year, according to an Aberdeen Group study. Yet an estimated 45 percent of manufacturers do not have a reverse logistics solution. They rely on retail or wholesale partners to deal with customer returns, recalls, and seasonal overstocks. Until the mid-1990s, […]

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John W. Wallace
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Panama: Leveraging Opportunities Beyond the Canal

It’s not only shipping lines, railroads, logistics service providers, and multinational firms that want to know to what extent the Panama Canal expansion project will affect business. Every company will be affected plenty, and must be prepared to modify existing distribution operations to reflect the changing world. Why will the Panama Canal expansion have such […]

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