Articles
Commentary
Breaking the Size Barrier in Global Logistics
The last three years have brought a whirlwind of activity to global sourcing, which eliminated many traditional manufacturing jobs in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the manufacturing workforce in the United States shrank by two million production jobs between 2000 and 2003. Headlines appear weekly with news of more outsourcing […]
Read MoreInventory Optimization: The Last Frontier
Two opposing forces are at work in business today: the need to reduce costs and the need to improve service levels. Bolstering one almost certainly causes the other to suffer. For example, lower your inventory to reduce costs and it becomes difficult to meet varying customer demand. Increase safety stock to meet peak demands and […]
Read MoreC-TPAT: Staying Ahead of the Curve
John, the newly appointed Ohio Valley plant manager, arrived at his desk 6:30 a.m. Monday with a plan to organize the week. He was surprised when almost immediately the phone rang. It was a freight forwarder in Hong Kong wanting to speak with the plant’s logistics manager, Barbara. The forwarder told John that some electronics […]
Read MoreThe Politics of Fear
Media-amplified hysteria and politicization of homeland security in certain circles may be driving security policies toward unreality. Some believe that the only way to protect good people from bad people is to lock down the good people instead of aggressively sanctioning the bad. Are we over-emphasizing security at the expense of interdiction in the war […]
Read MoreInner City Direct-to-Store Delivery: Complex but Improving
Last month’s column dealt with the problems associated with transportation and logistics in an inner city environment. The staff and manager of a New York City supermarket, in their attempt to receive a shipment, were faced with numerous challenges such as parking restrictions and limited access to delivery doors. The problem of receiving, however, is […]
Read MorePlease Don’t Squeeze the 3PL
When is it practical to develop a cost-plus relationship? Many companies that outsource spend up to 60 percent of their logistics management time defining, selecting and negotiating the 3PL agreement yet do not fully realize the total benefits available from the outsourced relationship. The cost-plus agreement must allow the outsourcer to maximize the ROI from […]
Read MoreThe What, Not the Where, of Site Selection
While much has been written about site selection from the real estate and cost reduction perspective, little has focused on the supply chain management perspective. What’s the difference? To start with, true SCM focuses on adding value to the customer and sharing that gain with all the component links in the supply chain. Rather than […]
Read MoreEasing the Impact of HOS Regulations
With the new Hours of Service (HOS) regulations now in effect for transportation providers, transportation management systems (TMS) are coming to the aid of shippers. The systems help shippers assess the impact of the new guidelines, incorporate the regulations into automated processes, and identify areas of improvement to minimize the financial impact of the regulations […]
Read MoreForging Industry-Academia Partnerships
Economic pressure derived from reduced state and federal funding has fueled escalating tuition costs. As a result, government, taxpayers, parents, and business practitioners are paying closer attention to the activities of business faculty. Critics contend that higher business education is breaking down, that the system is churning out irrelevant academic research and training students to […]
Read MoreWho is the Typical IL Reader?
Who are the typical Inbound Logistics readers? They are the unusual mixture of the practical and theoretical. Straining their brains to solve the seemingly unsolvable, yet not afraid to get dirt under their fingernails to get the job done. They understand the complex algorithm that helps rationalize the unpredictability of future demand, yet they are […]
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