Articles
Commentary
Unlocking the Hidden Green Value in Mobile Devices
Reverse logistics for mobile devices is more important than ever. Mobile-connected devices exceeded the world’s population in 2014. Wearable technology sales will hit 22 million in 2015, and reach 370 million devices over the next five years, according to analyst CCS Insight. Imagine landfills piled high with smartwatches and connected egg trays, instead of smartphones […]
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Is Your Warehouse Software Holding You Back?
Change is underway in warehouse management and fulfillment operations. Driven by e-commerce and omni-channel demand, and enabled by innovative automation and software solutions, the fulfillment execution model is ushering in an era of real-time adaptive workflow for optimized fulfillment. When warehouse management systems (WMS) replaced paper-based systems in the mid-1980s, they marked a fundamental shift […]
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Accommodating Disabled Colleagues in Your Workforce
Michael J. Fox has had Parkinson’s disease now for more than 20 years. Look at his successes and failures in that time, and the way society has accepted him. Would you do the same for someone on your staff? Would you embrace them with the kindness, courtesy, and respect that they deserve? Five months ago, a […]
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Supply Chain Education and the Integration of Things
You’ve heard about the Internet of Things? Well, today’s supply chain education is about the Integration of Things. Integration is a buzzword you’re used to hearing nearly everywhere you turn in today’s supply chain—in the context of technology deployment, data validation, business process change, or logistics outsourcing. Enabling systems and solutions to perform seamlessly when […]
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Designing a New Strategy for a New Year
With the New Year upon us, retailers and manufacturers need to rethink their supply chains and find new ways to work together, according to the 2016 Future Supply Chain, a report from the Global Commerce Initiative and Capgemini. Here’s a look at some external and internal industry trends from a Lean perspective. It’s not hard […]
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Seven Common Shipping Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Moving cargo is part of daily operations for a wide array of industry sectors worldwide, and processes to maximize time and cost-efficiency can be surprisingly detail-oriented. When moving freight is an every day operation, proper execution is a must. It can be easy to overlook the following mistakes, resulting in unwanted and unnecessary organizational spends […]
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Protecting Your Brand With Product Lifecycle Management
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and supply chain management traditionally focus on metrics such as speed to market, cost reduction, consumer trend response times, and supply chain agility. But there’s a new imperative: ensuring ethical sourcing and social compliance. Designing and delivering great brands means ensuring products are safe, manufactured responsibly, and comply with myriad complex […]
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Improving Your Fleet With Telematics
Recent research shows that 20 percent of the North American fleet market has implemented telematics. While that number may seem low for a technology that’s been in the market for just over a decade, it is likely that the number will double to 40 percent within the next few years. Telematics allow users to gain […]
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Searching For the New Perfect Order
The growth of omni-channel retailing has driven a shift in what constitutes the “perfect order” — from a traditional, sequentially linear design to an exponentially more complex, interconnected model. It’s a shift driven by customer demand that requires the retailer to manage orders, shipments, payments, and returns within the retailing organization and across a vast […]
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How to Make Physical Inventory Counts Less Stressful
Small business owners may struggle finding time to interact with customers, let alone counting inventory and checking for inaccuracies in the warehouse. Although technology tools can help manage inventory, you must implement systems in-house that account for physical stock counting. Many product-based businesses will ditch the annual inventory count and opt for something a little […]
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Talent Gap: How Did We Get Here?
How did we get here? By "here" I mean the supply chain talent gap that many companies are struggling to fill. In "Talent Gap: Where Are We Going?", the editor lauds the 30 Under 30 Rising Supply Chain Stars who represent the bright future of our practice. But, as you’ll see in the chart at the bottom […]
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Talent Gap: Where Are We Going?
I am always pleased when the annual Logistics Planner issue publishes, but this year I’m doubly excited. This issue marks a new milestone as we introduce and celebrate the 30 best and brightest supply chain practitioners under the age of 30—a group of individuals who are familiar with producing extraordinary results in a short period […]
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Six Secrets to Controlling Supply Chain Costs Without Sacrificing Service
It’s Monday morning. Your boss knocks on your office door to tell you to cut five percent of your supply chain costs in the next six months, while improving performance on customer service scorecards by three percent. This balancing act between cost and service is becoming more common as companies seek ways to do more […]
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Customs Compliance: Small Mistakes Can Lead to Big Problems
Diverse, evolving global trade regulations require companies to implement systems and procedures that ensure strict adherence. Large businesses have in-house compliance staff, but those responsibilities might hold a more vague spot in small enterprises. With stiff penalties at stake—penalties that could put some organizations out of business—small companies must take an aggressive stance on compliance. […]
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The Human Factor: What is Technology Without Leadership?
As its cost declines, supply chain technology continues to improve. Technology implementation depends upon it being economically feasible compared to other solutions, such as deploying equipment or increasing labor. Technology will likely be increasingly used in place of both solutions. This leaves many envisioning a future driven almost exclusively by technology, but nothing could be […]
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How to Close the Supply Chain Talent Gap
A career in logistics is a career working at the heart of world trade. Most of us could not get through a single day of our lives without relying on some aspect of the supply chain. Products move between manufacturers and retailers, or growers and consumers, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 […]
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Supply Chain Resilience: Turning Risk Into Opportunity
In today’s global economy, risk is unavoidable. But it also provides opportunity, as a company’s ability to adapt in difficult circumstances is a true source of competitive advantage and precisely defines a winning approach to risk responsiveness. Is your business prepared to mitigate the effects of operational risks, such as Mother Nature throwing a curveball […]
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Reimagining Molded Pulp Packaging: It’s Not Just For Eggs Anymore
As the world becomes more environmentally conscious, industry leaders continually find ways to make operations more sustainable. This can mean anything from recycling more around the office to adopting Lean principles. Some companies are even thinking green when it comes to packaging. Years of using plastics and foam packing peanuts have made it necessary for […]
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How to Choose a Business-Friendly Site
The U.S. manufacturing resurgence can largely be attributed to companies reshoring operations. With its low-cost, abundant energy resources, the United States has once again become a cost-effective siting option for energy-intensive manufacturers. As the energy boom brings companies back to the United States, they must decide where to locate. A number of factors make a […]
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Filling the Manufacturing Skills Gap With Technology
Small and medium businesses (SMBs) are growing at an accelerated rate. This is all good news for manufacturers as they are seeing an increase in orders. But along with the growth, there’s the reality that manufacturers are dealing with a skills gap. Its tough to attract and retain the kind of talent they need to […]
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