Articles

Commentary

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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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