Articles
Commentary
Demanding Response
Inexpensive transportation and sophisticated IT tools allowed us to operate extended supply chains. But that tide may be turning.
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Freight Forwarders: The Vital Link in Logistics Communication
Building a logistics system for today’s sourcing needs requires a quantum leap from past shipping practices, in which companies too often neglected transportation in their strategic planning. A poorly constructed or outdated supply system with inadequate communication can create unnecessary delays and expense caused by information snags, missing or ill-prepared shipping documents, and inappropriate cargo […]
Read MoreDeregulation Amended and Upended
Dust off your legal textbooks. It’s time to revisit transportation deregulation’s rocky history and defend what we have.
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Shading Green
We know the positive arguments for embracing green. This magazine regularly demonstrates how shippers and service providers are developing sustainability practices across their supply chain touchpoints. Reducing fuel, cube, weight, packaging, waste, and power consumption in the supply chain blends the two shades of green—sustainability and profits. You’ll find measurable examples of both in this […]
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Greening the Supply Chain Through Warehouse Automation
As part of the trend toward greener warehouses, businesses are seeking more efficient materials handling tools. Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) and their accompanying warehouse management systems (WMS) help achieve this goal by maximizing storage space while reducing operating costs. Flexible, hybrid AS/RS designs use one or more cranes in an aisle. They can […]
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The Power of Flexible Transportation Management
A primary concern for shippers today is how the recent economic downturn will increase transportation expenses. Capacity will continue to shrink as the economy strengthens. Many carriers are no longer in business, and with 3PL and carrier consolidation, there is concern that service offerings will be less flexible. Shippers want to reduce transportation costs and […]
Read MoreStrengthening Your China Operations
The consumer goods industry has been hurt by the economic chill on both sides of the Pacific. In the United States, declining sales, inventory cutbacks, and limited credit are affecting demand. In China, the decline in exports has caused significant instability, widespread factory closures, and growing unrest among a labor force that has lost millions […]
Read MoreAct of God or Act of Government?
International airlines expect to lose more than $2 billion due to disruptions resulting from the recent volcanic eruption. And, they are setting the stage to ask for government support.
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Deere Customer
Any devoted demand-driven logistics practitioner might take issue with the catchy headline on a recent Bloomberg BusinessWeek article: "Low Inventory Angers John Deere Customers." The article quotes unhappy dealers who can’t get equipment from Deere as quickly as they want. One reports losing "half a dozen deals a month." Farmers aren’t happy, either. The culprit, […]
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Crack the WIP for a Leaner Supply Chain
As the nation begins to emerge from the economic downturn, companies are focusing efforts on reducing costs and streamlining work to prepare for the increased demand recovery will bring. Implementing a lean culture to eliminate waste in every area of the value stream will be a key focus for many operations. At the core of […]
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Why You Should Vest With Your Outsourcing Partners, Now!
We hear and read constantly about the critical need for lean, green, transparent, collaborative, efficient, and cost-effective supply chains and logistics partners. But how have your partnerships fared lately? How have things progressed over the past three or four years? Are your outsourcing and logistics contracts living up to their initial promises and premises? Do […]
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Giving Intermodal the Green Light
Manufacturers and retailers know moving freight by rail and using trucks on the origin and destination ends—a combined service approach called door-to-door intermodal—can help cut logistics costs. What many shippers don’t realize is that, in addition to being a more cost-effective method of transporting goods, intermodal offers significant environmental advantages as well. LAW OF AVERAGES […]
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Transformative Technology
Yes, technology continues to transform transportation. But your demands also transform those providing technology to you. For example, JDA Software’s acquisition of i2 Technologies in January 2010, and their shared roadmap for future integration, serve as a telling bellwether for the logistics technology industry and its customers. From a macro perspective, consolidation among IT companies […]
Read MoreNation Building at Home
After generations of change, one transition is still difficult—how we integrate military veterans into the private-sector workforce.
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Crossdocking: A New Vision for an Old Idea
Manufacturers and distributors know crossdocking—the practice of immediately converting inbound deliveries to outbound shipments—can help create more efficient supply chains. But there’s an obstacle to crossdocking that can undermine those efforts: the need for continuous, real-time shipment visibility. Without the shipper’s ability to track and trace individual parcels, shipments may be delayed, misplaced, or duplicated. […]
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Reducing Risk with Trade Disruption Insurance
Because doing business in the global marketplace has become more risky, U.S. companies need to be their own best advocates. Exporters and importers should take precautions to minimize risks to profitability and viability in world trade. One step is investing in trade disruption insurance (TDI). SMART PROTECTION First written for the London Market in the […]
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Growing Together: Promoting Government and Industry Collaboration
In Michigan, a state that’s undergoing an unprecedented shift in its economy, Governor Jennifer Granholm established a new committee to create opportunities for the logistics and transportation sector. The group, comprised of politicians, business leaders, community organizers, and supply chain professionals, advises the governor and state agencies on supply chain management initiatives to help the […]
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Retail Week at a Glance
Ispent one week last month immersed in retail logistics. After attending Fashion Week in New York, I headed straight to the Retail Industry Logistics Association meeting. Retailers are adapting and evolving at an ever-quickening pace. Here’s the latest: Monday: Emerging Markets. Some global fashion and apparel brands expect emerging markets to drive 70 percent of […]
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Hold Everything: Adopting Protective Packaging Practices
Evaluating a company’s distribution and fulfillment processes can play a major role in reducing its environmental impact while enhancing its corporate image and reducing overall costs. Protective packaging is an important part of this analysis. Packaging supports and balances a company’s broader sustainability goals and initiatives for reducing carbon emissions, creating operational efficiencies, conserving resources, […]
Read MoreI Brake for Quality
When a network news anchor said Toyota’s problems were good news for U.S. automakers, it was irresponsible. And it missed the point.
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