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Talking Tech at CSCMP
The annual Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) conference in San Antonio last month provided a great opportunity to catch up on the latest innovations in logistics technology. The Supply Chain Technology Solutions educational track, and the many sessions that dealt with logistics technology, expertly dissected top tech capabilities in everything from global trade […]
Read MorePort Diversion Strategy: Consistency Beats Velocity
A steady increase in imports from Asia during the last five years has helped create a logistics dilemma for U.S. businesses using West Coast ports. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and their key partners—rail, labor, stevedores, truckers, and distribution centers—were not properly prepared to handle these volumes, leading to significant receiving and […]
Read MoreWireless Capabilities: A Must-Have for Fleet Operators
Wireless technology has become a mainstay for today’s distribution, wholesale, and retail fleet operators—especially in the area of last-mile delivery. The ability to communicate information in real time is key to controlling costs and maintaining efficient operations on the road. Wireless technology’s features and options, as well as its service and hardware costs, continue to […]
Read MoreU.S. Manufacturers: Have Logistics, Will Prosper
For generations, small and medium-sized manufacturers have been vital to the innovation and productivity of America’s economy. These manufacturers—defined by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) as those with fewer than 500 employees and fewer than 2,500 employees, respectively—underpin our nation’s success in international markets, and play a critical role in the future of America’s […]
Read MoreSAFE, At Home
The shipping community, with government assistance, is the defensive line protecting us from threats caused by nuclear proliferation. Where’s the global anti-nuke movement? They must be sitting this one out, waiting for the next power plant to open. We know exactly where Congress is, however. The Security and Accountability for Every Port Act (SAFE) offers […]
Read MoreCargo Security: Collaborate, Prevent, React
Q: With all the cargo security initiatives that have been implemented recently, what can transportation companies expect for the future? A: After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, both government and industry launched unprecedented efforts to ensure cargo safety throughout the transportation chain. Despite these collaborative efforts, maintaining a safe and secure transportation system remains a […]
Read MoreVoice Technology Hitting a High Note?
When a new whitepaper written by Pittsburgh, Pa.-based voice technology provider Vocollect landed in my e-mail inbox, I was not surprised to find it full of positive information about the wonders of voice-directed picking. After all, companies don’t prosper by releasing negative whitepapers. The paper, Using Voice-Directed Work in the Supply Chain, showcases the ability […]
Read MoreFashion Thinks Global: The ‘Pat Riley’ Effect
While in Bangkok recently, I visited an Indian tailor to have some shirts made. As I was describing the type of collar I wanted, the tailor interjected, “Oh, the Pat Riley!” Pat Riley is, of course, the successful NBA basketball coach. Perhaps a household name in America, but among traditionally dressed turbaned Indian tailors in […]
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Negligent Hiring: Not Just a Broker/3PL Problem
It may come as a great surprise to shippers that, according to a recent ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court, they may be held liable for "negligent hiring" of truckers. Since the Schramm v. Foster case—a Maryland court ruling that found a 3PL guilty for hiring a carrier that caused an accident injuring two […]
Read MoreWinning the War Against Inventory Fluff
Nothing is more frustrating for DC managers than seeing unused, dust-covered pallets wasting away in a prime picking zone. Those 10,000 talking Pee Wee Herman dolls your buying department purchased a decade ago, for example, take up valuable space. Being greeted by Pee Wee every morning for the past 10 years is a reminder that […]
Read MoreRising Costs? Lateral Thinking May Help
There are two sides to the rising trucking costs issue—the carriers’ and the shippers’. Carriers say the confluence of rising diesel prices; the driver shortage; government mandates reducing gas mileage on new equipment and driver productivity; higher taxes, insurance, and compliance costs; and increased security costs for better background checks creates a “perfect storm” for […]
Read MoreSay Goodbye to ‘Dumb’ Devices
Of all the recent supply chain process evolutions – from push to pull, fat to lean, and manual to automated everything – one of the most compelling transformations is currently unfolding in an unexpected place: supply chain data capture devices. Forklifts, truck trailers, shipping containers, and other everyday logistics items look at first glance to […]
Read MoreThe Seven Abilities of Highly Effective 3PLs
The right logistics provider can bring you convenience, cost savings, and competitive advantage as you work to deliver the right product to the right place at the right time at the right price. Execution is the key, central to responding to fluctuating pressures of production schedules, capacity, weather, or other influences on your strategic supply […]
Read MoreTechnology Smooths Transportation’s Bumpy Ride
We’ve come a long way from the horse-and-buggy era when a transportation company’s biggest expense was feeding horses. Today, fuel costs nibble away at profits, and the transportation industry’s operational base is severely threatened. Fleet owners, as well as less-than-truckload (LTL) and delivery companies, face increased manpower and fuel expenses. Currently, the U.S. national average […]
Read MoreTaking the Bite Out of Crunch-Time Staffing
Seasonal hiring is one of the biggest challenges an operational manager is likely to face. Finding enough workers with the right skills to get the job done when projects are due, orders are set, and deadlines are looming can be daunting. How did seasonal hiring become such a challenge? Chances are, “human resources expert” was […]
Read MoreInbound We Trust
If I had a dollar for every time a reader asked me, “Why inbound? Why demand-driven?” I’d be living in a nice little house by the beach. And considering the number of new readers asking that question, it soon might be a nicer little house by the beach. Who are these new readers? Last year, […]
Read MoreBuild Your Case With Bills of Lading
Q: I work for a company that imports and exports cargo from countries all over the world. One of our import containers was recently stolen from a delivering carrier’s lot in Jacksonville, Fla., and was never recovered. Who is responsible for the loss—the Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) that arranged the shipment, the ocean carrier, or […]
Read MoreWe’ve Got a Long Way to Go, Baby
The globalization of commerce has made sophisticated logistics technology not just a luxurious expense for the Fortune 50, but a necessity for companies of all sizes and in all industries. A typical apparel company, for example, might source fabric from China, manufacture garments in Malaysia, send them to Italy for custom design work, then ship […]
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Proving Material Deviation
One question shippers frequently ask is, "How do we avoid carriers’ liability limits when they are negligent?" Generally speaking, carriers’ limitations apply if they are lawfully incorporated into a contract of carriage. If a shipper agrees to contract a low liability limit to obtain a lower rate, carrier negligence does not overcome that limit. In […]
Read MoreChoosing a WMS That Won’t Get You Fired
Many companies—Nike, Hewlett-Packard, Sainsbury’s, MFI Furniture Group, Molnlycke Health Care, and Heinz’s Portion Pac division, among others—have suffered well-publicized Warehouse Management System (WMS) failures in recent years. When Nike’s $400-million WMS project went awry, the company lost $100 million in one quarter and its stock plunged 20 percent. MFI Furniture’s WMS bugs forced it to […]
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