Articles
Commentary
The Lights Are On But Is Anybody Home?
If we make a comment such as “the supply chain is as strong as its weakest link,” we may well be accused of stating the obvious. Well, it may need saying again: the supply chain is as strong, as or as weak, as its weakest link. A company’s supply chain has one major objective: creating […]
Read MoreBecoming Truly Global: 3PLs Face New Challenges
The challenge of heading a global 3PL must be influenced by both an understanding of North American logistics and by a personal desire to help define the role of logistics. The future of freight forwarding depends on the partnerships and collaboration that can only be delivered by third-party logistics providers who have the capability to […]
Read MorePreparing for the New Hours of Service Rules
Jan. 4, 2004, marks the beginning of a huge wake-up call for the entire transportation industry. No segment of the industry is immune from some element of the change in the Department of Transportation’s revised Hours-of-Service (HOS) ruling. How great an impact the change will have remains to be seen. Those who have successfully planned […]
Read MoreWhere’s My Stuff?
Supply chain managers responding to a recent Aberdeen Group survey highlight the following items as their top three supply chain challenges: Identifying shipping delays, errors, and exceptions. Providing shipment visibility for supply chain partners. Integrating with other units and processes of the enterprise. These challenges mirror the growing complexity of today’s supply chains. Networks of […]
Read MoreIntegrating Multi-Channel Retail Systems
Many multi-channel retailers didn’t start out that way. As new channels grow, it becomes necessary to integrate them to provide a unified customer experience. Unfortunately, this integration effort often encounters organizational, technological, and process problems that are the result of single-channel-focused solutions, or companies never imagining that they would serve more than one channel. Most […]
Read MoreMaking a List
Shippers/consignees, forwarders, NVOs, carriers and 3PLs BEWARE : “persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are prohibited from engaging in economic transactions with persons/organizations on these lists.” What list? The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has compiled a list of more than 8,000 “persons or organizations” that those under U.S. jurisdiction are forbidden to trade with. […]
Read MoreAre Your Goods in Transit Safeguarded?
Q: The supply chain in the United States can be long and involve a number of carriers, railheads, truck depots and container yards. How can I reduce the risk of disruption to my goods during transit? Which criteria do you suggest I use in checking my suppliers’ facilities along the supply chain? A: Transit delays […]
Read MoreCollaborating for Optimum Supply Chain Management
At the core of the supply chain there has to be mutual trust among parties. This trust must be based on agreed-upon methods and technology to assure maximum cost savings and increased profits for all parties. Normally this trust starts with supply chain management planning and collaboration. Planning constitutes the strategic aspect of the supply […]
Read MoreReducing the Risk of Damage, Loss and Claims
The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, especially when it comes to inbound logistics. Even the best plans of smart shippers can be undermined by the great gadfly of shipping—damage, loss, and claims. Not only do damage, loss, and claims increase your overall transportation costs, they can also drive a wedge […]
Read MoreAre You Ready to Ride the RFID Tidal Wave?
For the last 30 years, bar codes have been the accepted standard for product identification. Current technological advances, however, make radio-frequency identification (RFID) a promising alternative to bar codes in many applications. Now is the time for businesses to acquaint themselves with this technology, and to decide on a strategy for participating in this revolution. […]
Read MoreFinding the Real Silver Bullet for Cargo Security
Cargo security is becoming a commonly used term defined and discussed differently depending on group or audience. But what is the real “silver bullet” needed to secure cargo? One answer rests in the capability to ensure the integrity of each container’s contents. With more than six million containers entering U.S. seaports annually, aboard more than […]
Read MorePushing Back the Last Mile
There was plenty of activity at the American Trucking Associations meeting and trade show in October, especially at booths exhibiting wireless technology and systems to empower carriers—technology transforming transportation. Here’s a look at some of the solutions exhibited at the ATA conference: MobileCast by UPS Logistics Technologies and Tripmaster’s Intelligent Delivery System offer a fleet […]
Read MoreUsing HighJump for Low Cost
Supply chain execution software is a critical application for today’s enterprises as they operate in a dynamic world of change. It’s a world where the ability to respond to that change, cost effectively, can make or break their business. One supplier of supply chain execution software is Eden Prairie, Minn.-based HighJump Software. The company’s strategy […]
Read MoreRetailers Take Outsourcing to the Next Level
As the economy creeps forward, retailers must focus on taking control of their supply chain functions. This sounds like a no-brainer to those of us who work day in and day out on tightening the supply chain. But the fact is, many retail organizations are simply not set up to get a good view of […]
Read MoreUntying the Import/Export Knot
In late 333 B.C., Alexander the Great and his army arrived in the Asian city of Gordium to spend the winter. Alexander was told of the legend that surrounded the town’s famous Gordian Knot. The legend said that anyone who could untie the exceptionally complex knot would become the king of Asia. So far, no […]
Read MoreIs it Time to Return to the Rails?
Shipping by rail can be unsettling for those unfamiliar with the nuances of interacting with the railroads. In fact, some companies avoid even considering rail as a viable transportation option because of the fear of the unknown, or based on negative experiences with the railroads from years past. Railroads are commonly accused of being slow […]
Read MoreEvaluating the True Cost of Overseas Manufacturing
United States manufacturing continues to decline. Since 1970, manufacturing employment has dropped 22 percent—nearly nine percent of that drop in the last 10 years alone. Low-cost labor from Asia and Latin America has created extreme price pressure, and manufacturers are especially hard hit, experiencing brand erosion due to private label growth of major retailers. Many […]
Read MorePassion Play
Most readers I meet are reserved, practical, low-key, disciplined, taking a considered approach to the task of managing many variables as they strive to match their supply stream to their demand. That’s why I was a little surprised to hear the following at this year’s CLM Conference in Chicago. “As logisticians, we’re steadfast in our […]
Read MoreMind Your Own Business: Supply Chain Integration and Feedback
In the 20th century, the process of control was formalized by Norbert Wiener who, through his concept of cybernetics, analyzed and applied the idea of feedback. Although he saw feedback as useful primarily to engineers, the idea has taken wing and come into all our lives. For example, consider the delivery of steady heat through […]
Read MoreSix Ways to Grow in a Down Economy
In the 1990s, it looked like we could do no wrong. The economy was growing. The stock market was rising. Venture capital was plentiful. Young people became instant millionaires in the dot.com world. Then came the new millennium and somehow that all changed. The economy started to shrink and layoffs became commonplace. The stock market […]
Read More