Articles
Commentary
Pushing 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 MoreFinding Efficiencies in the Yard Just Outside
Today’s dynamic business environment provides supply chain professionals with increasingly complex pressures from a variety of business fronts. Customers request reductions in cycle times, time-to-market, and operating costs in addition to increased order accuracy and service. Yet in the face of these challenges, many companies focus only on maximizing efficiency within the four walls of […]
Read MoreGetting a Grip on Service Parts Operations
Companies have been under tremendous price and volume pressure in the finished goods business for quite some time, but services and parts is the logical next opportunity to improve revenue, boost profits, and directly impact customer satisfaction. In fact, Piper Jaffrey U.S. Bancorp estimates that spare parts represent $700 billion in spending and eight percent […]
Read MoreYellow/Roadway: Changing Directions
Every September, Inbound Logistics offers readers a review of the trucking segment. The big news this year is Yellow Freight buying its competitor, Roadway. This unexpected move was driven by economic, competitive, and strategic reasons. As we saw with Consolidated Freightways’ demise, size alone is not a reliable indicator of stability. Good management, aggressiveness, and […]
Read MoreSEKO Moves Forward into IT
The supply chain offers too much and delivers too little. This argument has been leveled for years against ERP software applications and the complexity of their implementation. The counter-argument is that companies who use supply chain management successfully—such as Wal-Mart and Dell—have made it an essential part of their business success. These companies don’t just […]
Read MoreWhat’s Next in Outsourcing’s Evolution?
Regardless of the complexities of Darwinian theory, it is easy to find similarities between the evolution of man and outsourcing supply chain functions. After all, there was a time in my career when “postponement strategies” seemed as foreign a phrase as “australopithecines” (an extinct humanlike primate). What was once fancy speak now seems no more […]
Read MoreThe WMS Quandary: Where’s My Savings?
Several times a year I get a call that goes something like this: “Albert, we automated our distribution centers with a new WMS and we haven’t seen the savings. In fact, our costs are higher! We did our due diligence in selecting the best package. We did the training and wrote interfaces. We toured sites […]
Read MoreIs It Time to Jettison JIT?
Manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers have come to rely on Just In Time inventory management, or JIT, as a way to reduce costs and improve efficiency. There is no doubt that JIT management has improved companies’ bottom lines and saved manufacturers billions of dollars. While JIT offers the potential to create significant savings for firms, it […]
Read MoreJettison JIT?
Is it time to jettison JIT? It may be, according to industry observers Ike Brannon, senior economist on the Congressional Joint Economic Committee and Michael Gorman, assistant professor at the University of Dayton (see Viewpoint, August issue). Let’s think about that. Ike and Mike say that increased transport costs offset savings companies using just-in-time regimes […]
Read MoreCogistics Part 2: Cutting Costs on Urgent Shipments
Last month I introduced you to Cogistics, a Lakeland, Fla.-based service provider that helps companies plan and execute their transportation and supply chain operations through collaboration and data management. This month, I follow up by concentrating on Cogistics’ Urgent-1 service and pre-audit/carrier payment process. “Cogistics’ critical shipment call center, Urgent-1, does not pertain exclusively to […]
Read MoreOrchestrating Successful Product Launches
Successful product launches are like a well-orchestrated symphony. Each instrument must work in harmony to produce the melody, and every musician plays a critical role. As the conductor of a product launch, you want flawless orchestration, but getting products to the retail market presents many challenges. In today’s economic environment, companies cannot afford any missteps, […]
Read MoreTechnology Fights National Security Threat
The nature of national security threats against the United States has changed since Sept. 11, 2001. U.S. officials and citizens alike perceive the threat to be from terrorists who would attack with conventional explosives or weapons of mass destruction moving through the international supply chain. The United States Government (USG) has responded through three developments; […]
Read More