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Feature Stories
Paying the Bills: Choosing The Right Freight Bill Payment Provider
Any firm that ships anything is familiar with freight bills and the process for paying them. Less understood is the industry that has been built around outsourcing these payment activities. Why outsource freight bill payment services? There are several good reasons; the most popular is the possibility of reduced costs. It costs a large company […]
Read MoreTrucking Perspectives 2006: IL’s Motor Freight Market Insight Survey
Anyone who has spent time traversing U.S. highways and byways recently has likely witnessed firsthand some of the challenges facing domestic shippers and carriers: security delays at border crossings, infrastructure improvement projects that bottleneck traffic, and gas stations spinning prices like rental car odometers. Capacity and cost constraints as a result of high fuel prices, […]
Read MoreBuying Trucking Services: Managing the New “Normal”
While guaranteed capacity to haul freight was once a sure thing, times have changed. How are shippers and carriers dealing with today’s tight transportation environment? It’s all about collaboration—to mitigate capacity constraints, the driver shortage, and tough new federal regulations.
Read MorePrivate Fleets: Your Own Private Ride
Targeting service, capacity and cost issues, companies turn to private fleets.
Read MoreIt’s 4 U: Tracking Cell Phones From Manufacturer To Market
Mobile handset and device manufacturers are evolving their product lines and adapting their global supply chains to meet the ever-shifting needs of consumers.
Read MoreThe Consumer Products Supply Chain: Shopping for Solutions
“2005 was a remarkable year for the consumer products (CP) industry. A devastating hurricane season displaced consumers, closed retailers’ doors, drove huge demand swings across categories and caused sizable price increases for many products. The hurricanes further increased high fuel costs, which strained budgets among low-income consumers and pushed packaging and distribution costs sky high. […]
Read MoreTemperature-Controlled Logistics: Cold Comfort
Perishable-food shippers are warming up to the idea that public refrigerated warehouses and 3PLs are well equipped to handle their diverse temperature-controlled storage and transportation needs. Outsourcing refrigerated logistics lets food companies chill a little—and focus on core competencies to better serve consumers.
Read MoreLogistics by the Book
Lying on the beach, you can get away with reading pretty much any book. But as the hot summer sun starts to fade and fall kicks in, it’s time to toss something a bit more serious into your laptop bag. Put down the John Grisham and pick up one of these books to kickstart a new season of logistics learning.
Read More3PLs: Business Unusual
Wonders abound in Canyonlands National Park, Utah—from its native Pueblo wall paintings and famed arches, to an infinite maze of red rock canyons and rare flora and fauna. Yet, it is the sight of a lone brown truck barreling down a remote two-lane road that truly stands out. What can Brown do for the National […]
Read More3PL Hybrids: Becoming a 3PL for Fun and Profit
While the third-party logistics market has grown at a compound annual rate of 14.2 percent since 1996, 3PLs have only penetrated 12 percent of the market potential in the United States. The market is still fragmented, with plenty of room for growth. Such attributes make the sector attractive to companies looking for business opportunities. If […]
Read MoreIL Exclusive Research: 3PL Perspectives
The Inbound Logistics 3PL Market Insight Survey provides a new perspective on the 3PL market, as seen through the eyes of leading 3PL executives. Where and how is the 3PL market going and growing? What challenges do 3PLs face and how will they face them? What do 3PLs think you want and how will they […]
Read MoreSupply Chain Data: Keeping It Clean
The call came on Dec. 27, 2002. The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort would deploy to Southwest Asia within one week to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq. The medical directorate, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP), faced the daunting task of outfitting the vessel with all pharmaceutical, medical/surgical, and capital equipment items required for […]
Read MoreGreen Thumbs Up
Want to grow profits? Plant the seeds of environmental concerns, rake in supply chain best practices, and watch what sprouts.
Read MoreThe Ocean Carrier Connection
Inbound Logistics sets its sails on some of the industry’s top players
Read MoreLaunching an RFID Pilot that Flies
The best way to separate the hype from the reality surrounding RFID technology is to set up and execute a controlled pilot to determine what benefits RFID can bring to your organization. Here are three practical pilots to get you off the ground.
Read MoreBreaking Point: Ports Perform Under Pressure
U.S. container ports are busy trying to update aging infrastructure and ease congestion, while handling increased demand. Can the government and private sector help? What does the future hold?
Read MorePiecing Together the Intermodal PuzzleJune, 2006
Stumped by transportation challenges such as rising costs, capacity congestion, and infrastructure meltdowns? Here’s a clue: try mixing up modes to see if intermodal is a fit.
Read MoreHome is Where the Heart (of Economic Development) Is
As state and local authorities survey investments in transportation and distribution infrastructure, one glaring omission interrupts their planning—a lack of oversight and assistance from the federal government. What are they doing about it?
Read MoreWarehousing: The Safety Zone
Increased warehouse worker productivity. Fewer safety claims. Lower workers’ comp costs. Soaring employee morale. You have just entered … The Safety Zone.
Read MoreGainsharing in the Warehouse: Power from the People
Programs that properly motivate and compensate workers can send warehouse productivity soaring.
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