Articles
Feature Stories

Calling in the Troops
The ingenuity of America’s fighting forces has been the deciding factor in the greatest challenges the world has ever seen. Could history’s best-trained military men and women provide the answers to the supply chain workforce challenges we face today? Military leaders’ claim on logistics is pervasive throughout history. Everyone from Patton to Sun Tzu acknowledges […]
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2022 Inbound Logistics Perspectives: 3PL Market Research Report
Our 17th annual 3PL market research report takes a deep-dish dive into the dynamics of logistics partnerships in 2022. Rampant inflation, including high transportation costs. A tight labor market. Commodities shortages. Uncertainties tied to the war in Ukraine and the pandemic. There seems to be no end to the obstacles ready to frustrate shippers as […]
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Maritime Challenges: Ports Sea It Through
Ports ease rough supply chain conditions with new services, technology, and other initiatives. Even as many books, music, and movies travel electronically, physical goods still need to move, well, physically. More than four-fifths of global merchandise trade by volume travels by sea at some point, according to The Container Port Performance Index 2021, a publication […]
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Technology for SMBs: No Small Matter
Supply chain technology isn’t just for large companies. It’s possible — and necessary — for businesses to invest in new innovations, no matter what their headcount. It was not long ago when supply chain operations were thought of as a backroom affair, running on paper charts and fax machines. But after nearly two years in […]
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Top 10 3PLs: Readers’ Choice Excellence Awards
These third-party logistics providers made the cut, earning your votes by dishing out top-notch customer service and helping you save dough. AND THE WINNERS ARE: 1. Echo Global Logistics 2. Hub Group 3. Kenco 4. SEKO Logistics 5. Sunset Transportation 6. Werner 7. DHL Supply Chain 8. […]
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2022 Summer Reading Guide
Great reads about supply chain and logistics are not all textbooks and white papers. Browse this collection of books, research, and guides that will boost your knowledge and keep you turning the pages. Profit from the Source: Transforming Your Business by Putting Suppliers at the Core By Christian Schuh, Wolfgang Schnellbacher, Alenka Triplat, and […]
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No Matter How You Slice It, 3PLs Deliver
See the Top 100 3PLs. Whether shippers outsource their end-to-end supply chain by the pie, or just a portion of it by the slice, third-party logistics providers are meeting new challenges with updated and expanded menus. As many supply chain professionals have experienced, “U.S.-based supply chains are out of sync,” according to the 2022 State […]
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E-Commerce: The Complete Package
Smart and Sustainable is the only way to go. Two and a half years after the pandemic caused e-commerce to accelerate, packaging and shipping methods continue to evolve. Consumers’ heightened awareness about sustainability and waste within the shipping industry, as well as economic pressures, lead the charge. The writing was on the wall. Of the […]
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Pop Quiz: Supply Chain Educators Answer 6 Pressing Questions
For much of the decade prior to the pandemic, the number of students in supply chain programs couldn’t match industry’s need for supply chain professionals. “The biggest challenge was convincing students it was a real career path,” says Brian Fugate, chair of the department of supply chain management at the University of Arkansas. As the […]
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Grocery Shortages: The Worm in the Apple
It started with toilet paper. Spurred by the onset of the pandemic, consumers bought toilet paper rolls in droves. Sales of the product rose 60% annually in March 2020, according to the Statista Consumer Market Outlook. On April 19, 2020, toilet paper was out of stock in nearly half of U.S. grocery stores, estimated NCSolutions, […]
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Block and Tackle: How to Choose a Freight Bill and Audit Payment Provider
Interest in freight bill audit and payment (FBAP) providers has gained momentum in recent years as the demand for experts to manage transactions between shippers and carriers grows. FBAP providers can help shippers contend with complex transportation processes, while also bringing fresh tools and expertise that can add strategic value to shipper operations. The freight […]
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Say Yes to the YMS
Companies sometimes overlook how important the yard is to their success. Without proper management, facilitated by a yard management system (YMS), pile ups can lead to delays, fees, and a full shipment of stress.
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Supply Chain Helps Meet ESG Goals
As corporations become increasingly focused on ESG initiatives, their supply chain and logistics partners respond with tools and services designed to help them grow sustainability and other goals.
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2022 75 Green Supply Chain Partners
Inbound Logistics editors select 75 companies going above and beyond to prioritize green initiatives and help global supply chains become more sustainable. These companies are dedicated to developing and implementing best practices that leave a positive footprint on the world.
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Pallets: Front and Center
Playing a central role in the supply chain, the once-overlooked pallet is capturing the spotlight and evolving to keep up with rapidly changing demands and expectations. These pallet companies ensure standout performances.
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Intermodal is Just the Ticket
With rail facility and infrastructure upgrades nailed down and intermodal network improvements on track, these ports and sites are riding high on intermodal’s advantages.
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Orchestrating a DC Strategy That Won’t B Flat
Distribution center technology and equipment working in harmony can keep any supply chain sharp.
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Automation and Materials Handling Innovation: And The Award Goes To…
Let’s hear it for these seven warehousing and materials handling innovations that take the crown for addressing e-commerce growth and labor shortage challenges.
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TMS Must-Haves for a Competitive Edge
A transportation management system (TMS)—a logistics platform that leverages technology to help businesses plan, manage, and optimize the physical movement of inbound and outbound goods—can help companies navigate uncertain business conditions and boost performance.
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2022 TMS Guide
Recent supply chain disruptions have raised interest in transportation management systems (TMS). A variety of solutions – from cloud-based, on-demand, web-hosted applications to traditional licensing installations, over the road, on the rail, containerized, or parcel – are available from TMS vendors and service providers who are expanding their offerings to meet your unique business requirements.
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