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Trends-Jan
Every January begins anew with equal amounts retrospection and anticipation. The logistics and supply chain segment is no exception, and so we offer the following predictions for 2007. 1. ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS As housing prices begin to drop, interest rates rise, and high energy costs remain static, many observers place the United States economy on the […]
Read MoreGlobal Logistics-Jan 2007
Following nearly 15 years of fiscal sputtering, Japan’s economic engine is now shifting into drive. For a country whose automobile manufacturing sector established itself as the vanguard for just-in-time manufacturing and logistics in the 1970s, it is not surprising the government has taken a page out of its own supply chain legacy to fuel economic […]
Read MoreTrends-January 2007
While U.S. shippers and logistics providers continue to debate the merits of RFID technology, North Asian companies are plowing ahead with RFID projects. The development and deployment of RFID technology in China, South Korea, and Japan is growing rapidly, finds new research from global consultancy Frost & Sullivan. All three countries are in the growth […]
Read MoreTrends-January 2007
Intermodal transportation is currently under great scrutiny in the supply chain. Pundits debate whether intermodal is a cost-saving method that can help ease supply chain capacity issues, or a second-tier solution fenced in by customer service concerns and a finite supply of railroad track in the United States. Like many aspects of today’s supply chain […]
Read MoreGlobal Logistics—December 2006
Chinas Truckload Market Opening Up While China has long been a hotspot for low-cost sourcing and manufacturing, logistics companies have largely stayed away from competing in its domestic transportation market. But Wisconsin-based trucking and logistics company Schneider National Inc. is looking to break the mold and tap into one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Schneider […]
Read MoreTrends-December 2006
Global trade works in interesting ways, especially when it comes to port activity. While some pundits predict freight will be diverted to alternate ports on the East and West coasts to avoid traffic at the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, others see continued growth at the Southern California ports, based on stateside and transshipment demand […]
Read MoreGlobal Logistics—November 2006
Global Trucking Woes High fuel costs and a shortage of truck drivers aren’t concerns for fleet operators only in the United States, finds a new study from GE Capital Solutions. Nearly 70 percent of trucking industry leaders in Canada, the United Kingdom, and France also feel high fuel prices and the driver shortage place their […]
Read MoreTrends-November 2006
Despite the hot and humid San Antonio weather, last month’s CSCMP annual conference served as a refreshing reminder of the breadth and depth of the modern supply chain industry. More than 3,000 attendees assembled from October 15 to 18 to gather food for thought on global logistics, sourcing, supply chain technology, transportation, and warehousing best […]
Read MoreGlobal Logistics—October 2006
Global Transportation Providers is Bigger Better Despite the billions of dollars spent on supply chain mergers recently, shippers don’t necessarily think bigger is better when it comes to global transportation, finds a new survey of logistics executives from 52 global firms such as Bayer, Honda, and Pfizer. Many shippers feel one provider—regardless of size—cannot offer […]
Read MoreTrends-October 2006
To scan 100 percent of containers entering or leaving the United States or not to scan 100 percent? That was the question facing the Senate last month. After much debate and several amendments attempting to require 100-percent container scanning, the Senate in September approved final passage of the Port Security Improvement Act of 2006. It […]
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