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Noted: The Supply Chain in Brief-June 2020
Sealed Deals Beauty and personal care brand Shiseido Company selected XPO Logistics to provide omnichannel logistics services throughout the United Kingdom. XPO will handle business-to-business replenishment of bareMinerals, NARS, Laura Mercier, Shiseido, Serge Lutens, Dolce&Gabbana Beauty, and other products, as well as U.K. and Ireland e-commerce fulfillment for the NARS, Shiseido, and bareMinerals brands. XPO […]
Read MoreLogistics Lexicon for the Times (Part 2)
BODFC Buy-online-deliver-from-curb model used for e-commerce fulfillment to minimize contact between consumer and retail employee. Demand distortion Significant, short-term change in product demand due to drastically different consumer behavior. Floating storage Using containerships to store product while weathering demand disturbances. Pivot Quickly execute a sharp move away from normal manufacturing or logistics operations to address […]
Read MoreIN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-June 2020
Products Air cargo can be safely transported in airplane cabins designed for passengers with the use of cargo seat bags from insulated air cargo cover maker Trip & Co. Produced in collaboration with engineering company SII Netherlands, the bags are watertight, chemical and UV resistant, and able to transfer products in a range of temperatures. Toyota Material […]
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Goodbye NAFTA, Hello USMCA
It’s all systems go for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to take effect now that all three participating countries have taken the final steps necessary to comply with the commitments. According to the agreement, the USMCA is to enter into force on the first day of the third month subsequent to completion of these final […]
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Digital Health Tools Can Keep Workers Safe and Preserve Privacy
Digital tools that confirm a person’s health status can create safe work environments while also protecting personal privacy as businesses and supply chains recover from the COVID-19 disruption, according to MIT professor Alex “Sandy” Pentland, who is working on this issue with the United Nations and Club de Madrid, a consortium of former democratic presidents […]
Read MoreRetailers: It’s Time to Act
While 43% of retailers say they’re taking aggressive action to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, 38% are taking only some action, and 19% are taking a wait-and-see approach, according to Digital Commerce 360. Retailers need to take significant action, however, to address the following five issues, says the research company: 1. Consumer confidence: 97% of […]
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Vertical Focus: Pet Industry
“Nearly 85 million U.S. households today have at least one pet, up from 73 million in 2010.”
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China’s Road to Restoration
After reporting no new cases of COVID-19 in March 2020, people are going back to work in China—but companies still face a slow return to production. Not only do China’s original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) face many challenges in resuming their production capacity, but global manufacturers also feel the impact of shortages in their supply chains. […]
Read MoreHow Shippers Are Handling COVID-19
Shippers are quickly responding to the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a survey by Echo Logistics. Shipping volumes demonstrate the resilience of companies and their ability to produce essential products during disruption, and highlight the important role transportation plays, according to Echo. Shippers’ responses shifted during just a two-week period: 28% of shippers said the virus […]
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Grape Expectations: Wine Quality Control
The global wine industry is complex and interconnected, but lacks the tools to properly optimize its supply chain. To improve transparency for producers, distributors, retailers, and consumers, IBM and eProvenance released VinAssure, a blockchain solution that tracks wines as they move from the vineyard to the end-consumer. By encouraging transparency, accountability, and rapid data exchange, […]
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Making the Move to Warehouse Work
Soaring demand for warehouse space creates a highly competitive labor environment in many markets, especially during the pandemic, says Newmark Research. The following factors are driving employees to leave their jobs and enter the warehousing and transportation sector (see chart), the report says: More space. In the second quarter of 2021, a record 423.7 million […]
Read MoreIN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-May 2020
Products Southworth Products’ Model GTU-500 Gaylord filter moves parcels from gaylords and large containers onto conveyors and automated sortation systems. The filter tilts loads to provide controlled emptying, and its pan-style platform sits flush with the floor when lowered, allowing hand pallet trucks to place and retrieve gaylords. Materials handling products manufacturer Steel King Industries released the SK […]
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VERTICAL FOCUS | Electronics
India Inks Plan to Attract Electronics Makers India has launched two new programs designed to attract electronics manufacturers. The first—the Production Incentive Scheme for Large-Scale Electronics Manufacturing—offers a 4% to 6% incentive on incremental sales for goods manufactured in India. This plan is designed to benefit the major global players in mobile manufacturing and specified […]
Read MoreNoted: The Supply Chain in Brief-May 2020
Good Works Fresh Del Monte Produce donated 919,000 pounds of fresh fruit to the Houston Food Bank to help those affected by COVID-19. The company has donated more than 1.1 million pounds to the food bank in 2020. Agriculture equipment maker Deere & Company is producing protective face shields for healthcare workers in Moline, Illinois, […]
Read MoreSupply Chain Movers and Do-Gooders: Companies Step Up in Response to the Pandemic
Companies in the logistics space are responding to the crisis by providing free goods and services: Pierbridge offers a free one-year subscription to Transtream Home Office, its cloud-based multicarrier management solution, to help companies equip employees with enterprise-level shipping capabilities from their home offices. Scandit created a contactless proof of delivery web app using its […]
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Keep Your Cool
Product damage or spoilage, which most often occurs in transit, is the No. 1 supply chain challenge for the pharma and food and beverage industries (see chart), according to a Cloudleaf survey. This highlights a great need to maintain visibility throughout a product’s journey once it leaves the warehouse. Most (87%) survey respondents in the […]
Read More3 Ways to Mitigate Supply Chain Slowdowns
As the supply chain faces factory closures and limited access to employees and logistics to move goods amid the COVID-19 outbreak, leaders can help ease disruption by focusing on their workforce, products, and costs. Gartner recommends: 1. Support Your Workforce To limit the impact of COVID-19, governments and employers instructed many employees to stay at […]
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UPS Upgrades Unmanned Drone Fleet
UPS drone delivery subsidiary UPS Flight Forward will collaborate with German drone-maker Wingcopter to develop the next generation of package delivery drones for multiple uses in the United States and internationally. Both companies will work toward earning regulatory certification for a Wingcopter unmanned aircraft to make commercial delivery flights in the United States and build […]
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Sysco Shifts Fleet to Grocery Supply Chain
Multinational food distribution company Sysco Corporation, based in Houston, launched several new grocery sector-focused initiatives in response to reduced customer demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sysco has one of the largest trucking fleets in the United States, with approximately 14,000 delivery vehicles consisting of tractors, trailers, vans, and panel trucks. The company employs 69,000 people. […]
Read MoreU.S. States Reopen During COVID-19 Pandemic
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, is allowing her state to start reopening on April 30, 2020, after her stay-at-home order expires. “As of this week, we no longer believe our hospitals will see an overwhelming amount of ICU patients who need ventilators, as we once believed, and that is sure good news,” Ivey said. […]
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