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Atlanta Hits the Spot

Atlanta, Georgia, takes the top spot as the easiest market to find spot truckload van freight in 2019, according to a DAT Solutions report. Because spot freight is unscheduled, it can be a useful indicator of economic activity. Take a look at the top 10 markets in 2019 for outbound truckload freight by equipment type. […]

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How Does Coronavirus Impact the Supply Chain, and How Can Retailers Minimize Disruption?

With the new coronavirus impacting supply chains globally and shifting consumer spending habits, retailers must assess their response on a daily—or even hourly—basis. COVID-19 has impacted the supply chain by limiting access to employees due to quarantines, closing factories or slowing down manufacturers, and limiting access to logistics to move goods, according to Gartner. Retailers can minimize these disruptions in three ways:

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Autonomous Ship: Maiden China?

Autonomous Ship: Maiden China?

China’s first unmanned cargo ship completed its test voyage in December 2019, marking a significant milestone in autonomous shipping. The ship, Jin Dou Yun 0 Hao, successfully delivered cargo from Dong Ao Island in Zhuhuai to the No. 1 pier of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. Measuring about 42.2 feet long and 12.5 feet wide and […]

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Coronavirus Precautions

Coronavirus Precautions

The Chinese government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak has impacted 280 supplier sites near Wuhan, China, according to Bindiya Vakil, chief executive officer of Resilinc, a provider of cognitive supply chain monitoring and mitigation solutions. Businesses could experience supply chain disruptions for three to six months, which is comparable to disruptions caused by the swine […]

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Crossing the Final-Mile Finish Line

Crossing the Final-Mile Finish Line

Total e-commerce revenue in 2020 will reach $3.52 trillion, growing year-over-year at nearly 19%, according to global tech market advisory firm ABI Research. This explosion is forcing retailers to find faster and more convenient modes to reach the final mile. Retailers will likely trade profits to continue investments in the e-commerce explosion. This growth depends […]

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I Like Big-Box and I Cannot Lie

I Like Big-Box and I Cannot Lie

Nearly half of small to mid-sized business (SMB) decision-makers involved in distribution, logistics, and/or procurement estimate an increase in shipping spend in 2020 compared to 2019, and big-box retailers are influencing their strategy, finds logistics technology platform uShip’s 2020 SMB Shipping Strategies report. About 25% of decision-makers say the logistics strategies of Amazon and Walmart […]

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VERTICAL FOCUS | Fast-Moving Consumer Goods

VERTICAL FOCUS | Fast-Moving Consumer Goods

4 Things FMCG Retailers Need to Know FMCG retailers need to be aware of four key areas as they build their future omnichannel supply chains, finds RSR Research’s Supply Chain Management 2018 report. 1. Change signals. Retailers are increasingly aware that new digitally enabled consumer behaviors are challenging a key operational assumption—that consumers will start […]

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Logistics Leaders Into Outsourcing

Logistics Leaders Into Outsourcing

Outsourcing logistics services has become common—85% of logistics leaders expect their outsourcing budget to increase by more than 5% in 2020; 85% reported a similar budget increase in 2019, finds Gartner’s 2019 Logistics Outsourcing Strategy survey. One reason leaders expect budgets to increase is that logistics outsourcing supports their business objectives. About 70% of respondents […]

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7 Notable Women in Supply Chain & Logistics

Meet the women who are succeeding at high levels in their companies, driven by a passion for supply chain and logistics, self-confidence, authenticity, and the ability to untangle the spaghetti of information that drives business decisions.

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Which ERP Trends Will Catch On in 2020?

Supply chain management involves planning, execution, control, and monitoring, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions handle the physical aspects of supply. Next-generation ERP technologies have come to the forefront, and their powerful capabilities are having a great influence. Here are three ERP supply chain trends to watch in 2020. 1. Warehouse operations managers are more […]

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3 Big Barriers to IIoT Integration

3 Big Barriers to IIoT Integration

From monitoring air quality in "smart cities" like Chicago and New York City to tracking health data in real time on smart watches, the Internet of Things (IoT) is everywhere. IoT applications look promising for the manufacturing industry as well: European aircraft manufacturer Airbus is developing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies to provide valuable […]

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How Green Was My Tally?

Almost one-third of online shoppers are willing to pay more to have their items shipped in environmentally friendly packaging, with those buying health and beauty products leading the way at 33%, according to Macfarlane Packaging, which analyzed packaging performance among e-commerce retailers in the fashion, health and beauty, home and garden, and food and drink […]

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Noted: The Supply Chain in Brief-2020

Good Works Truck drivers and other employees at Averitt Express, a transportation and supply chain management company, raised $1 million in 2019 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through its Averitt Cares for Kids charity program. The donation is the largest-ever employee contribution to the hospital. Up the Chain H&M chief operating officer Helena Helmersson […]

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Noted: The Supply Chain in Brief

Sealed Deals Robotics company Magazino signed shoe manufacturer and retailer Lloyd Shoes GmbH as a new customer. Magazino’s intelligent TORU robots will help employees select and store shoes in shelving racks at Lloyd’s dispatch warehouse in Sulingen, Germany. Magazino can integrate additional TORU robots into an existing fleet in less than half a day. Casio […]

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UPS Drones Will Soon Deliver Medical Products Within the UC San Diego Health System

UPS Flight Forward, the company’s drone airline subsidiary, will use unmanned drones to deliver medical products between health centers and labs at the University of California (UC) San Diego Health system. The flights, which will begin in February 2020, will take only minutes to complete and will be monitored by remote operators. Medical professionals at […]

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Three Track-and-Trace Techniques for Better Transparency

Shipping and logistics remain among the last industries to undertake digital transformation. The highly fragmented nature of international shipping, where a dozen companies (or more) each play a role in getting a product from concept to a buyer’s living room, essentially ensures that there will be a level of complexity beyond that of nearly any […]

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Amazon, FedEx, and the Customer-Focused Company

More than 2.75 billion packages were delivered in the United States over the holiday season, a staggering number. Remember, there are only 330 million Americans! Watching all these boxes being delivered, it made me wonder: Why did Amazon choose to start shipping its own boxes? If you haven’t been tracking this, you may not know […]

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Artificial Intelligence Gets Real

Artificial Intelligence Gets Real

About 90% of respondents to an IFS global research study into the attitudes and strategies towards artificial intelligence (AI) among business leaders report at least some plans to implement AI in various parts of their business. Among the key findings: Industrial automation is the most commonly reported area of investment, with 44.6% planning AI projects. […]

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