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The Politics of Expanding Into New Markets
A majority of U.S. companies (82%) would like to expand into new markets and 36% are considering expansion opportunities in the BRICS and MINT countries, according to a new survey of U.S. business decision makers by connected planning company Vuealta. However, 55% of respondents say political uncertainty and its impact on their supply chains is […]
Read MoreFind Air Shipping Success Despite Uncertainty in Today’s Air Market
In the past, air shipping has been somewhat predictable thanks to reoccurring annual events like the holiday season. But recent events have disrupted the typical peaks and valleys we’ve come to expect. Now more than ever you’ll need to find the right strategy to handle out of the ordinary events as well as the typical […]
Read MoreDon’t Forget to QC Your Logistics
Effective quality control stretches from manufacturers all the way to the consumer. Historical data and experts claim that quality impacts 30-70 percent of the final cost of the product. This includes things such as: Rejected parts that need to be replaced, returned or fixed Delays impacting the production schedule Customer dissatisfaction after a product is […]
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VERTICAL FOCUS | Utilities
The Gas supply chain now extends to your car Recently fueled with more than $15 million in funding and an operating space that has grown from three to 18 cities in less than one year, California-based startup Yoshi offers a monthly subscription service that delivers gas for your car directly to your residence. In addition […]
Read MoreHow Tech Keeps Talent
For the logistics and transportation industries, the evolving on-demand economy means an increased demand for warehouse staff and commercial drivers. Thanks to the smartphone powered e-commerce shopper, perks like free shipping, two-hour shipping, and real-time delivery have fueled the acceleration of driver demand. In fact, the American Trucking Association estimates the commercial trucking industry will […]
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Port of Savannah: Meet Me in St. Louis
The St. Louis Regional Freightway and the Port of Savannah are forging a partnership to create a new connection between the St. Louis region and the largest single-terminal container facility in the western hemisphere. In response to record movement of 4.3 million TEUs in fiscal 2017, the Port of Savannah is investing $3 billion to […]
Read MoreThe Road to Route Planning
Customers in the digital era expect deliveries to be reliable, fast, and transparent; they want to be able to track a delivery, even when it takes only a few hours to reach them. Route planning can help meet this demand. Many businesses employ route-planning systems to gain a competitive advantage. These digital tools consider products, […]
Read MoreX Marks the Spot: Geocoding is Here and the Supply Chain Must Get Onboard
E-commerce’s introduction to the retail industry gave way for a complete shift in the way people shop for goods and services. Today with abundant shopping websites and mobile apps available to consumers, both the demand and expectation for how quickly and where we receive goods continues to expand the reach of e-commerce. Now more than […]
Read MoreIN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-July 2019
Products Rite-Hite‘s new wall-mount light/fan combines the Rite-Lite LED Dock Light with the CoolMan® 2800 Trailer Fan to provide loading dock workers with more visibility and heat relief inside trailers. The Rite-Lite dock light uses six high-intensity LEDs while the CoolMan 2800 trailer fan has a telescoping arm which can be raised, lowered, and extended. […]
Read MoreHow SMB Warehouses Can Ramp Up Agility
Small and mid-size businesses need to be increasingly nimble to respond to the Amazon effect disrupting today’s marketplace. There’s no better time than now to start rethinking warehouse operations and capitalizing on technology to improve efficiency, boost productivity, speed delivery and lower costs. Although e-commerce accounts for slightly less than 10 percent of overall retail […]
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Subcoms Focused on the Future
In a retail environment focused on customer experience and convenience, subscription commerce (subcom) companies are maintaining a foothold. According to the 2019 SnapFulfil and Subscription Trade Association (SUBTA) State of Subscription Commerce survey, 46% of today’s subcom offerings now have 2-5 years of operational experience; 40% have more than 5,000 customers, and 29% have more […]
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Technology Trends You Can’t Ignore
Strategic technology trends have the potential to drive significant disruption and deliver significant opportunity. Enterprise architecture and technology innovation leaders must evaluate these trends to identify opportunities, counter threats, and create competitive advantage, according to a recent Gartner report. Key Report Findings Artificial intelligence (AI) opens up a new frontier for digital business. This is […]
Read MoreDigital Forwarders Gain Traction
Digital forwarding platforms are rapidly gaining traction in a global forwarding market characterized by uneven change, according to Global Freight Forwarding 2019, a new study from Transport Intelligence. Technology is creating a vast range of forwarding options available to shippers across the globe—from online booking and quotation to visibility tools and control towers. However, “perhaps […]
Read MoreLooking for a New Logistics Provider? First Things First
The competitive e-commerce landscape calls for strategic partnerships between growing businesses and logistics providers that put their customers first. As e-commerce causes structural changes across the shipping and logistics space, it can be challenging for business owners to find a logistics provider that’s as invested in their business’s success as they are. Indeed, with the […]
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How Evolving Consumer Behavior impacts Global Supply Chains
The impact of evolving consumer shopping behaviors on retailers and manufacturers is the focus of a new supply chain study by DiCentral, a B2B integration services provider, along with the Center for Supply Chain Research at Lehigh University. The study, Supply Chain Collaboration in Transformative Vertical Industries: Implications of Omnichannel and Dropshipping, examines the motivations, […]
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Scrapping Together Automotive Circularity
Specialty materials company Eastman is demonstrating how its carbon renewal technology can recycle mixed plastics from end-of-life cars and use them to make new vehicles, potentially providing a mainstream circular solution for the automotive supply chain. Eastman is partnering with automotive recycler PADNOS and the United States Automotive Materials Partnership (USAMP), a subsidiary of the […]
Read MoreCan Your Supply Chain Turn on a Dime?
Shifting and more demanding consumer expectations are changing the way organizations work. According to the EY Americas Supply Chain Reinvention Survey 2019, 53% of respondents say fast-changing customer preferences require supply chains that can turn on a dime. The survey covers topics including technology adoption, leadership and talent, investment prioritization, sustainability, and other factors in […]
Read MoreWho’s Paying for Free Shipping?
As someone who specializes in logistics, I see my fair share of Amazon-related studies and reports. One of the most recent — the 2019 Amazon Consumer Behavior Report from Feedvisor — offered some eye-opening statistics. Perhaps most compelling is the degree to which Amazon’s dominance and influence continues to grow. For instance, nearly 9 out […]
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