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Costco Chickens Out
A handful of companies—think Tyson and Perdue—all but control poultry production in the United States. They’ll soon be joined by a retailer known more for chicken sales than chicken production: Costco. The big box retailer is building a farm-to-table production system to ensure a steady supply of rotisserie chickens. The center of the operation is […]
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Sustainability’s Missing Link
Economic performance is the top-ranking corporate sustainability priority for the majority of organizations, reveals a global survey of supply chain decision makers. When directly asked whether profitability or sustainability is more important, however, 60 percent give equal priority to these objectives, with another 25 percent leaning towards sustainability. Conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the […]
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Port of Wilmington’s Darling Clementines
The Port of Wilmington, Delaware, has set a record for the largest single shipment of fresh Moroccan citrus received by the port, with more than 1.75 million boxes of cargo. This record volume was transported from Agadir, Morocco, to Wilmington onboard the specialized refrigerated vessel M.V. Ditlev Reefer, arriving at the port Nov. 28, 2018. […]
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Ryder Redefines the Smart Warehouse
Supply chain solutions provider Ryder System has successfully transformed its smart warehouses in the Miami, Dallas, and Chicago markets. The facilities feature the four technologies Ryder defines as definitive benchmarks of an effective smart warehouse: Robotics. The implementation of robotics throughout one Ryder-managed warehouse produced a 25-percent increase in productivity and 20-percent operating savings, simply […]
Read MoreTake Two Tablets
Two-thirds (66 percent) of retail store associates believe that if they are equipped with tablets, they could provide better customer service and improve the shopping experience, according to the results of Zebra Technologies Corporation’s 11th annual Global Shopper Study, which analyzes the attitudes, opinions, and expectations of shoppers, retail associates, and retail decision makers. Fifty-five […]
Read MorePursuing Eco-Efficient Logistics
By Ray Hatch President and CEO Quest Resource Management In 2019, expect sustainability to evolve into a critical priority. The transportation sector is already moving toward greener fleets, and pursuing innovative solutions to reduce waste and improve landfill diversion. The new year will bring even more pressure—and opportunity—to address eco-efficiency within logistics. Robust sustainability programs […]
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News & Trends Impacting the Luxury Goods Supply Chain
Designers Supply Chains a Custom Fit Luxury brands are taking vertical ownership of their supply chains to ensure longevity, sustainability, and artistry and reduce risk. After all, what better way to ensure a designer’s collections are delivered on time than by owning the factory that produces the garments? Having the design team and development process […]
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Panama Canal Keeps the Faith
The Panama Canal welcomed its 5,000th Neopanamax vessel through the waterway, reaffirming the value and impact the route has had on global maritime trade. The COSCO Faith container carrier (photo above) transited the canal traveling southbound from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. The vesselhas a 13,345 total TEU allowance and measures 366 meters in […]
Read MoreWhat, Me Worry?
Manufacturing professionals are among the most aware of industry change due to automation, finds The State of Intelligent Process Automation from Nintex. The survey of manufacturing workers finds that 75 percent don’t harbor concern for job security amid the rise of new technologies. In fact, 33 percent are worried these tools will make their jobs […]
Read MoreMobile Trends Impacting the Enterprise Ecosystem in 2019
As we move further into 2019, technology is continuing to grow and innovate across industries. Enterprises must look to embrace this new wave of innovation and integrate their current employees and operations into agile solutions. From AI to incorporating personal devices, companies need to take full advantage of the advantages mobile technology offers that empowers […]
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NS Makes Tracks to Atlanta
Norfolk Southern Corporation plans to move its headquarters from Virginia to Fulton County, Atlanta, joining other transportation heavyweights such as Delta Air Lines and UPS in leveraging Atlanta’s major transportation hub. NS is investing $575 million in the move, which it says will create 850 new jobs. In addition to its headquarters, the new campus […]
Read MoreSolving the USPS Dilemma
In 1775, the first postmaster general was appointed for the United Colonies, and since 1775, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has operated on the principle that every person, no matter who or where, has the right to equal access to secure efficient and affordable mail service. The agency has changed a number of times […]
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FedEx Abandons Cuba Airfreight Service
Improved relations between the United States and Cuba have hit an impasse, leading FedEx Corp. to drop a plan to begin cargo flights to the communist country. FedEx “will not be filing for an extension of the startup date for U.S.-Cuba cargo air service between Miami and Varadero,” according to a recent statement. The company […]
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Manufacturers Laser-Focused on Technology
Digital transformation is truly underway in manufacturing. While digital technologies such as cloud, mobile, big data and analytics, and Internet of Things have been industry drivers for years, manufacturers now have high expectations for the business value of technologies—edge computing, artificial intelligence (AI), collaborative robots (cobots), autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR)—that are […]
Read MoreA New Argument for Pool Distribution as More Specialty E-Retailers Set Up Shop
As consumer demand intensifies and changing shopping behaviors put pressure on the industry to adapt, retailers have continued to redesign their networks to keep up. When distributing high-volume retail goods, determining the right model is key. So what’s the quickest and most cost-effective way to keep fast-turning retail products moving from DC to store shelf? […]
Read MoreMaking a Dry Run
Shipping in containers is an economical and safe way of shipping most types of cargo. But putting cargo into an enclosed steel box also entails a constant risk of moisture damage for almost every kind of cargo on every voyage, according to Absortech. When damage occurs, it may result in substantial losses and costs. In […]
Read MoreCollapsing High Container Costs
The global shipping sector has a container problem. To be precise, it has a $30-billion container problem, and that price tag is increasing every year. In addition to their financial costs, empty containers congest deck spaces and crowd ports. And forcing ships to transport millions of empty containers around the world every year creates unnecessary […]
Read MoreTariffs Sting U.S. Supply Chains
The tariffs President Donald Trump imposed on Chinese goods have caused sharp increases in expenses for some companies, and even businesses that have yet to feel the sting of the duties on imported Chinese goods are taking a closer look at their supply chains to see how they can minimize the damage. As businesses scramble […]
Read MoreThe Secret to Combatting the Hidden Costs of Detention Time
Lengthy loading dock wait times have plagued the trucking industry for years, with serious consequences for drivers and shippers alike. Detention time—typically defined as greater than a two-hour wait—affects driver efficiency, shipping capacity and safety, with a negative financial impact for all stakeholders. And the problem is widespread. According to a survey by data analyst […]
Read MoreNOTED | The Supply Chain in Brief-2019
Green Seeds DHL rolled out a new fleet of electric delivery vans to serve U.S. markets, moving closer to its target of operating 70 percent of first- and last-mile delivery services with clean transport modes by 2025 and eventually reducing logistics-related emissions to zero by 2050. Equipment manufacturer Workhorse Group produced the fleet of 63 […]
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