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Black Friday Delivery Data
Consumer data is rolling in from Black Friday. Convey published data insights that show how deliveries are performing across various categories compared to year-over-year data from 2017. Some key findings include: Shipments way up – The number of shipments for each day last week dramatically increased over 2017, with Black Friday up 284%. This increase […]
Read MoreFactory Robots: Better Safe Than Sorry
In the new gig economy, workers are individual contractors—they are mobile, can work from any place, and save their companies time and resources. A Massachusetts company believes lidar technology could be the key to developing a safer factory robot—and to enabling those robots to take on many of the remaining tasks still completed by human […]
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The State Of Logistics Outsourcing
In an era where technology continues to migrate consumer spending habits online and away from brick-and-mortar stores, the 2019 Third-Party Logistics Study highlights how supply chains are also outsourcing, going digital and using science to keep pace. Here are a few notable findings from the report, which was created and supported by Infosys Consulting, Penn […]
Read MoreU.S. Ports, Seaway Report Positive October on Great Lakes
U.S. Great Lakes ports and the St. Lawrence Seaway had one of their busiest months of the season in October, fueled by increases in shipments of grain, salt and construction materials. Overall cargo shipments via the St. Lawrence Seaway (from March 29 to October 31) totaled 30.5 million metric tons, up four percent over the […]
Read MoreNew DHL Survey Reveals Expected Cyber Monday Growth for Businesses & More
Forty percent of e-commerce businesses would rather experience a TV malfunction during their favorite Thanksgiving Day football game than contend with shipping issues on Cyber Monday, a recent DHL survey found. DHL distributed a poll to U.S. e-commerce businesses, including its customers. The survey, which had more than 14,000 responses, reveals major challenges, priorities, and […]
Read MoreSupply Chain Scorecards: A Tool for the Times
Advanced technologies like blockchain and AI have captured widespread interest with the benefits they promise to bring to logistics operations. But, for all the promise these appear to hold, there are proven enhancement-focused tools already available – in particular, scorecards – that supply chain managers should take full advantage right now to ensure optimized performance […]
Read MoreCargo Airports Do Brisk Business
Cargo airports were bustling in 2017, according to the Airport Council International’s finalized list of the world’s top 20 busiest cargo airports in 2017 (see chart). Total cargo volumes handled (loaded and unloaded freight and mail) increased by 7.8 percent from the previous year, to 50.6 million metric tons. Airports in the Asia-Pacific region continued […]
Read MoreDo’s and Don’ts of Hurricane Relief
American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN), an industry-wide organization that provides supply chain assistance to disaster relief organizations and other non-profits, offers a few practical do’s and don’ts to help during a disaster. DO make a pre-offer. If you have warehouse space, trucks, equipment, or expertise to share, offer it immediately. The more advance information ALAN […]
Read MoreBattleBots: Robots vs. Workers
The public is broadly fearful that automation will lead to significant job losses, with many populations skeptical that the technologies will boost economic efficiency, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey of 10 countries. Greece, South Africa, and Argentina express the highest degree of certainty that technology will displace human workers (see chart). But […]
Read MoreApple Seeds Clean Energy Fund for China
Apple will launch a new first-of-its-kind investment fund in China to connect suppliers with renewable energy sources. As part of the company’s commitment to increase the use of renewable energy within its supply chain, 10 initial suppliers and Apple will jointly invest nearly $300 million over the next four years into the China Clean Energy […]
Read MoreRetailers Plug Into AI
Nearly two-thirds of retail supply chain professionals struggle with disconnects between systems, finds Symphony RetailAI’s Strengthening the Retail Supply Chain survey of North American retailers. The majority of retailers surveyed have confidence in their allocation and inventory planning software, but 48 percent rate their forecasting technology as average to very poor. While they would prefer […]
Read MoreIN BRIEF: New Services & Solutions-November 2018
Transportation The Belgium-to-UK lane gains a new dedicated short-sea service with Samskip‘s latest offering. The service connecting Antwerp and Hull is operated by a 508-TEU capacity vessel, sailing from Associated Terminal Operators’ multimodal terminal in Antwerp on Tuesday and Saturday and ABP Port of Hull on Thursday and Monday. Airfreight shippers can take advantage of a […]
Read MoreLaw and Border: 5 Ways to Boost Canadian Clearance Efficiency
To help businesses reach the Canadian market more efficiently, Purolator International offers these tips for minimizing the risk of having a shipment delayed at the border. 1. Don’t underestimate the border clearance process. Successfully moving goods into Canada—which also means exporting goods out of the United States—is a multistep process that requires detailed knowledge. Failure […]
Read MoreIs Your Freight Broker Legit?
Thousands of licensed freight brokers operate in the United States today, and more enter the market every year. With all this competition, it is critical to vet each freight broker you plan to work with. These simple steps will keep your supply chain moving forward efficiently, without harming the bottom line of your business or […]
Read MoreFreight Forecast Stays Sunny
Freight volumes are projected to increase 4.2 percent in 2018 and increase 35.6 percent by 2029, according to the latest edition of the American Trucking Associations’ Freight Forecast. Among the report’s findings: Total tonnage transported will reach nearly 16 billion tons in 2018—a figure that should rise 35.6 percent to 21.7 billion tons in 2029. […]
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What Keeps Compliance and Procurement Professionals Up at Night?
Increasing regulation continues to be the chief concern for compliance and procurement professionals, while the overall outlook sentiment is positive, reports a Dun & Bradstreet study that examines the current state of the compliance and procurement functions, as measured through professional sentiment on related issues such as regulation, fraud, technology, and resources. The Dun & […]
Read MorePeak Season is Coming. Can You Work it Out?
Wage corrections, shift preferences, and more flexible human resource policies are key to attracting and retaining hourly warehouse workers, finds the 11th annual EmployBridge Warehouse Employee Opinion Survey of approximately 16,000 hourly workers. For the 11th consecutive year, pay ranks as the single most important factor among warehouse workers (see chart). For the first time […]
Read MoreGlobal Air Freight in Slow Motion
Demand for global air freight, measured in freight tonne kilometers (FTKs), rose 2.1 percent in July 2018, compared to the same period the year before, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This was the slowest pace of growth since May 2016, and well below the five-year average growth rate of 5.1 percent. Freight […]
Read MoreExamining the Workforce of the Future
To help prepare Los Angeles County youth for career and college pathways in global transportation, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), has joined with the County of Los Angeles to create a Transportation School. The curriculum will be developed to teach students transferrable industry skills focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math […]
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