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Global Logistics—October 2012
China Opens Door-to-Door Delivery to FedEx, UPS Federal Express officially contracted its name to FedEx in 2000 to facilitate an easier translation as it expanded the brand globally. United Parcel Service (UPS) has built similar acronym appeal and currency in the countries where it operates. So China’s recent decision to grant both couriers authority to […]
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Trends—September 2012
Rail Innovation Keeps Ag Moving, Despite Drought The drought that plagued much of the Midwest in summer 2012 has had a marked impact on agriculture supply and, consequently, food prices, placing an inordinate amount of pressure on supply chains to squeeze out as much extra cost as possible. While much of the news has been […]
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Global Logistics—September 2012
Brazil Invests in Infrastructure Infrastructure performance and transportation connectivity have long dogged Brazil’s efforts to grow its economy. But the overwhelming success of London’s 2012 Summer Olympics, and the mantle of responsibility and expectation that befalls the next in line, may force the issue. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff recently announced a $60-billion-plus investment package to […]
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Trends—August 2012
Ocean Freight Industry Seeks Delivery Time Reliability Awash with capacity and beset by rate fluctuations, the ocean container shipping industry reflects the global economy. Shippers are trying to find a measure of consistency as they navigate the peaks and troughs. While cost is often the common denominator linking shippers, carriers, intermediaries, and consignees, recent collaboration […]
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Global Logistics—August 2012
U.S., Canada Confront Port Insecurities The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is taking Canadian ports to task over concerns they are siphoning U.S.-bound container volumes while threatening homeland security. The agency’s primary target is Prince Rupert, North America’s deepest natural harbor port. While Montreal, Halifax, and Vancouver participate in U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) […]
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Trends–July 2012
The 23rd Annual State of Logistics Report: Sputtering Toward Sustained Growth The city was abuzz with speculation about the fall presidential election in June 2008 when Rosalyn Wilson, senior business analyst for Delcan Corp., gave her annual State of Logistics presentation in Washington, D.C. Stormy economic clouds were already gathering as a consequence of the […]
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Global Logistics—July 2012
Latin America Charts Path to Growth Considering trade with Latin America? Here’s a look at five key countries in various stages of economic, political, and trade/supply chain growth. Argentina. Until recently, Argentina has been relatively resilient to global economic woes, and the impact of slower growth in Brazil. Ernst & Young’s Rapid Growth Markets Forecast […]
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Trends—June 2012
4 Supply Chain Predictions For the Next 4 Years Four trends are expected to impact global logistics organizations over the next four years, according to Gartner, a consultancy based in Stamford, Conn. The predictions come as 60 percent of companies surveyed as a primer for Gartner’s July 2012 Supply Chain Executive Conference in Sydney, Australia, […]
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Global Logistics—June 2012
Air Cargo Growth in Holding Pattern Hitting bottom might be a sign of better things to come. Freight demand was down 4.2 percent year-over-year, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) April 2012 global traffic results. While some of this volume degradation can be attributed to monthly volatility, some signs indicate that different areas […]
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Trends—May 2012
Seeding the Cloud, Harvesting Supply Chain Intelligence The rise of "the cloud" and the proliferation of social media networks—both public and private—offer companies new avenues toward better analytical insight about their supply chains, says Siddharth Taparia, senior director, solution marketing for SAP. Inbound Logistics sat in on his recent presentation at the Supply Chain World […]
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Global Logistics—May 2012
London Braces for Olympic-sized Logistics Logjam For global TV viewers, the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London will be a two-week parade of sports pomp and pageantry. But behind the scenes, a grittier story will unfold—how the rest of London gets on with life during a busy fortnight. The Freight Transport Association (FTA), a United […]
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Global Logistics—April 2012
UPS Buys TNT Express, Shifting Global Balance UPS’ estimated $6.77-billion acquisition of Netherlands-based TNT Express puts to rest lingering speculation about the future of Europe’s number-two express mail provider following competition from FedEx and U.S. economic uncertainties. The move clearly places UPS in a new position of strength among its U.S. competitors and German expediter […]
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Trends—April 2012
Southern Accent: Supply, Demand Shifts Underline Southeastern Market A slow and steady stream of manufacturers and retailers has been feeling out the U.S. Southeast over the past decade. The trickle began in 2002 following the West Coast port strike, when many shippers swallowed losses and began exploring all-water alternatives from Asia to the U.S. hinterland. […]
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Trends—March 2012
Nissan Rides Waves of Sustainability What could be more sustainable than a slow-steaming solar-powered ocean vessel transporting electric cars? Japanese automaker Nissan recently debuted the Nichioh Maru, a roll-on/roll-off coastal transporter ship that replaces traditional diesel-powered electricity generators found on most vessels with 281 photovoltaic solar panels mounted above deck. Global automotive manufacturers have been […]
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Global—March 2012
New Zealand Port Tries to Strike Labor Balance As yet another reminder of how global labor strife can impact supply chains, the Ports of Auckland is trying to ease the pressure of three week-long strikes by the Maritime Union of New Zealand during the country’s busy export season. With an impasse expected to run through […]
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Trends–February 2012
BNSF Lays Down Investment Plan Transportation infrastructure funding remains a hot topic on Capitol Hill while legislators continue to bandy about ideas to satisfy a long-overdue highway reauthorization bill. Out on the rails, however, the railroads continue to lead by example. BNSF Railway Company recently announced a planned 2012 capital commitment program of approximately $3.9 […]
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Global Logistics–February 2012
UK University Engine Behind Carbon Tool The University of Sheffield has developed a supply chain environmental analysis tool (SCEnAT) to help manufacturers cut carbon emissions. The solution, which a number of international companies, including aircraft engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, are already using, creates a database of carbon usage. It then arms businesses with ways to reduce […]
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Trends—January 2012
Supply Chain Outlook: What’s Ahead? With the drop of the ball every New Year, it’s only natural to take out the Magic 8 Ball and divine what supply chain trends loom large on the horizon. Inbound Logistics editors and writers thumbed through their notes, clicked through their digital Rolodexes, and checked with sources to ascertain […]
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Global Logistics—January 2012
Containers Aweigh The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) has joined the World Shipping Council, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and the Baltic and International Maritime Council to encourage the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to amend the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS). The measure would ensure that a ship and port […]
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Trends—December 2011
Transportation Management Breaks Out Transportation management system (TMS) solutions and TMS-managed services have been evolving at hyper-speed over the past few years, largely driven by an economy in a tailspin, corporate mandates to reduce costs at all costs, and the emergence of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and cloud-connected networks. The facility with which companies can develop and […]
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