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VERTICAL FOCUS: Cosmetics
Inventory Management Gets a Makeover From managing ingredient shortages to finding a production plan that delivers the right amount of product when and where it’s needed, cosmetics companies face significant supply chain challenges. Many are turning to automation to meet these challenges. One example is Belcorp, a multinational beauty brand corporation operating for more than […]
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Keeping the Last Mile In Sight
When customers order an item, they want it delivered now. Retailers realize this, but they also have to keep costs in mind. A study FarEye conducted with Researchscape International finds that retailers with more than $100 million in sales seek to improve the top key performance indicators of on-time delivery (74%) and cost per delivery […]
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Gaining Vision in Ocean Freight’s Murky Depths
What you don’t know can hurt you. Half of ocean freight stakeholders responding to a recent report released by FourKites say they have zero visibility into their ocean freight. More than 20% still rely on manual track-and-trace processes to locate their ocean freight in the supply chain. Once that cargo hits land, the numbers get […]
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Air Cargo Gains Altitude
Air cargo levels are showing signs of rebounding to pre-pandemic levels. North American carriers reported a 5.1% decrease in demand in 2022 when compared with 2021, but capacity increased 4.2%, according to the International Air Transport Association. Comparing these figures with 2019 shows demand at 13.7% and capacity at 8.2% above pre-pandemic levels. Here are […]
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Look Ma, No Hands
As autonomous driving gains some traction, transportation companies are building partnerships to bring self-driving trucks from concept to reality. To that end, Ascend, a truckload carrier that offers middle-mile supply chain solutions, partnered with Volvo Autonomous Solutions (VAS) to test autonomous, long distance linehaul options. As part of the pilot, Ascend will pick up customer […]
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War in Ukraine Squeezes Shipping
More than one year after Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine, global supply chains are feeling the impact. In the months after the invasion, total vessels moving in and out of Ukraine dropped from 109 in January 2022 to just two in June 2022, according to data tracked by project44. Combine the lack of vessel movement […]
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VERTICAL FOCUS: Home Improvement
Building Smarter Homes Consumers love their smart home devices. Spending on smart home hardware that includes individual devices, such as automated lighting systems and controllers, grew in 2022. It surpassed $30 billion worldwide, up 15% over 2021 spending, according to an ABI Research market data report. Manufacturers have taken notice. The largest consumer technology and […]
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With a Little Help From My Friendshoring
For more than 40 years, economic policies encouraged companies in the developed world to move production offshore to reap the benefits of cheap labor and raw materials. But times are changing.
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Bye, Bye Barcode?
For more than 70 years, the barcode has been an integral component of nearly all supply chains. But is the ubiquitous technology taking its last breaths after Amazon announced it is developing a new warehouse reader technology?
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