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Steve Wilson
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Avoiding Pitfalls to TMS Implementation

Q: What can go wrong when launching a transportation management system (TMS)? A: Implementing a TMS is a proven way to reduce cost and gain control of your organization’s transportation expenses. Yet many companies implement systems only to fall short of the return on investment (ROI) they expected. Sometimes the problem stems from failure to […]

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James Meares
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Untangling the Complications of Free Trade Agreements

Q: Why should companies consider trade agreements when looking to find the best sourcing option? A: Companies need to factor into their sourcing decisions the opportunities provided by free trade agreements if they are to truly reduce lead times and take advantage of cost savings available throughout their supply chain. By incorporating trade agreements into […]

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Tom Sproat
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Keys to Developing Strong Supply Chain Partnerships

Q: How can value chain partners collaborate to enhance performance and efficiencies? A: Collaboration among supply chain partners can improve supply chain performance, create new capabilities, and increase efficiencies. Meeting to review performance objectives helps build stronger partnerships based on definable measurements and greater transparency, and encourages more effective supply chain practices. Part of this […]

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Forest Himmelfarb
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Efficient and Compliant Hazmat Shipping: Today You Can Have Both

Q: What are the common hazmat violations, and what are the consequences for shippers and carriers? A: In the United States, both the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulate hazardous material (or dangerous goods) transportation. Penalties can range from a few thousand dollars to more than one million dollars, and […]

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Ty Bordner
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The Benefits of Using a Foreign Trade Zone

From large manufacturers to individuals, any size importer or exporter can take advantage of a foreign-trade zone (FTZ). However, many companies are unaware of the sizeable cost savings and other benefits they can achieve by taking advantage of an FTZ program. Utilizing an FTZ can significantly reduce costs from customs duties, taxes and tariffs; improve […]

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Tom Griffin
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A Strategic Approach to Strengthening Supply Chains

Q: What is a leveraged platform? A: A leveraged platform means a logistics service provider employs the same best practices to manage its own supply chain needs as it does for its client base. Benefits to shippers include mode optimization and greater usage of co-load products, as well as intermodal conversion from truckload (TL), or […]

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Chris Timmer
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Scaling Supply Chain Partnerships

Partnerships are an interesting phenomenon in business. It astounds me that so many companies look for partnerships to remain static over time, even as market conditions change. Partnerships can’t maintain a status quo, regardless of the industry. They need to evolve. Scaling your supply chain can trigger some significant adjustments in the requirements of nature […]

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Tom Heine
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Plan, Write, and Implement a Successful Software Project

Thankfully, most software projects succeed. Look around, virtually everything is running on software, and it all (pretty much) works. Maybe an out-of-the-box solution will work, or maybe you need to buy and modify that out-of-the-box software to suit your needs. Or maybe you will write your own. The worry, of course, is that software projects […]

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Henry Cone
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PVMI: A New Approach to Supply Chain Control

Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) solutions are focused on keeping inventory off the manufacturer’s books until it is needed to fulfill customer orders. DB Schenker takes a broader view as part of a standardized solution called Production Vendor Managed Inventory (PVMI)—which enables the OEM to gain comprehensive supply chain control, something much more powerful than just […]

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Sri Ramadas
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Know Thy Partner: Beyond C-TPAT

The globalization of supply chains has caused a major shift in trade partnerships. Partners are changing more rapidly than in years past. Relationships tend to be more focused on who can supply products cheaper, faster, at better quality, and U.S. companies are looking worldwide for competitive parts’ sources. With this new globally spread supply chain […]

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How to Deploy a Successful Improvement Program

Think the $30 million APL Logistics has saved through continuous improvement initiatives is unusual? Think again. According to the company’s foremost Lean/Six Sigma/JDI professional, with the right resources and level of commitment, many companies can make these disciplines work equally well. Here, the company offers hints to help your organization deploy a successful improvement program—and […]

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Jeffrey R. Brashares
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Transforming Liquid Assets into Capital Gains

Q: What is the current state of the bulk liquid transportation market? A: Over the past several years, the only viable option for bulk liquid transport has been specially designed tank trucks. These trucks are expensive to produce and maintain, and their quantity is limited. A single truck can only carry a specific type of […]

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Darin J. Cooprider
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Packaging Postponement: A Game Changer for F&B Companies

Q: Why is packaging postponement an important consideration for food and beverage (F&B) companies? A: Market demands are constantly in flux as holiday seasonality dictates inventory needs. Also, consumers enjoy an unprecedented variety of food formats. Consider the different product quantities and sizes that one might find in a vending machine, a convenience store, a […]

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