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Steve Sensing
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Reverse Logistics: The Untapped Revenue Stream

Reverse logistics has become an area of high priority for companies looking to reduce costs, add efficiencies and improve the customer experience. As a result, manufacturers are uncovering the hidden value of returned assets and streamlining return, repair and product reallocation processes. Once a supply chain afterthought, reverse logistics has evolved into a highly complex […]

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Matt Ahearn
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Technology Provides Visibility into Global Supply Chains

Q: When managing global transportation, how do advanced Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) transportation management systems (TMS) compare to traditional installed-based rivals? Ahearn: As more companies expand overseas and offshore, managing transportation is quickly becoming a challenging factor of globalization. With a true SaaS TMS, multiple organizations—including vendors, carriers, and shippers—are able to work collaboratively in a single […]

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Geoff Comrie
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What Makes a Great TMS? 

Q: The transportation management system (TMS) market is growing rapidly. What is driving this activity? COMRIE: Growth is coming from both shippers and logistics service providers. 3PLs are recognizing opportunities where they can affect change within their organizations by adopting TMS solutions that have more robust functionality. They now view transportation management technology as a […]

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Bryn Heimbeck
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Cloud Computing: Think Globally, Leverage Locally 

Q: What are the elements of a successful cloud-based logistics IT solution? Heimbeck: The “cloud” means different things to many people. I think of it as a highly structured, shared working space with three dimensions that work harmoniously to create a productive alternative to our current bricks-and-mortar-based method of doing business. The three dimensions are: […]

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Martin Hubert
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Managing the Logistics Lifecycle 

Q: Cloud computing has become an industry buzzword. How will this technology influence the way companies approach logistics management? Hubert: Enterprises have long sought solutions that deliver immediate value, are easily accessible and scalable, and require minimal up-front investment. Unfortunately, the traditional delivery models of installed software, or dedicated Web-based systems, fell short of those […]

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Malysa O’Connor
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The Perfect Time to Optimize Labor Management

Q: A confluence of issues related to rising fuel costs, compliance challenges, and lost capacity is currently impacting the logistics industry. Why is now the perfect time to optimize labor management? O’Connor: Driver shortages, rising fuel prices, and legislative changes related to Hours-of-Service (HOS) and Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) are increasing operating costs and will […]

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Brad Constantini
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3PL Capability is Key to Logistics Cost Reduction 

MORE TO THE STORY: How to Find a 3PL-Third Party Logistics Provider Logistics, inventory and transportation costs continue to climb, according to the 2011 State of Logistics report released by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). Although overall economic conditions improved slightly in 2010, internal supply chains continue to account for double-digit cost […]

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John Williford
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Excellence in Supply Chain Execution

Our clients in industries such as automotive, aerospace, hi-tech, retail and consumer goods are emerging from one of our nation’s most trying economic times. Faced with serious pressures to cut costs and boost profits, many companies have re-examined how they source, store and deliver their products. Flexibility, innovation and the ability to operate with virtually […]

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Mick Mountz
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Mobile Robots Expand Warehouse Automation Options

Q: Warehouse managers are tasked with making investment decisions about systems that must scale for growth, often leading to unnecessary spending based on faulty five- and 10-year plans. Are there equipment options that can help mitigate this risk for warehouse management? Mountz: Mobile-robotic solutions offer a whole new approach to warehouse automation. Using features such […]

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Peter Hartman
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Upgrading Order Fulfillment Systems Boosts Warehouse Efficiency

Q: Is it possible to speed product flow in response to customer demands and cut inventory processing costs at the same time? Hartman: Many automated systems installed several years ago were not designed to handle escalating customer requirements, such as higher accuracy, more complex traceable orders with multiple SKUs, and more on-time deliveries. Nor did […]

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Phil Van Wormer
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Tracking Warehouse Inventory on the Move

Q: Despite technology advances in end-to-end supply chain visibility, the warehouse is still a “blind spot” for many companies. What can be done to improve visibility within the four walls to bring the same level of excellence achieved in other areas of the supply chain? Van Wormer: Over-the-road transportation fleets have gained tremendous productivity through […]

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Ravi Pappu
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RFID Delivers the Power to Transform Markets

Q: The business cases for achieving improved visibility throughout the supply chain have been identified. What technologies should logistics providers consider to get there? Pappu: Physical objects are becoming coupled with a myriad of radio technologies to drive a communications revolution. For instance, location information from GPS satellites 16 miles above the earth is being […]

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Tom Heine
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Data in a Flash: Utilizing EDI

Q: Where did EDI come from? Heine: Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) has been used in various forms since the 1960s. Today, all Fortune 1000 companies use EDI, as do millions of other businesses. In the transportation field, big retailers led the way in implementing EDI. In the mid-1980s, EDI standards emerged, and each type of […]

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J. Kenneth Hazen
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Third-Party Services Can Simplify Global Trade Complexity

Q: Why do companies have such a hard time embracing global trade management? Hazen: Companies may not understand the complexity behind constantly changing regulations. The diversity of individual governments and cultures presents difficulties in embracing global trade management. Companies spend significant resources dealing with basic needs to ensure a successful, seamless process with each trading […]

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