Articles
Supply Chain Perspectives
Panama Canal Expansion to Spur East Coast Shipping Boom
After nearly 10 years and $5.4 billion, worldwide shipping is in for a major shakeup. With the nearly triple-the-size expansion of the Panama Canal completed in late June 2016, a vastly increased quantity of goods will be able to easily traverse one of the world’s most important waterways. This change comes amid a slump in […]
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Houston, We’ve Got a Problem
The Intermodal EXPO, held in Houston, Texas, in September 2016 as part of IANA’s 25th anniversary, includes some particularly unique historical aspects. For example, this is the second year the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) and National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) will hold separate shows. The divorce was prompted by many issues—primarily low attendance […]
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Empower Users to Create and Update Labels for Supply Chain Efficiency
The single most important aspect of label design is the ability to convey the correct information, to the correct audience, in a consistent and concise manner. The two keywords here are “correct” and “consistent.” When labels are inaccurate or information is out of date, serious breakdowns in the supply chain can occur. This is often […]
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Using Tunnel Scanning to Meet
E-commerce Challenges
The recent increase in the number of consolidation warehouses operated by e-commerce companies that receive orders from many different suppliers in relatively small quantities creates challenges from an ID reading perspective. The small size of their typical order means that consolidation warehouses usually do not have the leverage over their suppliers that would enable them […]
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Optimizing Freight Rail Supply Chain Visibility
Freight rail has become an integral part of many global supply chains, driving the need for complete visibility across modes and giving rise to a new suite of technologies. Shippers, third-party logistics service providers, and railcar owners and lessors who have the knowledge to make effective use of these technologies gain an advantage. For example, […]
Read MoreThe Intellectual Risk of Complexity
The rules of business in a global world are thorny and often intractable. As supply chains grow more complex and outsourcing gains favor, long-range risks become harder to judge, or even understand. One consequence of a complex global supply chain is a subtle shift in the nature of intellectual property and how it factors into […]
Read MoreThe Costly Art of Tracking
On Aug. 4, 2009, Astronaut Heidimarie Stefanyshyn-Piper’s $100,000 NASA tool bag dropped out of its heavenly orbit and into the Pacific Ocean. The 30-pound bag, filled with grease guns, trash bags, and a scraper tool, was detected not from a locating signal in the bag, but by sight. Clearly, Boeing’s contract with NASA does not […]
Read MoreAutomation Grows, But We Still Need People
One endless debate in space exploration is whether, and to what degree, humans can contribute. Do we send more robots to Mars or should we concentrate on a manned mission? While the cost of human space exploration is mind-boggling, it is hard to believe that human perception and inquisitiveness is of no use. It is […]
Read MoreMaking Supply Chain Data Dynamic
Today’s supply chain managers are hot for more data and greater integration. Their motive is simple. They recognize that they can wring profit by reducing complexity or isolating actions. It is hard to argue against this point of view, especially when companies integrate data with the goals of cutting costs, reducing working capital by holding […]
Read MoreBuy American, Transport American?
For the past decade or more, conducting business globally—outsourcing manufacturing abroad, shipping through foreign flags, and sourcing parts worldwide—has been the rule, and for many practical reasons may stay the rule. While national borders stay in place for politicians, they have essentially disappeared for the business community. But the cry to keep business in America […]
Read MoreWho Will Strike the New Golden Spike?
When U.S. railroads first managed to connect from East to West, crews drove a golden spike to commemorate the completion of our first transcontinental railway. It happened at Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869, soon after the Civil War ended. The iconic photograph of Union Pacific’s No. 119 and Central Pacific’s Jupiter No. 60 meeting face […]
Read MoreManaging Data One Byte at a Time
Increasing connectivity, largely a result of the Internet and the facility with which we collect data, has changed the pace and relationships of business. To a great extent, local business no longer exists, as all commerce and trade is tied together by information. This is evident as the world’s economy stumbles. Business is, quite simply, […]
Read MoreCurve Appeal
The efficient delivery of goods requires a thoughtful way to negotiate curves and arcs to find the optimal route.
Read MoreDiagnosing Complexity
Complexity can be a concern wherever it arises. More often than not, it is perceived as a burden rather than a virtue. Simplicity, on the other hand, has shown great value in science and engineering. Yet even in these areas, complexity still persists. When complexity runs wild it becomes chaos. Some gurus tell us to […]
Read MoreKeeping Our Heads Above Water
Water is one of the world’s biggest challenges. There is plenty of it, but it is often in the wrong place (favored industrialized nations), at the wrong time (a hurricane or flood), and in the wrong form (polluted or invaded by salt). Poor logistics, supply chain, and financial management, with some political issues thrown in, […]
Read MoreInventions Light the Way
The public knows Thomas Edison as the man who invented the light bulb. But what Edison really invented was a system for generating and distributing electricity into cities, and eventually into rural communities. This was a gigantic and, at the time, novel undertaking. In our industry, Malcom McLean is recognized for inventing the shipping container. […]
Read MoreFuel for Thought
The current fuel-cost crisis has U.S. truckers caught between a rock and a hard place. Any solution comes with a complex price tag, and has to reflect the common good. But who knows what the solution is? In March 2008, Americans drove 11 billion miles fewer than they did in March 2007, the largest drop […]
Read MoreOur Wiki, Wiki Ways
The best way to move forward in these challenging times is to innovate collaboratively – emphasizing the quality of openness and the values of networked connectivity, shared knowledge, and rapid information exchange. Humanity has generally been successful when “we the people” act in concert – but we didn’t arrive at the “we” factor overnight. Adam […]
Read MoreSeattle’s Second-Best?
When people think of Seattle, they are reminded of its coffee, salmon, and fir trees. It’s also the hometown of American titans such as UPS, Boeing, and Starbucks. But as these companies grow, and take their operations elsewhere to compete globally, cities such as Seattle are losing a vital part of their economic identity. The […]
Read MoreInfrastructure Triage 101
The U.S. logistics system is the nation’s life and supply line and deserves our highest attention. A sobering assessment of our regard for America’s infrastructure is found in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) most recent report card. Here are the grades: Rail: C- Aviation: D+ Roads: D Bridges: C Navigable Waterways: D- It’s […]
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