Articles
Takeaways
No Light at End of Retail Tunnel
The decline of physical retail stores isn’t expected to slow down any time soon, finds a Coresight Research report. U.S. retailers have announced 2,187 closings to date in 2019, including 749 Gymboree stores, 251 Shopko stores, and 94 Charlotte Russe locations. Payless ShoeSource also is reported to be considering its second bankruptcy. Online retail growth, […]
Read More
Let’s Get Digital
Transitioning to a cloud-based platform with real-time visibility and automation capabilities is crucial for retailers to maintain full control of their supply chains. Yet 85 percent of U.S. retailers haven’t digitized their supply chains, finds research from Gravity Supply Chain Solutions. Although only 15 percent of U.S. retail businesses have digitized their supply chains, 60 […]
Read MoreAMH Equipment Gets a Lift
The Automated Material Handling (AMH) equipment market is expected to reach $53.59 billion by 2024, according to a Research and Markets report. One major motivator behind the market boost is a growing presence of start-up companies that employ robotic solutions for warehouse automation. The increasing popularity of AMH equipment among leading industries, significant recovery in […]
Read MoreSoutheast Asia Connects
Southeast Asian nations Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam are among the most connected companies in the world, beating expectations by the widest margins. That’s one finding of DHL’s Global Connectedness Index—an analysis of globalization as measured by international trade flows, capital, information, and people. Improved supply chain networks within the region and ASEAN policy initiatives […]
Read More
Transport Companies Mail It In
In 2018, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) spent nearly $16 billion on outside purchases, and six of its top 10 contractors provide transportation services or equipment (see chart), according to Husch Blackwell’s annual Top 150 U.S. Postal Service Suppliers list. As a whole, air transportation suppliers increased their USPS revenue in 2018 from 2017’s totals: […]
Read More
Keeping Air Cargo Safe
Here are a few tips for keeping your air cargo safe during large freight shipments: Audit and analyze processes to find potential threats. Go over the shipment process from start to finish. At each step, determine what security threats are present and where extra precautions are necessary. Revisit this plan each time a process changes […]
Read MoreBack to School
Developed countries need to “urgently” boost adult training and education programs to deal with future mass job upheaval brought on by automation, recommends an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report. One in seven jobs is at risk of being fully automated while another 30 percent will likely be overhauled, the OECD analysis finds. […]
Read MoreGen Z Shifts Operations Into Hyperdrive
The transition to an autonomous supply chain is underway as Gen Z enters the workforce. Leaders should look to hire Gen Zers and consider these steps when digitizing, says a Gartner report: Automation: Identify and automate all repetitive, non-value-added tasks, like procure-to-pay and customer claim management. Robotic process automation is the primary technology for this. […]
Read More