Articles
Thought Leaders
Finding Hidden Profits in Your Warehouse or Transport Operations
Sometimes it’s easier than you think to find hidden profits in your warehouse or transportation operations. Many successful companies are doing more with less by simply optimizing their slotting practices, pick paths, truckloads and delivery routes. Q: Given the volatility and uncertainty in today’s logistics environment, how are logistics providers remaining profitable? ELLIOTT: Sometimes it’s […]
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Sharing Efficiencies Through Collaboration
Q: How can value chain partners cooperate to create and share efficiencies? Timmer: In today’s challenging economic environment, transportation professionals need to take advantage of every opportunity for collaboration with trading partners to increase efficiencies across their supply chain. As one of the largest networks in the U.S. transportation industry, LeanLogistics On-Demand TMS® attracts more […]
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GTM Software: Read This Before You Buy
Q: How can a logistics operation contribute to a company’s overall profit margin in a meaningful way? Mabry: Recent research studies confirm transportation and handling fees, insurance, duties, and taxes make up more than 40 percent of an imported item’s cost. Additional costs often hidden within operating accounts can include quote administration, sourcing, and quality […]
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Keep Partners In the Loop
Q: How can value chain partners cooperate to create and share efficiencies? Caudill: Efficiencies can be gained by increasing the fidelity, transparency, and velocity of data that value chain partners share about inventories, shipments, capacities, and sales. Everyone wins when you get all partners on the same page and today there is no reason this information […]
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Drilling Down Into Supply Chain Data
Q: How can today’s manufacturers deal with increasing regulations, demand volatility, and shifting global trade currents? Hazen: First, recognize that complying with increasing and changing regulations is a requirement. Second, allow longer lead times in holding inventory and making shipments; use expedited service when necessary. Third, placing inventory nearer the customer’s location may be needed […]
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Strong Relationships Net Long-Term Value
Q: From your perspective as a sourcing technology provider, what trends and challenges do you anticipate shippers will encounter in 2010? Wilson: 2010 will be an interesting year for shippers and carriers alike. Some reports show that spot rates have been rising since last fall, and most analysts believe they will continue to rise as […]
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Ditch the Spreadsheets, Implement a TMS
Q: How can value chain partners cooperate to create and share efficiencies? Vanselous: It amazes me that so many shippers and carriers still rely heavily on manual processes in daily transport operations; only 38 percent of companies currently use transportation management software, says AMR Research. Ongoing cooperation with value chain partners is possible with integrated […]
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Be the Captain of Your Fleet
Q: How would a business interested in optimizing its fleet operations decide where to start in evaluating technology? Brown: Most companies decide by asking those they know—relying on word-of-mouth from friends, colleagues, sometimes even competitors. Of the few companies offering solutions in this space, some will claim they are the best, so assessing credibility and […]
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Free TMS Software: The Price is Right
Q: What will be the biggest change to Transportation Management Systems (TMS) technology in the next three to five years? Higham: The leading TMS technologies will be offered at no charge to customers in the next few years. True innovators offer free TMS technology as a means to an end; to move more freight for […]
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Global Trade Compliance: See it All, Know it All
Q: What do you see as the key changes on the horizon in managing regulatory compliance globally? Barnes: As different countries implement both security and trade-led initiatives around the world, it is critical to improve global regulatory knowledge and visibility. Global trade is growing and so are the associated regulations. The only way for regulatory […]
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