Articles
Viewpoint: Logistics & Supply Chain Analysis
Innovation in Business Processes from Northwest Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas is a hotbed for innovations in supply chain management, the effects of which span the globe. Although some argue that various aspects of these innovations started elsewhere, they have, at the very least, been perfected and rolled out broadly in Northwest Arkansas. Though these innovations have been in areas of data science and […]
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Taking a Smarter Approach to WMS RFPs
To understand where request for proposals (RFPs) for warehouse management systems (WMS) often go wrong, imagine for a moment you are being interviewed for admission to your dream college. You try to demonstrate the specific reasons why you would be a great addition to that school. But instead of engaging in a friendly dialog, the […]
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How to Create a Forklift Safety Culture
You’re going to remember the time when you thought it wouldn’t happen to you. One of your industry contacts was telling you how they paid substantial OSHA fines for allowing operators to use forklifts even after the operators completed pre-use operational compliance checklists that showed the forklifts were non-compliant. The individual said he didn’t know […]
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Forklift Design Reaches New Heights
The evolution of forklift design in the past 60 years has had a positive impact on overall building design and distribution productivity. The question of “when is high enough too high” is still being asked and the answer continues to be, not yet. The progression from almost exclusive use of the sit down counterbalanced truck […]
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Defending Against the Global Recall Threat
As international supply chains and distribution networks grow in prevalence and complexity, operating risks and logistics are becoming increasingly difficult to mitigate. The challenge of managing the multitude of variables is compounded by the speed at which today’s supply chain must operate. One key area affected by the global economy is product recalls. The number […]
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5 Issues to Consider Before Selecting Your Next Site
For companies evaluating prospective manufacturing sites, transportation cost and service considerations are paramount. Here are five critical supply chain issues businesses must consider when evaluating sites for expansion or relocation. Fuel costs. The price of U.S. diesel fuel has remained higher than $3 per gallon for more than three years, with no sign of dropping. […]
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Preparing for New Trade Regulations
Major trade regulation changes are affecting the global supply chain, unprecedented in both number and magnitude. Although the changes impact some industries more than others, every company that imports into, or exports from, the United States or Canada will be affected. The majority of the regulations require new licensing, while others mandate significant software updates. […]
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How the Hub-and-Spoke Model Transformed the Transportation Industry
In the past, the transportation and distribution industry was guided by the principles of point-to-point or direct-route operations. Transportation networks were disorganized, and shipping, aviation, and transit companies were losing money. As technology has developed, the logistics sector has found faster and more cost-effective ways of shipping freight. The hub-and-spoke model was born from industry’s […]
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5 Lift Truck Innovations That Will Change Your Warehouse
New developments affect the lift truck market every day, and it’s only a matter of time before you’ll see these features and tools in your own warehouse. Here are five lift truck innovations worth knowing about. Device mounts. When warehouse managers first tried using tablet computers and other inventory devices on lift trucks, it didn’t […]
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How the Changing Chassis Market Affects Your Supply Chain
The change in marine chassis provisioning continues to be of concern to maritime shippers, thanks to a long-term trend of separating ocean transportation from inland logistics. That trend began in the mid-2000s, when carriers limited the inland destinations they would serve. As ocean carriers are disintermediated from the market, chassis users and providers will develop […]
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