Articles
Viewpoint: Logistics & Supply Chain Analysis
“Second Mouse” Opportunities for Logistics Firms
The saying, "The second mouse gets the cheese" represents an analogy for what is happening today in China’s "fast-learner" economy. The ability to quickly learn and copy products and technologies developed elsewhere has propelled numerous Chinese firms to global stature. These firms will soon become a force in the United States. Examples of China’s ability […]
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How Supply Chain Executives Can Earn a Place in the C-Suite
First there was Chief Executive Officer, then Chief Operating, Chief Financial, and Chief Marketing Officers joined the "C-suite." Isn’t it time Chief Supply Chain Officers took their place at the top? Despite supply chain’s functional cachet in business circles, many top supply chain executives don’t even report to the CEO. Why is that? Service and […]
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Logistics Providers Steer Auto Industry on Road to Recovery
The automotive industry is rapidly rebounding from its recession lows as consumer demand for new vehicles grows. In response, auto manufacturers and their suppliers are quickly increasing manufacturing output. While this is great news for automakers and the overall financial health of the auto industry, there is a downside: The quick spike is severely straining […]
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Helping Truck Drivers Address Job Stress
Change is a well-established cause of stress. In 1967, psychologists developed a stress scale that lists 43 stressful life events that can contribute to illness. Changes in financial state, job responsibilities, employment conditions, and working hours; trouble with an employer; and revision of personal habits place a person at a moderate risk of physical illness […]
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FMCSA Abandons Carrier Oversight
For 75 years, the U.S. Department of Transportation stood as the arbiter of interstate motor carrier safety. That significantly changed on May 16, 2012, when the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued three notices on its Web site signaling a retreat from its statutory and historical oversight of carrier safety, in favor of placing […]
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Ports Can Help Ensure Ship-Shape Supply Chains
As shippers see their business volumes increasing even as revenues lag, it becomes more important than ever for ports to focus on reliable and prompt service. Shippers are entitled to a high level of service, and they should be able to expect that their ports of call will take a proactive role in managing the […]
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Load Boards Evolve Into Social Networking Tools
When you look at an Internet-based load board, it’s hard to believe how far the freight and logistics sector has come. It wasn’t long ago that carriers all over the country found much-needed backhauls by posting handwritten notes on truckstop bulletin boards, and brokers used those same boards to locate trucks. But technology—particularly the Internet—has […]
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3PLs: Going Beyond Savings to True Value
Although shipping is an integral and expensive part of daily operations, other considerations often take priority. This may result in unhappy customers, increased shipping costs, and time wasted resolving issues. Companies looking to increase efficiency and maximize shipping dollars often turn to third-party logistics (3PL) providers, one-stop resources that facilitate shipping and logistics needs. 3PLs […]
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The Truth Behind “Made in the USA”
Much talk across the American political and economic landscape centers around the importance of domestic manufacturing. Yet the issue and challenges of "Made in the USA" are so poorly understood that fatalistic hand-wringing and stump speech vitriol are obfuscating its rapidly emerging potential for near-term revitalization. Revitalization implies that there has been a reduction in […]
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Four Simple Questions for Improved Picking Performance
The process of receiving a product into inventory is just as important as picking or removing it from inventory. A solid slotting plan for receiving and storing products in a facility supports quicker and more accurate picking. Slotting is the concept of using data analysis to assign every part a location based on its specific […]
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