Articles
Viewpoint: Logistics & Supply Chain Analysis
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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VMS Lifts Warehouse Labor Productivity
Tracking lift truck operator time can be a challenge for warehouse managers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires lift truck operators to complete a pre-operation checklist before starting each shift. This inspection involves ensuring that the truck is working properly, and looking for signs of potential problems, such as hydraulic leaks. A recent […]
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Shipper’s Choice: One Freight Forwarder or Many?
Many shippers rely on forwarders as key building blocks in creating and implementing a logistics program. Some use a single forwarder or third-party logistics provider to forge and maintain supply chain links. Others choose a multi-forwarder approach. Which is best for your team? GOING SOLO Advantages of using a single forwarder include: Accountability. Mistakes can […]
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Is Intermodal Right For You?
Capacity and driver shortages plague the over-the-road (OTR) trucking sector, prompting shippers to consider the merits of other transportation modes. Intermodal freight shipping combines the resources of different transportation modes, such as trucking and rail, to move products from manufacturing site to final destination. Offering economic and environmental benefits, intermodal freight shipping provides an attractive […]
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Refrigerated Trucks Haul More Than Just Perishables
It may come as a surprise that “perishable goods” include items more diverse than fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, frozen foods, and dairy products. Today’s truck and trailer refrigeration systems, known as reefers, also keep other high-value loads at ideal temperatures and humidity levels so they arrive safely at their final destinations. Prompted by regulations […]
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Managing the Three V’s of Logistics
As the logistics sector’s impact continues to broaden across geographies and industries, a variety of factors are adding pressure on companies to improve logistics efficiencies. Three of the most prevalent supply chain challenges are: Timed temperature control. With goods now being transferred across greater distances than ever before, temperature control is a growing industry concern. […]
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Embracing Interstate 2.0: A Rail-based Transportation Vision
The United States is finally beginning to realize that we must develop a new transportation policy that meets the dynamic market demands of both domestic and global trade. The Interstate Highway System of the previous century, created during a 40-year era of “cheap fuel” and serving primarily U.S. highways and airlines, performed well. But today, […]
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The Surprising Upside to CSA 2010
When it comes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s guidelines known as CSA 2010, the trucking industry has focused on its potential drawbacks, including job losses for truckers and other challenges for carriers. While such issues do exist, there are also opportunities for drivers, carriers, and shippers to benefit from the rules’ move to […]
Read More10 Ways to Gain Control Over Parcel Transportation Costs
The amount of effort shippers put into carrier management directly correlates to their success at controlling transportation costs. Incumbent carriers often know more about their client’s shipments than the shipper does. But shippers can tilt the actionable information scales in their favor to achieve lower parcel transportation costs. Here are 10 points shippers should consider […]
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Five Market Concerns Driving Shipper Cost Increases
It has never been more expensive or frustrating to be a shipper. Rates are up, capacity is down, and, while Wall Street analysts are bullish on the transportation sector, many businesses are still struggling. It’s a disparity that contributes to billions of dollars of shipper overspending each year. The following market concerns will have the […]
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