Articles
Viewpoint: Logistics & Supply Chain Analysis
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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Maximize Nearshoring Value to Minimize Supply Chain Complexity
Latin America—particularly Mexico—continues to gain favor as a sourcing hotspot. Its close proximity to the U.S. border has always been a draw, but recent developments have shifted the global trade landscape in favor of the Western hemisphere. Nearsourcing may never entirely replace production in Asia, but trading partners in the Americas should be an essential […]
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Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Tackles Track-and-Trace Challenges
New legislation is in the works to prevent counterfeit medicines from entering the pharmaceutical supply chain. These random mixtures of harmful toxic substances are not only illegal; they are extremely dangerous to patients and damaging to the reputations of legitimate pharmaceutical companies. Increased Internet sales, widespread demand for generic drugs, and drug shortages in many […]
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Nearshoring in Mexico: The Benefits of Shared Borders
Offshore manufacturing has been synonymous with the Pacific Rim for decades, and it’s still often the best option for saving a line of business that might otherwise decline because of rising labor costs. As the offshoring trend has progressed, however, the drawbacks of moving production far from demand have become more obvious. For example, the […]
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How Will the Affordable Care Act Impact Shippers?
Companies large and small are assessing the impact the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will have on employee benefits. The mandates of the act start Jan. 1, 2014, and employers are examining a variety of responses. Shippers must not only face the question of how this legislation relates to their own operations and […]
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Automating B2B Payments: The Next Frontier
When it comes to automation in B2B payments, we have a long way to go. Too often, payments are disconnected from the underlying commercial transaction, creating problems from proper initiation to reconciliation. Automating B2B payments is challenging for many reasons. Selling a product or service and getting paid are often two different processes. Anyone who […]
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When Government Oversight of Motor Carriers Fails, Shippers Pay
While overall truck accident rates have been trending lower over the past several years, avoidable carrier accidents are still common. Comprehensive safety compliance reviews (CRs) by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) protect lives and property. In the year after a CR is conducted, crashes decrease 16.3 percent, according to […]
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New Transatlantic Trade Pact Could Be Favorable “TTIP-ing” Point for Logistics Sector
In announcing the start of negotiations to forge a new trade agreement between the United States and the 27-nation European Union (EU), British Prime Minister David Cameron said at the G-8 summit meeting held in Northern Ireland in June 2013 that there is "no better way to drive growth and prosperity around the world" than […]
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Improving America’s Ports: A Vital Step in U.S. Economic Recovery
In its March 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) included port infrastructure for the first time in its comprehensive infrastructure analysis. ASCE’s reports are instrumental in showing the need for infrastructure investment, and the economic impact of its neglect. Advocating for increased federal investment in seaport-related infrastructure—including both […]
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Sensor-based Logistics: Monitoring Shipment Vital Signs in Real Time
The global supply chain’s rapid growth is encouraging companies to look for new ways to improve efficiency, cut waste, and enhance supply chain dependability to deliver a superior customer experience. One tool for accomplishing these goals is sensor-based logistics (SBL). SBL provides full visibility inside shipments while they’re in motion, helping to ensure they reach […]
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8 Ways to Strengthen Online Retailer Supply Chains
Most online retailers are well aware that effective supply chain execution is the strategic heart of their business. Here are eight ways to keep online retail supply chains running smoothly and cost-effectively. 1. Invest in people. Make sure your supply chain managers have adequate experience and knowledge. The right skill set can’t be learned on […]
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Bringing Risk Management into the Heart of the Supply Chain
When supply chain executives are asked about the amount of contact they typically have with their chief risk officer, the answer is typically, "Not much." And they might add that their interaction usually involves providing input into enterprise risk management (ERM) for an update to their board. When asked whether the ERM team plays an […]
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Delivering Procure-To-Pay Success
The next step in inbound logistics goes beyond delivering goods. As e-invoicing and procure-to-pay networks have evolved into broad-based business networks, advancements now enable professionals to finally connect all the dots in the supply chain. Over a secure cloud-based network, customers share accurate, actionable data with suppliers around the world, enabling immediate electronic transactions and […]
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Is Slow Steaming Good for the Supply Chain?
When shipping lines began promoting slow steaming—operating ships at lower speeds to reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions—they highlighted its environmental benefits. Slow speeds reduce fuel consumption and, therefore, the output of harmful emissions, helping shippers reduce their carbon footprint and reinforce their green image. Sailing ships at slower speeds does significantly reduce fuel consumption. […]
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To Rebuild America’s Economy, Keep Products at Home
Despite anecdotal evidence of a comeback brewing in domestic industry, wide-ranging new data repeatedly point to major—even mounting—manufacturing woes, including flatlining growth and record trade deficits. More importantly, advanced domestic manufacturing keeps failing a crucial competitive test: holding onto markets in its own enormous American backyard. Imports continue to gain at the expense of U.S. […]
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Understanding Warehouseman’s Liens
When a warehouse operator believes it is owed storage and handling charges from a customer, it will often assert that it holds a “warehouseman’s lien” over the customer’s goods stored in the warehouse. By asserting such a lien, the warehouse operator is attempting to prevent the customer from shipping or otherwise making use of any […]
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Tracking Tools Protect Food Shipment Freshness
Managing food safety can be difficult in the best of conditions. From the field to the retailer, food comes in contact with soil, water, pallets, vehicles and a variety of other materials – any of which can introduce human pathogens into the food chain. Meat, seafood, poultry, and fresh fruits and vegetables are the highest-risk […]
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