Articles
3PL
Giving Intermodal the Green Light
Manufacturers and retailers know moving freight by rail and using trucks on the origin and destination ends—a combined service approach called door-to-door intermodal—can help cut logistics costs. What many shippers don’t realize is that, in addition to being a more cost-effective method of transporting goods, intermodal offers significant environmental advantages as well. LAW OF AVERAGES […]
Read More
Building Better 3PL Relationships
Third-party logistics (3PL) providers are tremendously popular with shippers for surface transportation in North America. Freight brokers, forwarders, and intermodal marketing companies offer capacity, expertise, technology, and buying power on a scale no shipper can replicate on its own. Not all 3PLs are the same, however. Here are a few tips to help you get […]
Read More
Today’s Warehouse Plays a New Role
Warehouses are no longer just for storage. In today’s cost-conscious, efficiency-driven environment, many manufacturers are reevaluating their definition of warehousing. Anything that doesn’t lend itself to a high-speed, highly mechanized, low-labor environment is being sent to the warehouse. Driving this evolution is a desire to take links out of the supply chain and make sure […]
Read More
Green Reverse Logistics Brings Many Happy Returns
Companies that combine the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra with the supply chain wisdom of managing costs and stamping out inefficiencies are developing reverse supply chains that help the Earth, the customer, and the bottom line.
Read More
It’s Time to Start Looking at the Future and Preparing for the Long Haul
The challenges of the current economy and the availability of capacity have driven truckload prices to their lowest point since 2005. While most shippers have seen great opportunities with the decline in pricing, the market is changing. As recent research from Noel Perry and FTR Associates indicates, market pricing bottomed out in the second quarter […]
Read MoreIs Your 3PL a Brand Builder?
Abrand represents many intangible aspects of a product or service; it’s a collection of perceptions about quality, image, lifestyle, and status. In short, a brand represents a promise made and honored. When was the last time you challenged your third-party logistics provider (3PL) to help you build your brand? For most shippers, the answer lies […]
Read MoreChoosing and Using a Freight Forwarder
Choosing the right freight forwarder to support your transportation efforts can mean the difference between satisfied customers or unhappy ones; efficient, cost-effective distribution of your products or careless, wasteful handling of them. The following are some suggestions for choosing and using a freight forwarder. DO YOUR HOMEWORK Before entering into negotiations with a logistics provider, […]
Read MoreDefining the Ideal Pacific Rim Warehouse
Warehouses may serve the same function regardless of where they are located, but the criteria for choosing and operating these facilities is anything but consistent from one continent to the next. If manufacturing or distribution in Asia is part of your business, keep in mind the following ways in which the ideal facility might look […]
Read MoreLearning to Play by New Rules: Managing Logistics Through the Recession
Managing a global business today is brutal. The collective business wisdom is being tested, and our organizations’ hard work on strategy, lean management, and disciplined forecasting and operations planning can’t wipe away current economic woes. The global supply chain isn’t broken, but we’re dealing with a game-changing scenario. As the economy plays havoc with volume, […]
Read MoreMission-Critical Service Parts Logistics: Making the Impossible Possible
Mission-critical service parts logistics requires sound processes, precision, and an organizational commitment to make the seemingly impossible possible. After all, guaranteeing expedited delivery within 90 minutes to four hours anywhere in the world can be a daunting challenge. This is the reality that manufacturers and service providers face, however, particularly for high-tech equipment. With demanding […]
Read More