Articles
3PL
Do-It-Yourselfers Need Help Too
I once worked with a fellow who cut his own hair. Every few days or so he gave himself a new hairstyle—he justified it by saying it was more economical. The only problem was his hair looked like he had cut it himself! It was difficult for anyone not to notice, what with the uneven […]
Read MoreJack the Giant Killer
In the fabled tale of old, Jack the Giant Killer, a smaller, more wily competitor (who also has a friend with special powers) whips a larger, more powerful foe. It can happen in modern times too, logistically speaking. Let’s consider a real-world example of how using a 3PL helps a company operate successfully against competitors […]
Read MoreDSC Logistics: Focusing on the Process
Over the years, many fine voices—W. Edwards Deming, Eliyahu Goldratt, Taguchi, Michael Hammer and James Champy—have emphasized examining and improving business management processes. The reason they, and others, place such importance on process is to counter some companies’ tendencies to fixate on disparate details, personalities, or other matters peripheral to their essential business interests. That’s […]
Read MorePart of the Ship’s Engine, Not Part of the Load
It’s amazing what we can learn if we stop talking long enough to listen. As a CEO, there are so many occasions to speak, to describe, to explain, and to present our ideas. But I find that the most valuable experiences are those that offer the chance to simply hear—really HEAR and fully UNDERSTAND—what those […]
Read MoreKeeping it in the Family: ODW Logistics Gets Personal
ODW takes customers into the future by being flexible and implementing solutions that meet their needs.
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Can Competitors Unite On Your Behalf?
In 1997, DSC Communications Corporation, a $1.6-billion telecom equipment maker based in Plano, Texas, decided to get radical. In an attempt to streamline the number of freight forwarders not only swarming its docks, but swamping the progressive company with paperwork, DSC turned to outsourcing. Putting its domestic, international, and van line segments out for bid, […]
Read MoreThinking of Outsourcing? Ask Me Two Questions
A potential customer who was considering outsourcing her logistics operations recently asked me two thoughtful questions. The questions are fundamental, yet critical to ensuring that you, as the customer, share with your 3PL providers a common understanding of the task at hand. Her first question: What is logistics? The proliferation of logistics directories illustrates the […]
Read MoreJIT II Partnerships Require Leap of Faith
United Printing was in the unique position in 1986 to be part of Bose Corporation’s now-famous JIT II experiment. Under this new approach to managing business logistics, Bose consolidated all its printing with one JIT II partner—United Printing—in exchange for immediate cost reduction, an inplant representative, and a defined ceiling on all pricing. Twelve years […]
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