Articles
January 2023
Polish Up That Crystal Ball
Making informed decisions that impact all aspects of the supply chain requires access to quality, actionable information. While it’s not possible to accurately predict the future, BlueGrace Logistics’ Logistics Confidence Index (LCI) examines expected revenue growth for upcoming quarters and how shippers can adjust based on those expectations. The LCI shipper survey measures expected industry […]
Read MoreCalifornia Here We Come
Nearly one-third of logistics managers polled in a CNBC survey do not know how much trade they would return to West Coast ports after an International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) labor deal is reached. Negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association and the ILWU, which represents 22,000 West Coast port workers, began on May 10, […]
Read MoreLast-Mile Deliveries Grow Bigger and Bulkier
Big and bulky last-mile delivery will be one of the fastest growing third-party logistics (3PL) segments for the next three years, driven by expanding e-commerce product categories that include furniture and appliances, predicts Making it Count: Big and Bulky Last-Mile Delivery in the United States, an Armstrong & Associates report. The report estimates the 3PL […]
Read MoreRobotics Demand Skyrockets
Robots are seeing a population growth. By 2027, more than 4 million robots will be installed and operating in warehouses and distribution centers. Shipments of mobile robots jumped 53% in 2022 when compared with 2021, driven by increasing e-commerce, labor shortages, and shifting manufacturing methods, finds research from Interact Analysis. The market will experience compounded […]
Read MoreSouth of the Border Imports Boom
Driven by demand for boats, vehicles, vehicle parts, computer parts, and oil, Mexican imports to the United States rose 19.5% year-over-year in 2022 to reach $479.6 billion according to Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Informatics. Some segments, such as motor vehicle parts, are returning to pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, data from project44 shows that […]
Read MoreWalmart Takes to the Skies
Retailers continue to look for new ways to meet consumer demand for fast delivery. Many, including Walmart, are banking on drones. For a cool $3.99, Walmart customers who live within one mile of a participating store can now have thousands of eligible products delivered to their home via same-day drone delivery. Walmart expanded its DroneUp […]
Read MoreReviewing 2022 Shipping Challenges
How did shippers respond to challenges in 2022 and how do they plan to respond in 2023? That’s what Averitt’s eighth annual State of the North American Supply Chain Survey set out to discover. The survey asked 1,800 shippers about supply chain challenges in 2022 and measures their interest in various supply chain services moving […]
Read MoreMany Supply Chains Still in the Dark
Although technology innovations help shed light on additional insights into supply chains, some knowledge gaps remain. Up to 80% of executives responding to Verusen’s 2022 State of Supply Chain Management report say they can’t digitally track the movement of direct and indirect materials across their enterprise, which suggests that many companies may lack the technology […]
Read MoreManaging Supplier Risk: It’s All About the Information
What was once “nice to have” information has been defined by law. As social and environmental concerns grow, governments and related third parties are demanding, with regulatory backing, that businesses manage ethical supply chains. What can large organizations with complex supply chains do to help mitigate supplier risk?
Read MoreThe Costly Consequences of Bad Data
A majority of sourcing and procurement leaders say they were inadequately prepared for supply chain disruptions in 2022. This lack of preparedness is partly due to continued and overwhelming reliance on manually updated source-to-pay platforms, which seriously limit operational efficiency. Worse, inaccurate supplier data inhibits business continuity, especially as disruptions continue.
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