Logistics I.T.

An Open Ledger: Six Ways Blockchain Will Change Supply Chains

With e-commerce giants fueling a spike in shipping volumes, logistics companies need to increase efficiency, while reducing costs. One of the biggest roadblocks to doing so, is improving communication and transparency between manufacturers, freight companies, and buyers. With the global market expanding and consumer demands increasing, it is more challenging than ever to ensure quality […]

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It’s Supposed to Be, But ACE Isn’t Simple

Importing will always and forever be complex. Efforts to simplify some of the processes have, unfortunately, not always borne fruit. The aftermath of the overhaul of U.S. customs admissibility program – Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) – has created a heavier administrative burden on importers, not a lighter one. One has to believe the agencies see […]

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What Does World-Class Supply Chain Planning Look Like?

Omnichannel customers, increased product customization, and the emergence of non-traditional competitors all demonstrate that the old methods of brute force execution and elbow grease will no longer suffice when creating a supply chain. Relying on a “can-do” spirit is not enough—businesses must excel at operational planning across multiple dimensions to not just win, but to […]

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Supply Chain Productivity Boosters: Three Technologies Making Maximum Impact

In today’s perpetually advancing and highly competitive modern marketplace, it is vital for businesses to stay ahead of the industry and maintain an edge, starting by reviewing current processes and identifying what can be automated or require less time, labor, and costs by utilizing technology. Embracing new technological trends will streamline workflow and optimize productivity […]

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Windows Mobile Migration: Three Ways to Ensure Business Continuity and Minimize Supply Chain Disruption

Microsoft’s 2015 decision to curtail support of mobile devices included, to the company’s credit, a sustained transition period. While this provided some breathing room for supply chains dependent upon Microsoft mobile platforms to transition to alternative operating systems, the days are numbered for companies that have yet to complete the OS transition. In June 2018, […]

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Invest in Logistics IT in a Grow Economy

Now is the time for all supply chain management professionals to come to the financial aid of their logistics IT. In the Information Age and the Internet of Things (IoT) era, the need for speed and flexibility in sharing accurate information both internally within your business units and externally with your customers, vendors, and suppliers, […]

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Unblocking the Blockchain: Beyond the Hype

For the logistics sector, blockchain is taking center stage in 2018. In the first three months of the year, we have seen Buffett’s BNSF Railway, UPS, and GE among a whole host of others join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), which has dedicated itself to developing the industry standards for blockchain use. We have […]

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Robotic Process Automation: Raising Expectations in Logistics

Digital progress drives service improvements in 3PLs

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IoT and Security in the Supply Chain: Making Smart Choices

There’s a lot of confusion about the Internet of Things and security in enterprise environments. In reality, IoT is not just one thing, and the type of IoT solution as well as the environment in which it is used should dictate security requirements. To make informed security decisions regarding an IoT solution for your organization, […]

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Supply Chain Commentary: Boost Productivity, Efficiency, and Security in Your Warehouse

Smoothly running logistics—a key factor in successful warehouse operations—depends on a three-legged stool of productivity, efficiency, and secure operations. Today, software underpins many warehouse functions, giving leaders a new source of productivity and efficiency insights—and a new concern for corporate security. Measuring and Optimizing Productivity Optimizing labor productivity is the number one goal within warehouse […]

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AI Ushers Supply Chains Into Data-Driven Future

Over the years, organizations have deployed an array of transactional and analytic systems for supply chain operations. While gains have been made, supply chains remain far from the ideal of real-time visibility and data-driven decisions that define the supply chain of the future.  Supply chains have grown infinitely more complex in today’s faster digital environments. […]

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5 Things to Consider When Choosing an ELD Provider

Now that the ELD Mandate has taken effect, fleet operators and logistics managers have a lot to consider. Many—still around one million—trucks still do not have an ELD (electronic logging device) installed and many fleet operators are still evaluating whether or not to roll the dice and even adhere to the mandate. Those who do […]

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Predictive Applications Take Supply Chains into the Future

Anything can happen in the supply chain–trucks break down, ships get rerouted, goods are stolen, parts are faulty, ports close, dockworkers go on strike, and supplier production lines go down. This uncertainty causes companies to buffer inventories beyond what is necessary to service forecasted demand just in case something goes wrong. But this is an […]

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Supply Chain Commentary: Taking the First Steps to Digitizing Your Supply Chain

The clarion call to digitize the supply chain is louder than ever before. In order to meet consumer demands and gain competitive advantage, shippers are retooling their supply chains to be more agile, efficient, and transparent. But where do you start? What steps can you take today? And how can you use existing IoT analytics […]

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