Articles

Logistics I.T.

Donn Deffebach
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Plan Better Truck Routes: Long-range Itinerary Generation Enhances Operations

Not so long ago, route planning, fleet optimization, and driver allocation relied almost exclusively on the guile, instincts, and experience of operations managers and dispatch personnel. Long-range forecasting was theoretical at best. The tools used static data, and couldn’t handle the inevitable adjustments required by the dynamics of day-to-day operations. This is changing fast. While […]

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Tom Heine
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Invest in Productivity

Start with what I consider low-hanging fruit—any investment in productivity that pays for itself in less than one year. Think about that return: 100 percent in one year. If you bought a portfolio of stocks and it went up 15 percent in one year, you would be a savvy investor. Earn 20 to 30 percent, […]

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Ty Bordner
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Automating Key Steps to Strategically Optimize Inbound Supply Chains

The increasing growth and complexity of global trade means organizations must work with a range of partners, suppliers and functional teams within the organization. Best in class companies use a variety of global trade automation tools to lower inbound costs and improve processes. According to a recent AberdeenGroup report, "Strategic Inbound Optimization: Foreign Trade Zones […]

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Bruce Moore
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Connect, Secure, and Manage the Supply Chain

Q: How are transport and logistics firms using mobility to improve employee engagement? A: Mobility once meant giving each driver a cell phone. Today, however, connected devices with communication applications allow drivers to get news and road updates, connect with family, and do business anywhere and anytime. By accessing training programs while waiting for a […]

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Nicholas Carretta
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Get Real: What ROI to Expect from Your TMS Implementation

Q: Transportation management system (TMS) solution providers routinely claim their automation tools will deliver cost savings as high as 25 to 30 percent of annual transportation spend. Is this accurate? A: Sales representatives have a tendency to oversell things in their pursuit of new clients. This is problematic for the industry because it discredits TMS […]

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Selecting a Bar-code Scanning System

Bar-code tools can rapidly streamline inventory processing, but choosing the proper system requires examining the current technology, understanding the types of providers, and reviewing internal processes to match needs with a solution. Brian Sutter, director of marketing at Wasp Barcode Technologies, offers these tips for navigating the process. 1. Take a test drive. Training staff […]

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Boosting Warehouse Productivity

Achieving warehouse productivity goals such as reducing picking times and increasing throughput rates can be challenging. Chris Castaldi, director of business development at Carlstadt, N.J.-based materials handling systems integrator W&H Systems, offers these tips for improving warehouse productivity. 1. Use automated picking operations. Pick-to-voice or pick-to-light systems speed picking and reduce errors by quickly providing […]

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Bernardo Nicoletti
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Using Operational Analytics to Achieve a Digitized, Visible Supply Chain

To assure a succcessful future, companies must add value to their customers and organizations, and drive competitive advantage. The best way to achieve this is by developing a system based on operational analytics. Operational analytics come from analyses done on the fly as part of standard business processes. Planning, inventory management, and control are examples […]

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