Articles

Logistics I.T.

Mark Humphlett
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Can Your Global Supply Chain Withstand a Crisis?

Natural disasters, fluctuating oil prices, and other global factors continue to disrupt the flow of essential equipment and goods for manufacturers worldwide. For many companies, it has triggered a critical question: Can our organization’s supply chain withstand a major upheaval? It is an important question, because the flow of money through a supply channel determines […]

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John Reichert
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Collaborative Visibility for Optimum Efficiency and User Experience

Q: Why is collaborative visibility important? A: Supply chains have become extremely complex and fluid. The number and variety of products has exploded, lifecycles have shrunk, and interdependencies between organizations are at an all-time high. Natural disasters such as Japan’s tsunami in March 2011 showed that a major global event can have a far-reaching impact […]

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Ralph Hess
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With WMS, Small Businesses Can Do It All

Q: How can smaller companies respond to the supply chain demands of their large customers? A: The best way for suppliers to respond is to manage their own segment of the supply chain as efficiently as possible. They must optimize their inventory and distribution operations by applying the proper resources—human, financial, and technological—to drive excellence […]

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Kevin Reader
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Choosing the Right WMS For Your Business

Q: The WMS selection process seems to be based on spreadsheets and feature-driven lists of requirements. Is this the best place to start? A: Many consultants and professional organizations suggest companies can select a WMS by reviewing standard feature lists, conducting a conference room pilot, and adding customization as needed to deliver the design and […]

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Christine Wheeler
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Wireless Workstations Unplug Savings

Thanks to wireless technology, carts with on-board power supplies are opening new frontiers of efficiency, productivity, and profitability in distribution centers (DCs). These mobile- powered workstations (MPWs) carry computers, bar-code scanners, and printers, reducing paperwork and operator travel. DC employees can waste countless hours walking to and from deskbound computers to perform tasks such as […]

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Mike Skinner
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Mobile TMS Applications Improve Supply Chain Visibility

Online applications for mobile devices are emerging in ways that can finally close or reduce many of the information gaps in the supply chain between transportation planning, the shipping/receiving dock, customers, and even accounts payable. These mobile applications are enabling shippers to interface directly and more effectively with logistic partners; access logistics information in non-traditional […]

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Michael Watson, Ph.D.
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Discovering the Value of Analytics

Many companies are building analytics strategies, which use data to facilitate better decisions. To develop improved analytics strategies, consider the three different types of analytics: descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive. Each type uses data in a different way to provide a different type of value. Descriptive analytics: Using data to improve how you describe or report […]

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